Shopping

8 Sustainable Shops in Sonoma County

Making your holiday gift-shopping list? If you want to focus on products that are sustainably made, fair trade, and/or locally hand-crafted with a minimum of impact on the environment, Sonoma County has you covered!

Here in Sonoma County, we have a deep commitment to the pillars of sustainability—supporting a healthy economy, society, and planet—and this extends to the local businesses we champion.

These eight shops throughout Sonoma County will help you support your own commitment to sustainability, ensuring a happy holiday season for everyone on your list—and for you.

Made Local Marketplace, Santa Rosa

Set within the Montgomery Village shopping and dining complex, this sprawling showcase for Sonoma County and North Bay artists, crafters, and producers offers a wonderful variety of unique, hand-crafted goods. Gift options here include clothing, framed photos, holiday cards, soaps, candles, fiber and wood works, ceramics, foods, and kitchenwares—and none of it has been mass-produced.

Indigenous, Sebastopol

Focusing on quality fair-trade clothing since 1994, Indigenous is a pioneer in eco-sensitive, socially-conscious apparel for men and women. They ensure that the culturally diverse artisans they partner with can work under safe conditions and receive a livable wage for their craft. The beautiful clothes sold here—from tops and pants to dresses and sweaters—are made only from natural fibers, including 100% organic cotton and alpaca wool. They offer a wide range of handmade accessories, from embroidered clutches and woven bags to African-made jewelry that uses reclaimed horn and recycled brass.

Hello Penngrove, Penngrove

Located in the tiny town of Penngrove at the southern end of Sonoma County, this friendly shop specializes in hand-crafted, locally and responsibly made goods, many of them one-of-a-kind. They have an especially wide variety of cute clothing and toys for babies and toddlers, and no shortage of whimsical gift options, like these hot chocolate mugs with cocoa-warming lids that feature adorable animal faces.

Global Heart, Sonoma

Set right on Sonoma Plaza, this delightfully colorful shop is fully committed to fair trade goods, selling everything from kid’s clothes to nativities and ornaments, coffee to olive oil, home decor, jewelry, and personal accessories. They also sponsor fund drives to help underprivileged kids around the world, which could make a lovely gift in and of itself.

Heritage Alchemy, Santa Rosa

The brainchild of twin sisters committed to reducing dependency on single-use plastic and hard-to-recycle items, this bright, airy shop focuses on all the tenets of sustainability, from selling products that have a light environmental footprint to paying their employees a livable wage.

In addition to local artwork and a cleanser-refill stations where giftees are encouraged to return, bestsellers include eco-friendly eyewear and phone cases, face and body products from clean beauty brand BeautyCounter, and lightweight tableware, cutlery, cups, and straws designed for re-use and travel.

Kindred Fair Trade Handicraft, Santa Rosa

A visit to this expansive shop, where every item is fair-trade, is like taking a tour of more than 35 countries. You’ll find textiles from Guatemala, felted wool birdhouses from Nepal, sterling silver jewelry from Indonesia, telephone wire baskets from South Africa, ceremonial masks from Ghana, block-printed tablecloths from India, gourds from Peru, and wind chimes from the Philippines—and much more.

Hand Goods, Occidental

Established by local artists in 1970, this locally owned gallery/retail store is a treasure trove for fans of handmade goods. Arts-and-crafts offerings here include work from some of the finest Northern Californian potters, painters, textile makers, and jewelers, as well as a large variety of Zapotec rugs handmade in Oaxaca, Mexico, and other fair trade and handcrafted items from around the world.

Artisan’s Co-Op, Bodega

Wander through the warren of rooms in this Sonoma Coast art and craft gallery, and you’ll find the creative work of 50 local artists, from paintings and pottery to hand-tooled leather bags, sand-dollar earrings, sheepskin slippers, and hand-knit wearables. The small town of Bodega, where Artisan’s Co-Op is located, was also the backdrop for Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” and many of the handmade items here draw inspiration from the film. All works sold here are locally made, so they have a light environmental footprint while also serving as unique souvenirs with a sense of place.