Practical Tips to Build an Eco-Friendly Online Business That Canadian Shoppers Will Love
Canadian consumers care deeply about the planet. From coast to coast, shoppers are making eco-conscious decisions and favouring brands that are transparent, ethical, and committed to reducing environmental impact. If you run or are planning to launch a Shopify store in Canada, embedding sustainability into your business model isn’t just good for the planet — it’s also good for conversions.
This guide offers actionable strategies to make your Shopify store more sustainable — and how to communicate your efforts clearly to a Canadian audience.
If you’re just getting started, create your store for free and build your brand with sustainability at its core.
Why Sustainability Matters to Canadian Consumers
- 73% of Canadians say they’re willing to pay more for products that are sustainably made.
- Government incentives and public awareness around climate issues (like wildfires and ocean pollution) are pushing eco-conscious behaviour even higher.
- Millennials and Gen Z — the biggest e-commerce shoppers — actively seek brands that align with their environmental values.
With Shopify, you can easily integrate sustainable shipping, eco-friendly packaging tools, and green suppliers — starting today. Create your store for free and start building a positive impact business.
Step 1: Use Eco-Friendly Packaging
Swap plastic and excessive waste for options like:
- Recycled cardboard and kraft paper mailers
- Compostable polybags
- Paper-based tape and labels
- Plant-based ink for printing
Recommended Shopify Apps:
- EcoCart – lets customers support carbon-neutral orders
- noissue – provides branded, sustainable packaging
Be transparent about your packaging on your website. Create a dedicated “Sustainability” or “Our Impact” page.
Need a clean place to start? Create your store for free and start adding eco-commitments from day one.
Step 2: Offer Carbon-Neutral Shipping Options
Canada is a vast country — shipping can’t be avoided, but it can be made better.
How to implement:
- Offer local delivery or pickup where possible (especially in urban areas like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal).
- Use Shopify’s integration with Planet App to offer carbon-neutral deliveries.
- Encourage bundled shipping to reduce transportation frequency.
Make this visible during checkout, like:
“This shipment is carbon neutral — because we care about Canada’s future.”
Create your store for free to access these sustainability tools built right into Shopify.
Step 3: Highlight Sustainable Products
Don’t just sell — educate. Show your customers which items are eco-conscious, why they matter, and how they were made.
Add product badges such as:
- 🌿 “Sustainably sourced”
- ♻️ “Made from 100% recycled materials”
- 🌍 “Carbon neutral production”
Use sections like:
- “Eco Collection”
- “Low Impact Favourites”
- “Green Gifting Ideas”
Shopify lets you build custom collections easily. Create your store for free and start tagging your eco-products today.
Step 4: Work With Canadian Green Suppliers
Source your inventory from Canadian businesses that prioritize:
- Ethical labour practices
- Reduced packaging waste
- Local manufacturing to cut emissions
- Renewable energy usage
Platforms like Faire, GreenMarket, or Local Line are excellent places to find sustainable suppliers that integrate with Shopify.
Your sustainability promise is only as strong as your supply chain. Create your store for free and start building it right.
Step 5: Communicate Sustainability the Canadian Way
Canadians appreciate transparency and action over greenwashing. Instead of flashy claims, focus on honesty.
Where to communicate your efforts:
- Product pages (material details, footprint info)
- About Us page (your sustainability mission)
- Instagram Stories (packaging behind the scenes)
- Order confirmations (“Thank you for supporting carbon-neutral shipping”)
Tips:
- Use Canadian spelling (favour, colour, behaviour) to resonate locally.
- Include social proof — “Over 1,000 Canadians have made a green choice with us.”
- Add customer testimonials about sustainability efforts.
Create your store for free and start designing a brand that speaks to Canada’s values.
Step 6: Reward Sustainable Behaviour
Incentivize eco-conscious decisions with perks:
- Discounts for bulk or bundled orders
- Loyalty points for choosing carbon-neutral shipping
- Free gift for recycling packaging
Use apps like Smile.io or LoyaltyLion to create eco-reward programs directly within Shopify.
Create your store for free to integrate these features without needing a developer.
Step 7: Track and Share Your Impact
Use Shopify’s analytics or apps like Planet, EcoCart, and CarbonClick to:
- Track CO2 offset per order
- Share the total trees planted or kg of CO2 saved
- Add widgets to your homepage or footer
Canadians want transparency — and your store can become part of a better future with every sale.
What Canadian Shopify Stores Are Already Doing
- Etee (Toronto) – Zero waste home essentials, compostable packaging, transparent sourcing.
- Oneka (Québec) – Personal care made with organic plants and zero single-use plastic.
- tentree (Vancouver) – Plants 10 trees for every product sold and clearly states impact on site.
These brands have seen massive customer loyalty and repeat business — proof that doing good really pays off.
