Stick a plastic fork in us because we are done with plastic cutlery. Sustainable cutlery, on the other hand, not only looks and feels better, but can take a major bite out of landfill waste collectively and over time.
Speaking of forks, want to make like a plastic fork and take a stab at how long one takes to decompose?
Hint: It’s over 1,000 years, and over that time it’ll break apart into microplastics that are toxic for animals, marine life, and humans too.
That’s why we’re all about eating with utensils made by brands that use responsible materials, ethical labor, and transparent supply chains. And it’s what you’ll find in this list we’ve curated for you. Our favorite culinary tools for chowing down.
We’re also soon going to revamp this piece with our Brand Rating System, which gives us the full scoop behind the brands making those spoons by examining 22 sustainability-related criteria (like climate impact, water use, and circularity). You can read more about it here.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Eco-Friendly Cutlery We’re Dining Out With
We use Jungle Culture’s organic bamboo utensil set for picnicking, camping, and all the other outdoor eating adventures. Fair Trade made and they come with a handy jute carry case.
KNORK Flatware offers a range of hand-forged flatware lines that are ergonomically designed to fit the way you eat naturally. Not only is their disposable cutlery eco-friendly it’s also compostable and reusable for about a year.
Index: Sustainable Utensils
- KNORK Flatware Jump to brand
- To-Go Ware Jump to brand
- Food52 Vintage Shop Jump to brand
- Jungle Culture Jump to brand
- Repurpose Compostable Jump to brand
- Starburst Tropics Jump to brand
- Smile Boutiques Jump to brand
KNORK Flatware
Price Range: $8–$19
Who know that eco-friendly plastic cutlery without petroleum was a thing? We certainly didn’t until we stumbled on KNORK Flatware in our research for this article. Their utensils are made using plant-based bioplastic that will biodegrade once you’re done using them.
Use and reuse them for about one year. At the end of their lifetime, they will compost within 2 years of disposal in a commercial composting facility.
KNORK Flatware’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
KNORK’s disposable cutlery sets are made from an Eco-Astrik Propriety Blend of 90% sugarcane and 10% bamboo, held together with a biodegradable, plant-based binder. The bamboo is sustainably collected and upcycled from factory off-cuts and scraps, using materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
Supply chain & labor practices:
KNORK has been using the same Chinese factory for more than 17 years. It’s powered partially by renewable energy and uses discarded machines from previous factories. HPCA inspection ensures the factory complies with both China and USA health and human safety regulations.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Products are shipped to consumers plastic-free in unbleached kraft paper boxes.
To-Go Ware
Price Range: $11–$15
As their name suggests, To-Go Ware is committed to making improvements to our to-go practices—starting with minimizing single-use plastics.
They carry all you could need for a reusable meal—eco-friendly lunch boxes and sustainable eating utensils, with plenty of kid-approved options. Their cutlery set is perfect for school or work lunches, barbecues, and camping trips. If you don’t need the whole set, they have individual biodegradable spoons and forks, and knives, too.
To-Go Ware’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They use bamboo which is renewable, fast-growing, carbon hungry, and harvestable without killing the plant. It’s also dishwasher-safe, free of phthalates and BPA, heat, and stain-resistant, and won’t absorb flavors.
To-Go’s food-safe polyurethane coating means they can be used for years. All products are lab tested as non-toxic and safe.
Supply chain & labor practices:
As a Certified B Corp, To-Go Ware meets impressive standards for social and environmental performance and transparency. The bamboo is sourced in China, where they’re also manufactured in a small, family-owned factory.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Recycled and recyclable packaging materials are used. They refuse the “Big 5”: plastic bags, water bottles, cups, utensils, and polystyrene takeout containers.
Food52 Vintage Shop
Price Range: $40–$250
Food52 are leaders in the foodie world. What started as a community for sharing food recipes and cooking product recommendations, has evolved into so much more—namely as a vintage cookware retailer.
Since secondhand makes for the most sustainable silverware, they were an easy inclusion in this list. Their selection of vintage utensils isn’t massive, but it sure is unique (ideal for a dress up dinner party), including both sets and individual pieces.
