Debra’s List is unique in that it is the only website that specializes in finding and listing toxic-free products that benefit your health and the environment. After more than 30 years as a consumer advocate for health and the environment and looking for products to use in my own personal life, I know where to buy a few things and how to choose nontoxic products.

This site links to hundreds of websites that sell healthy, toxic-free products. And I know of hundreds more websites for nontoxic, natural, organic and otherwise toxic-free products that I am posting to this site as fast as I can.

Underway Now…Debra’s List Transformation

I’ve been publishing Debra’s list online since 2004—since then both I and this list have gone through changes.

I began compiling a list of businesses that sell nontoxic products more than thirty years ago when I self-published a little book. At that time, the list of nontoxic products I could find fit on 3 x 5 cards in a shoebox. Over the years, my resource list expanded with the publication of each new book. But books could only be published every few years, and even by the time they were published the resource lists were outdated. With the publication of the new revised edition of my book Home Safe Home, the resource list became so large, that it required a move to the internet. And by then I was also collecting businesses that sold green products in addition to those that are nontoxic.

With a new focus on nontoxic in my book Toxic Free and the redesign of this website, I’m streamlining Debra’s List back to it’s original intent to focus on safe products that do not contain toxic chemicals.

I’m currently in the process of reviewing every entry and bringing each one up to date. This will take some time, so there will be irregularities in formatting in the process.

Shop Debra’s List

The purpose of Debra’s List is to organize, make accessible, and make known the wide variety of products and services that are currently available that are free from toxic chemicals that can harm your health and the environment…and to inspire you to use them in your everday life. This doesn’t mean I intend to put a link to every possible product that qualifies! Not only would that be impossible, but such a list would not make it easier for any of us to find products we are looking for.

What this site contains are websites I’ve come across that have piqued my interest and I think you will like, too. Many other websites delve deeply into a single product and that’s great. But as consumers, we all are purchasing a wide spectrum of products for our everyday lives. So this list is more about variety than completeness, and quality over quantity.

All the links on this website have been personally chosen by me and meet the criteria I’ve outlined below to the best of my knowledge.

When choosing websites, I’m looking at what is good about their products, not searching for their faults. Personally, I have found that it works better to support the good people and businesses do rather than boycott what I disagree with. By putting attention on and supporting good works, they expand and strengthen. So every website here is being acknowledged for the good they are doing, even if they have imperfections.

In posting these links, I am recommending them to you consumer-to-consumer. As I continuously look for product resources for my own use, I am passing them on to you. I have done no independent scientific testing, though many of these products I have tried and use myself or have seen samples of. Some companies I have been recommending since I started writing on this subject in 1982.

Debra’s List is a work-in-progress. It’s like putting together an enormous puzzle that eventually reveals a picture of a world that cares about supporting life. I am continuously adding new links. Mark this site as a “favorite” and come visit again and again.

If you don’t find what you are looking for, write to me using my contact form. Chances are I’ve got at least a few links for you and can make it a priority to post them.

How Debra’s List is Different

Though there are a number of other directories that list similar products on the internet, Debra’s List is different:

• all the links are personally chosen by me according to my criteria developed with nearly thirty years experience
• a wide variety of products are included, so you can find toxic-free choices for every product you need
• I list ONLY products that are safe for you to use–you don’t have to compare ratings to find the safe ones
• I’ve written descriptions for all the links, so you can have some idea of what they contain and why I chose them before you open them
• unlike other directories that only list links who are willing to pay, all the links here are chosen by merit, so this list contains links not found elsewhere
• this list is geared to the USA consumer, so there are no foreign links (with a few exceptions if the product is not available through a USA supplier), and no wholesale links. You can make a purchase from every link, or find out where you can purchase the product.
• virtually all the links work. Links are checked weekly and broken links removed, so every click leads to a useful site (please use my contact form if you find a broken link, or if the site no longer matches my description).
• unlike search engines, all links give relevant results

Debra’s List Tags

When choosing websites to include on Debra’s List, I am looking for websites that meet certain criteria for being toxic-free.

I use tags to identify sites with the following characteristics:

nontoxic see posts with nontoxic tag

Indicates the business sells products that are nontoxic to the end user.

