What Sustainability Means to Us at The Bear and Belle

You’ve probably seen it before—“eco-friendly,” “sustainable,” “ethical”—plastered across product labels and websites like a badge of honor. And while these words should mean something, too often they don’t. That’s exactly why we started The Bear and Belle.

When we launched, it wasn’t because we wanted to follow a trend. It was because we wanted to fix a problem—one that we, as everyday shoppers who care about the world around us, were tired of running into. The problem? Greenwashing. A lack of transparency. And frankly, a lot of vague claims that left us wondering if the brands we were supporting actually walked the talk.

So, we decided to create something different.

At The Bear and Belle, every product we list has to meet at least one sustainability criterion: it must be eco-friendly or socially responsible. That’s our minimum standard. But it doesn’t stop there.

We go deeper. We rank products based on their level of eco-friendliness—because not all "sustainable" products are created equal. Is it made from recycled materials? Does it minimize water waste? Is the packaging compostable? Does the brand support fair wages or marginalized communities? We look at all of that, and we explain it clearly on each product page, so you don’t have to dig or guess. We believe informed choices should be easy to make.

Why? Because like you, we care.

We care about how a product is made, who made it, and how it will affect the world long after it leaves your hands. We’re not here to guilt you into shopping “perfectly.” We’re here to empower you to shop consciously—to choose goods that align with your values, without compromising on quality, style, or function.

That’s why we’ve made it simple to understand the why behind every item we carry.
When you're browsing, just click on any product and scroll down to the “Causes Behind This Product” section. There, you'll find a breakdown of how each product supports people or the planet—whether it's made using low-impact materials, supports ethical labor, reduces waste, or gives back to marginalized communities.

We believe informed choices should be easy to make—and even easier to feel good about.

For us, it’s about more than just selling beautiful things. It’s about giving you peace of mind. It’s about standing up to a system that rewards cutting corners, and instead, building one that honors people and the planet.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to figure out what’s actually sustainable or ethical, we’ve been there too. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. So you can spend less time second-guessing and more time choosing products that feel right.

Let’s make conscious shopping the new standard—not the exception.