Food52 Vintage Shop’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All their vintage silverware is silver-plated.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Most Food52 vintage finds are products that were made in the USA, though some silverware pieces were handpicked in France.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Aside from selling vintage kitchenware, they’re careful to give a second life to any unwanted items from the rest of their business—like selling the unneeded props used for their food styling.
Jungle Culture
Price Range: $15
As one of our favorite zero waste online stores in the UK, Jungle Culture is all about putting the natural jungle back in our modern lives.
Each set of sustainable cutlery is handmade and comes with compostable knives, forks, spoons, and bamboo straws. We personally love the smooth finish and more durable nature of these compared to other bamboo cutlery we’ve seen. Its lasted us years, for many trips out and about in in nature.
Jungle Culture’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Jungle Culture’s cutlery is made by hand using sustainably farmed bamboo that grows abundantly in the rural province of Thanh Hoa, near Hanoi. They also have alternative wooden cutlery made using reclaimed and upcycled ebony wood scraps procured from a furniture manufacturer in Southern Vietnam.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Local family, friends, and villagers are the extent of their supply chain. The initial crafter of the utensils now focuses on building bamboo houses for the local community. The brand oversees production and ensures that every utensil is produced ethically.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Products arrive at your door (packaging-free) in a natural jute carry case. Recycled newspaper or paper lying around the company office is used to protect items, seal up with paper packing tape.
Community & charitable giving:
Jungle Culture’s .eco domain shows its commitment to promoting environmental issues, considering the carbon neural domain registry requires all sites to clearly state and sign an environmental pledge.
Repurpose Compostable
Price Range: $8
There are times when single-use or disposable cutlery is the best option, but that doesn’t mean it has to be made using plastic. “Here for the fun, not forever”, Repurpose Compostable offers certified compostable cutlery collections.
Make a plant-based picnic by pairing their compostable cutlery with likewise compostable plates, hot and cold cups, stemless wine cups, and more.
Just be sure you don’t toss them in your home’s indoor compost bin, as they’re commercially compostable only.
Repurpose Compostable’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Repurpose Compostable’s cutlery is made from corn and other plant-based materials including upcycled plant fiber, PLA (Polylactic Acid), and PBAT (Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate).
Some of the best eco-friendly disposable cutlery, it’s FDA-approved non-toxic, BPA-free, PFAS-free, certified compostable, certified biobased.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their plates and cutlery are currently manufactured between the United States, Taiwan, and China. However, they’re formulating a cost-effective strategy to shift all manufacturing to the US.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Packaging is made from recyclable materials, although they are not quite as compostable as the products, they are working toward compostable packaging.
Starburst Tropics
Price Range: $6–$160
Starburst Tropics wants to cozy up our homes with quality, mid-century vintage items.
If you’re looking for kitchenware, vintage home decor, or select furniture, check out this stunning collection of mid-century modern pieces. You’ll find an eclectic mix of boho-inspired, beachy-tropical, retro, and earthy items.
Their upcycled metal silverware is a shining example of eco cutlery that’s already seen a meal or two and is ready for a million more. Their vintage pieces usually date between the 1950s and 1970s, and comes in kitschy mismatched sets to bring both elegance and uniqueness to your dining routine.
Starburst Tropics’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Most pieces are stainless steel, but you’ll find the occasional other metal, too.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Being an upcycle brand (no further manufacturing required), the supply chain is less relevant. However, we would certainly be interested to know their process for finding these vintage gems.
Smile Boutiques
Price Range: $5–$14
Hailing from Toronto, Smile Boutiques has an impressive range of low-impact products—and a reputation that’s just as impressive.
They’ve put a smile on tens of thousands of faces thanks to affordable and gorgeous Naamu wooden cutlery. Great as a travel cutlery set for your sustainable camping trips or even just a peaceful meal at home.
It’s packed in a breathable cloth pouch too, so you can bring them wherever you go.
Smile Boutiques’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They use nanmu wood which is a durable yet lightweight hardwood. The wood is treated with natural oil to stop it from splitting.
They also offer biodegradable wheat straw utensils.
Supply chain & labor practices:
These pieces are handmade by the shop, but Smile Boutique doesn’t mention exactly where their Naamu wood is sourced. We’ve reached out and will let you know as soon as we find out.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
All Smile Boutiques products are shipped with minimal low-waste packaging.
