How to Create Your Sustainable Dorm Room
*scroll to the bottom for a list of eco-swaps for your dorm room
Hi, my name is Stephanie Froebel, and I just recently graduated from high school. This coming fall will be the first time I live on my own long-term. As I grow into adulthood, I often wish I could exist more sustainably like the role models I see online, but am hindered by the excuses of mind along with the different lifestyles of my family. Now that I will finally be on my own, I am realizing that those sustainable dreams of mine cannot be a dream any longer. The excuse of waiting till I’m older and have more money is invalid when I consider that going to college is my version of a fresh start.
And fresh start for many, college is. We as teenagers have not accumulated the “necessities” our parents use so thus we must start accumulating ourselves. We start with the basics of towels, bedding, hair-care products, and somehow our consumeristic society drives down the rabbit hole of cheap and useless decor and unnecessary “necessities” that are often created using exploited labor, plastics that will never break down, and harmful chemicals.
The waste you buy whether it be the product itself or the packaging is only a small fraction of the waste you are actually supporting (there’s so much waste in the production and acquiring of the supplies needed to make so many materials) by providing unethical companies your demand of dollar. Already, we are conditioning the people of our future to surround ourselves with more while we teens often end up feeling like less.
What if we reframed our college itinerary to buying what we NEED and doing so in an eco-friendly way? Buying less, buying things that will last, and buying things that are an investment not only to our youthful and aging selves but also to the planet.
So let me help you with your dorm room needs (as I’ve done the shopping and hard research for my own room), and let’s build a more sustainable future together.
STOP: Before you buy anything!
Before you buy anything, sustainable or not, remember that reusing or repurposing what you already have will (almost) ALWAYS be better than buying anything new. New does NOT mean better.
Reuse what you already have
Reusing what you already have is the easiest way to reduce costs (because you won’t be wasting money on something new). Easy things to reuse are
sheets (and queen sheets do indeed fit easily into a twin)
pillows
clothing
storage bins
luggage
bathroom products
blankets
laundry baskets
technology
Upcycle/Repurpose
Upcycling is similar to reusing, but the difference is you are transforming a product into something different rather than just using the product the same way. For example, cutting an old T-shirt or towels can make face wipes and washcloths. Old curtains can be used for drapery and decor.
Do it Yourself (DIY)
Doing a classic DIY does not have to be overly difficult, but can be a great and easy way to decorate your room or make something old feel new again.
Some examples:
use fabric dye to change the color of an old backpack or bag
print out your favorite photos with friends and create a photo wall with sticky tack or clothespins and string
paint some paintings to hang up on your wall
make a quilt of old high-school-specific shirts or other clothing
What to do when you need to buy things
Before you go single-click purchasing everything off of Amazon, there are still ways to create your sustainable dorm room.
First, create a list of what you actually need. Hold off on questionable wants because you can always buy more later.
Second, use the guidelines below for some shopping tips.
Buy Secondhand
Buying secondhand is a great option because you are not introducing any new products into the world and are instead supporting a circular economy. To buy secondhand you can go to local consignment or thrift stores (good for clothing, bedding, decorations), buy from secondhand online sellers like Poshmark (be careful of drop shippers who aren’t actually selling old products but very cheap new stuff), eBay, or use Amazon’s used product section.
I particularly recommend buying textbooks secondhand (much cheaper), buying clothing, and buying any tech you need refurbished (older models fixed to work like new) or used.
Buying New
I will admit, I myself am buying new things for my dorm . It’s okay to buy something new, but make the effort to buy your things from the most actively sustainable company or brand possible. By “actively sustainable” I mean that these businesses are making strides towards sustainability and company transparency.
Not every product has a perfect sustainable company/product alternative so finding the “best” product can often take a lot of time, leave you with fewer design options, and take more research and critical thinking.
But to make your time feel more worth it, remember that just a few extra minutes can be the difference between contributing to a climate disaster or refusing to play into the system. The least you can do is purchase the most the sustainable option that you can afford.
Let’s be real though, trying to decipher the legitimacy of green-washing claims and vague transparency introduces a lot of gray area. So that’s why I did a lot of the hard work for you!!! Next up I will share not only how to determine the sustainability and ethical merit of a company, but also share some great brands and companies selling commonly used dorm room products.
✨Look for Labels✨
The most sustainable brands will typically have third-party verifications that indicate some good-for-the-planet action. Third-party labels are important because they are an outside organization that can verify that a company is actually doing the practices they describe and are making efforts to improve their practices.
The following labels generally suggest a more eco-friendly and sustainably driven company:
B Corp Certified: “Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. This is a community of leaders, driving a global movement of people using business as a force for good.” (B Corp website)
Climate Neutral: Indicates the carbon emissions for a company are net zero or negative meaning they reduce their carbon emissions or invest in offsets (like planting tress) that remove carbon from the atmosphere to combat global warming
1% for the Planet: 1% of profits from the company are donated to various environmental non-profits and organizations
In the case that multiple companies have the same certifications, look specifically into their B Corp score which gives a more specific breakdown of the companies impact, and of course, consider your personal preference.
If a Company has no Certifications
Sometimes the products we are looking for do not have the certifications that verify if a product is sustainable. In those cases, focus on choosing brands that have the most sustainable company as a whole rather than just on a specific product (ex. multiple eco-friendly lines over just one)
Look at material
For fabrics, the less polyester the better, and generally organic materials (ex. organic cotton) are better than non-organic.
Look at company transparency
Are these companies setting goals to lower waste and emissions? Are these goals in the far future our with a few years? Are these companies taking any actions now?
Look at company reports
Increased transparency generally means that the company is more reliable and trustworthy. They are sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly within their company.
Eco-Swaps
Below are products that I personally recommend and have loved. Of course I’m not perfect so if there is a more eco-friendly alternative on the market or if one brand is not as sustainable as I may think, please share it with me and the community in the comments section that the bottom of this article.
Bedroom
Avocado Green Mattress (for sheets and duvets)
Anchal (upcycled quilts and comforters)
Clothing
Vegan Birkenstocks (sandals)
Patagonia (clothing and outerwear)
Allbirds (sneakers)
Conscious Step (socks)
Tech and Accessories
Pela Case (phone and airpods cases)
Refurbished Tech
Bathroom
Lush (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc.)
Ethique (shampoo, condition, shaving cream, deodorant, etc.)
Toms (deodorant, toothpaste)
Package Free Shop (soaps, kitchen, razors, etc.)
Leaf Razor (shaving razor)
Lena (menstrual cup)
Akamai Bamboo (toothbrush)
Linen Towels (companies may vary)
School Supplies
Pilot (refillable pens)
Dingbats (notebooks, journals, bullet journals)
Refurbished Tech
Used Textbooks
Library for books
Hopefully, this article has given you some insight or direction to you making more eco-friendly options for your dorm without sacrificing the planet, quality, or your wallet.