While my primary interest with this icon is to indicate businesses that sell nontoxic alternatives to any products–such as cleaning products, pesticides, paints, adhesives, caulk, bedding, etc–I also give this icon where the products sold are inherently nontoxic. Nontoxic products are not only healthier for the user, but often using them prevents toxins from getting into the ecosystem during manufacturing, use and disposal of the product. Since toxic chemicals are inherently antagonistic to life, eliminating toxic chemicals is a essential part of sustainability.

The way I determine if a product is nontoxic is by looking at the ingredients and methods used to make the product. Over almost three decades, I’ve learned to identify substances and materials that are toxic and nontoxic. I also look for certifications that indicate the products have third party testing.

organic see posts with organic tag

Indicates the business sells products made from renewable foods or fibers that are organically grown. Organic products are certified and must meet certain standards for how they are produced and grown, including limiting use of toxic pesticides and taking measures to increase fertility of the soil.

fragrance-free see posts with fragrance-free tag

Indicates the business sells products that do not contain toxic artificial fragrances. This is only assigned to product types that typically contain artificial fragrances, such as bodycare products and cleaning products. It is not assigned to a product that typically does not have artificial fragrance.

fire-retardant-free see posts with fire-retardant-free tag

Indicates the business sells products that do not contain toxic fire retardants. This is only assigned to product types that typically contain toxic fire retardants, such as upholstered furniture. It is not assigned to a product that typically does not have toxic fire retardants.

purifies see posts with purifies tag

Indicates the business sells devices that remove toxic pollutants from water or air.

renewable see posts with renewable tag

Indicates the business sells products made from renewable resources–resources that renew themselves within a short period of time. Automobile fuel made from vegetable oil, for example, is renewable, whereas fuel made from petroleum, which takes millions of years to produce, is not. Renewable resources include plants, animals and abundant minerals (such as clay and sand). Fossil fuels and metals are non-renewable resources.

renewable energy see posts with renewable energy tag

Indicates the business sells products that produce renewable energy or are made using renewable energy. This includes solar panels, solar hot water heaters, alternative fuel vehicles, solar ovens, geothermal heating and cooling, etc. Renewable energy can reduce or eliminate pollution and other environmental harm from resource extraction, use and discard, and reduces toxic air pollution that we end up breathing.

made in USA see posts with made in USA tag

All my Debra’s List websites are US-based businesses (unless there is a truly exceptional foreign product that is not sold in the USA). This icon is given to websites that sell products which are manufactured in the USA, thereby reducing fuel resources and toxic pollution from transportation and keeping money circulating in our domestic economy.

handmade see posts with handmade tag

Indicates the business sells products that are made by hand, such as handblown glass or handmade furniture. This does not mean no machines are involved; it means there are human hands making the product. It can also mean products that use human energy to power, such as bicycles, hand-cranked devices, etc, thereby reducing energy use from fossil fuels that produce toxic pollution.

MCS see posts with MCS tag

Indicates that the linked website is accustomed to serving those with multiple chemical sensitivities. If you have MCS, you will find understanding of your condition here, and products to meet your needs. If you don’t have MCS, check out these sites for some of the purest products available.

affiliate see posts with affiliate tag

Indicates that I receive a small commission from any purchase you make (when you click through from my website) through the website’s affiliate program. FTC Affiliate Advertising Disclosure Policy

Premium Listings

Premium listings allow the business to add an image to their listing for a fee. This is available only to those businesses that qualify for Debra’s List. A business cannot buy a listing on Debra’s List if they don’t qualify.

Offering Premium Listings allows businesses to call more attention to their websites and give them more prominence on the page. It also makes it possible to offer Debra’s List to consumers free of charge.

Evaluate Products for Yourself

Websites can change at a moment’s notice, so remember always to evaluate products for yourself. I have compiled these links as a consumer for other consumers, in good faith. I am a consumer advocate, not a certifying agency. But, as each of us are individuals, the ultimate choice needs to be yours. This website is intended to serve many people with different interests, budgets, beliefs and lifestyles, and as such may contain products not appropriate for your personal use. My intention is only to direct you to products that meet certain standards. It is your responsibility to verify the products meet those standards and to determine which products best suit your needs.