5 Sustainable Cookware Brands
THAT LOOK AS GOOD AS THEY PERFORM
By Malia Noll
Image by Unsplash
The path to becoming a conscious consumer often begins with reducing single-use plastic or a dive into sustainable fashion. While these are important steps in the journey, we encourage you to think critically about traditional home investment pieces as well, particularly cookware.
While this purchase requires careful consideration of prices, durability and style, many people do not think about how their cookware was produced or what kind of chemicals it might contain. I grew up using a department store brand of cookware, and when it was time to purchase my own set, I went with what was familiar. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I learned about chemicals in cookware and began to think beyond simple sustainable fixes and towards a true overhaul of investment pieces in my home.
Luckily, there are brands committed to reducing their carbon footprint, using clean materials, and offering transparency to customers which you can find in a simple Google search—something my mom didn’t have back when she was buying her first cookware set. In order to help you get started, we’ve listed our favorite sustainably created cookware pieces that are not only durable and reliable but are also clean for you and for the environment.
GREENPAN
Cookware as healthy as you
Non-stick doesn’t have to be bad for your health. GreenPan is one of the industry leaders in clean, chemical-free non-stick ceramic coating and has reworked its formula five times since the brand first launched in 2007 to ensure its consumers are getting the best performing non-stick available. They use sleek, timeless designs and have released a wide range of colors to satisfy any taste.
Sustainable Practices:
Made without PFAS (Teflon), a synthetic chemical compound that is harmful to people and the environment. One of the main concerns of PFAS is that it does not break down—when released, it remains in the environment and the human body for decades.
NSF Certified
60% less CO2 is emitted during the curing phase of production of Thermolon coatings (the ceramic alternative used in GreenPan cookware), compared to the emissions during the curing phase of traditional non-stick coatings.
Made in: China
Price Range: $$
LODGE SEASONED CAST IRON
Solid, built to last pieces you can feel good about
Cast iron takes durability to new heights in the cookware game. Made from a mixture of iron, recycled steel and alloys, these cast iron pans are made in Tennessee and are pre-seasoned before they’re shipped. We love the versatility of these pans: use them on the grill, to fry eggs on a convection stovetop or bake a cake in the oven!
Sustainable Practices:
Participates in comprehensive recycling programs and invests in foundry equipment that reduces pollution and minimizes the consumption of electricity (In 2011, the factory reduced its energy consumption by 10% in just one year when they participated in the ENERGY STAR® challenge)
Uses recycled and biodegradable packaging materials
Made in: USA
Price Range: $
CARAWAY HOME
Modern meets function in these swoon-worthy designs
Switching to sustainable cookware doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. Caraway Home’s ceramic non-stick cookware comes in four colors that allow you to mix and match or choose a color that best suits your taste. Plus, you’ll receive a storage system with the purchase of a full cookware set, so you’ll never have to clang around to find pot lids and pans deep in your cabinets.
Sustainable Practices:
Up to 60% less CO2 is emitted during the production of these pans as compared to the emissions during production of traditional non-stick coatings
Free of PFAS, lead, cadmium and other toxic materials that can make their way into food or the air
Uses recycled and biodegradable packaging materials without the use of any plastic
Made in: India & China
Price Range: $$$
OUR PLACE
Cookware synonymous with simplicity
Perfect for the minimalist, Our Place’s Always Pan is made of non-stick ceramic and is uniquely crafted to offer a single pan solution that replaces 8 traditional pieces of cookware—you can boil, steam, sautee, fry … you get the picture. Besides the pan’s versatility, the simple modern design has us thinking it’s a display piece for our kitchen just as much as it is for cooking.
Sustainable Practices:
Invests in factories with safe and ethical working conditions that pay above a living wage (their Chinese factory is female owned)
Partners with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council to help bring access to fresh, healthy food to South LA
Free of PFAS, lead, cadmium and other toxic materials that can make their way into food or the air
Uses recycled and biodegradable packaging materials without the use of any plastic
Made in: China
Price Range: $$
MADE IN
Summer’s hottest cookware
Gear up for grilling season with this timeless cookware. Founded on a fourth generation kitchen supply business, Made In designs products to the exacting standards of the world's best chefs. They source the highest quality raw materials and work with multigenerational makers to craft each piece to last a lifetime.
Sustainable Practices:
Offer a mail-back option, where you can send your old cookware to Made In, and they melt it down to help create brand new pots and pans. It has kept over 1,400 tons of materials out of landfills.
Made In sends pans returned or sent to them in good condition to select Habitat for Humanity Restores repurposing thousands of pans
PTFE-coated Non Stick Pots and Pans are the most durable on the market, lasting 70x longer than ceramic cookware
Made in: Italy
Price Range: $$
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Malia Noll is a former public accountant turned self-employed copywriter who works with small businesses to build genuine connections to customers through strategic writing. Malia is based in Columbus, Ohio and specializes in promotional writing, email marketing and editing.
