The smartest back to school supplies are the ones that skip the hidden plastic and toxic additives most standard gear is loaded with. One study found that more than 80% of conventional school supplies expose kids to potentially harmful chemicals, from the backpack straps to the lunch box lining. That single fact changed how I shop every August. Below is my full back to school supplies list, built around swaps that quietly remove those problems one product at a time.
August is my reset month. I love the fresh-notebook energy of it, but I used to dread the actual shopping, walking out of the store with a cart full of plastic I knew would crack, leach, or land in the bin by winter. So I rebuilt my back to school shopping list from the ground up. For each item below, I will show you the problem with the standard version first, then the swap I actually use.
The Backpack: Start Here, Because It Touches Everything
Here is the problem most parents never hear about. A large share of kids' backpacks are made with PVC, widely considered the most toxic plastic, which can carry phthalates, lead, and flame retardants that leach out over time, especially under heat and everyday wear. Many water-resistant bags are also treated with PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals linked to hormone and immune disruption. The shiny, plasticky bag that feels like a bargain is often the one to avoid.
The fix is to choose a natural fiber over coated plastic. I switched to the Earth Backpack - Sustainable Backpack, made with 14-oz certified Fairtrade organic cotton canvas instead of vinyl or PFAS-treated fabric.
It holds about 16 liters, has an internal sleeve that fits a 13 to 15 inch laptop, plus an internal hanging pocket, a large zippered external pocket, and two water bottle pockets. The zippers are lead-free YKK metal, it is GOTS-certified and made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, and a slice of every purchase helps donate meals through Feeding America. It removes the PVC-and-PFAS problem entirely, and it is built to survive years instead of one semester.
Pencil Cases: The Scented Plastic Trap
Standard pencil cases hide a specific problem: the soft, shiny plastic ones are often PVC softened with phthalates, and scented supplies can use phthalates as fragrance carriers too. In one U.S. PIRG round of testing, several back-to-school items came back positive for chemicals including phthalates. These are established endocrine disruptors, which is not something you want sitting in a kid's hands all day.
The replacement is simple: swap plastic for canvas. The Bataí Organic Cotton Pencil Bag is made from the same 14-oz certified Fairtrade organic cotton canvas as the backpack, with a long, easy-grab zipper pull and lead-free accessories throughout.
It is small but keeps finding new jobs. Mine have held pencils, makeup brushes, and phone cables long after the school year ended. It is GOTS-certified and made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, so it carries none of the plasticky baggage of the version it replaces.
Lunch Boxes: Where Plastic Meets Food and Heat
This is the swap I care about most, because plastic lunch containers put the problem directly against food. Chemicals from plastic can leach into meals and are linked to health issues like fertility and metabolic problems, and PVC lunch gear may carry phthalates and lead. Heat makes it worse, which is exactly what a lunch box sits in all day. Even plastic food storage can shed additives into whatever it holds.
The answer is to move food into stainless steel. The The Explorer Bento Lunch Box is made from 18-8 (304) stainless steel with a food-grade silicone seal, so nothing plastic touches the meal. It has separate compartments, which means food does not mingle, and the removable leak-resistant silicone seal keeps thicker foods like yogurt and hummus from escaping.
It holds 5 cups in total, with up to 4 cups across the main shell and two included round scoop dishes for the extras. At 10 by 7 by 2.3 inches it is roomy enough for a full lunch, and being stainless, there is no leaching, no cracked plastic lids, and no staining by October.
Lunch Bags: Ditch the Wipe-Clean Plastic Liner
The carrier is a sneaky part of the back to school supplies list. Many insulated lunch bags use a wipe-clean plastic or PVC liner and a water-resistant coating that can involve PFAS, the same forever chemicals flagged in backpacks. Those liners sit right against food and are almost impossible to wash properly, which is a problem you handle every single day.
The fix is a bag you can actually throw in the wash, made from natural and recycled fabric instead of plastic. My everyday pick is the Canvas Lunch Bags, made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton with a 100% post-consumer RPET lining, fully machine washable, with an interior pocket for an ice pack. At 8 by 11 by 5 inches it fits The Explorer and The Snacker with room to spare, and it won a Clean + Conscious Award in 2021.
When I want a little insulation to keep things cool, I reach for the Insulated Square Lunch Bags instead. These are lightly insulated with RPET felt, have an easy-rinse, tested food-safe lining, are also machine washable, and are handmade with the same organic cotton and recycled materials. Two washable, plastic-liner-free options, and neither one is something your kid will outgrow.
Water Bottles: The Microplastic Math Nobody Mentions
If your back to school shopping list still includes cases of disposable water bottles, here is the problem in numbers. People who drink daily from single-use plastic bottles take in an estimated 90,000 extra microplastic particles a year, and one 2024 study found a typical liter of bottled water holds around 240,000 plastic fragments. Reusable-bottle math runs the other way: the average person burns through about 156 single-use bottles a year, so one good bottle erases a whole heap of waste.
The swap is a stainless bottle built to last years, not one trip, and the right pick depends on how your kid drinks. For all-day temperature control, I use the 22 oz Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle. It is made from recyclable stainless steel with double-wall insulation that keeps drinks cold up to 12 hours and hot up to 2, plus a leak-resistant vacuum-sealed lid and a removable handle with a side-release clip. It is BPA-free and toxin-free. For a lighter grab-and-go option, the 18 oz Classic with Flip Seal Sport Cap is single-wall and lightweight, made with certified 90% post-consumer recycled 18/8 stainless steel and a chip-resistant Klean Coat finish. Its 100% leakproof flip cap opens with a thumb and comes with a stainless steel straw, it is dishwasher safe, cupholder friendly, BPA-free, and lead-free. Either way, no disposable plastic ever enters the routine, and no microplastic worry rides along.
How to Build Your Own Back to School Supplies List
Putting it together is easier than the chemical warnings make it sound. Start with the backpack, since everything else lives inside it and it is the biggest source of PVC and PFAS. Add a canvas pencil bag to replace the soft plastic one. Move lunch into a stainless bento and a washable, natural-fiber lunch bag. Finish with a stainless bottle so disposable plastic never enters the routine. A handful of thoughtful pieces, and the most common toxic-and-wasteful problems on a standard back to school supplies list are simply gone.
The best part is that none of it becomes landfill in a year. I stopped re-buying the same plastic gear every August, which has been kinder to my budget and my nerves. Fewer, better things, chosen once and used fully. That is the whole idea behind this back to school supplies list, and it is why the season finally feels calm instead of chaotic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are conventional school supplies considered a problem?
Many standard backpacks, pencil cases, lunch bags, and lunch boxes are made with PVC or lined with plastic and treated with PFAS, which can carry phthalates, lead, and other additives linked to health concerns. Studies have found a large majority of conventional school supplies expose kids to potentially harmful chemicals, which is why material choice matters on any back to school supplies list.
How do I remove plastic from my back to school shopping list?
Replace the highest-contact items first. Swap a PVC backpack for organic cotton canvas, plastic pencil cases for canvas pouches, plastic-lined lunch bags for washable natural-fiber ones, plastic lunch containers for stainless steel, and disposable bottles for a reusable stainless bottle. These swaps handle most of the plastic and toxic additives in one pass.
Are plastic-free school supplies worth the higher price?
Usually, yes. Durable, natural-fiber and stainless items last many school years instead of being replaced annually, which tends to save money over time while removing chemical exposure and cutting plastic waste. Buying once and using fully is both the safer and the more economical route.
