10 Sustainable Instagram Influencers You Should Follow in 2021

1. Elizabeth Teo (@ZeroWasteCutie).

 
Elizabeth Teo is a self-described “environmental justice educator” who uses her Instagram platform to spread her knowledge to her followers. Her most recent posts involve her standing up for Cultural Sustainability and screenshots of important happenings in the sustainability world, like New York banning mini-hotel toiletries bottles to reduce waste and Chevron dumping 16 billion gallons of toxic waste into the Ecuadorian Amazon. She also occasionally touches on mental health issues through the use of infographics which define psychology terms the everyday Joe might not understand.
 

2. Gaia (@ssustainably_).

For everyone who doubts the validity of her statements, Gaia's BSC in environmental management and sustainability is here to save the day. Her Instagram feed mainly comprises attractive educational graphics aimed at driving conscious consumerism, sustainable fashion and more. Her most recent posts include in-depth information on recycled plastic clothing, the connection between fashion and water, as well as where to find mesh tops. She also addresses the deeper issues that lead to unsustainable lifestyles, such as the root cause of impulse buying and why single-use fashion still exists.
 

3. Miah (@earthtomiah).

   
Unlike the other influencers in this list, Miah doesn’t use infographics but prefers to put her message into her captions after drawing her audience in with portraits of herself and beautiful sceneries. She prides herself in being a realistic environmental inspiration, while running a YouTube channel and a blog on the side to prove to the world that sustainability can be made a part of everyone's life.
 
 

4. Sedona Christina (@SedonaChristina).

 
Her primary focus includes plant-based wellness, slow and secondhand fashion in an effort to have a zero-waste life.
 
Sedona takes an entirely different approach as a content creator. She uses Instagram reels to connect to her audience by telling them stories (“Quotes that Changed my Life”) or showing them how they can change their existing habits to develop a more sustainable life (“3 Simple Swaps”).

That’s not to say she doesn’t post the usual Instagram pictures. Her feed is also saturated with images of her hiking and climbing mountains. Talk about an inspiration! When she’s not advocating to save the world, she’s off backpacking and skiing. Did we mention she runs a YouTube channel while doing all of this?
 

5. Shelbi (@shelbizleee).

Shelbi’s Instagram aesthetic is similar to Sedona's, except most of it opts for a more neutral tone, with more whites and muted colors. That's not to say her content is dull; in fact, it's anything but. Most of her posts are oriented around images of her leading a sustainable lifestyle, taking “walking the talk” to another level.
 
There’s the occasional sprinkling off infographics and motivational posts, but by and large, Shelbi’s rawness is her unique selling point. We’re so used to seeing influencers photoshop all of their imperfections away and promote unrealistic standards for basically everything. Shelbi’s content t’s a refreshing hiatus from this trend, one that we don’t want to see ending anytime soon.
 

6. Nafisa (@_simplysustainable).

As far as her content goes, she’s exactly what you’d expect an influencer to be: takes amazing photos in scenic locations (seriously, she looks like a travel blogger in some of these), the standard aesthetic coffee pictures...
 
But there’s more to Nafisa than meets the eye. She strongly believes in ethical fashion and frequently posts of herself wearing or using sustainable products. While most of the other influencers in this list write about sustainability, Nafisa lives it out on her Instagram feed, proving that sustainable fashion can be just as trendy.
 

7. Natalie Kay (@sustainablychic).

To quote Natalie, “Fashion can exist responsibly.”
 
Natalie incorporates her identity as a mother into sustainability. Her posts are living proof of this - take her recent post of building a backyard compost with her toddler as an example. Her unique way of integrating her family into a sustainable lifestyle dispels the myth that it's impossible to get your family on board with sustainable living, proving that there really are no excuses for not living a sustainable lifestyle.
 
She also uses her platform to address important social issues in a timely manner.
 

8. Aditi Mayer (@aditimayer).

 
Aditi is also a photojournalist and a labour rights activist who believes in decolonizing fashion and sustainability. A cursory glance at her feed reveals that she really knows her way around a camera. Instead of merely discussing important issues in the captions of her posts, she captures bold, confident images that convey her message to her audience. This brilliant strategy draws in regular Instagram users who enjoy the typical portrait images, but they leave with a lesson on sustainability to tell their friends and family.
 
 

9. Brianna (@theconstantcloset).

 
Brianna’s Instagram feed is filled with striking images of sustainable outfits. With each outfit, she shows her audience that sustainable clothing is accessible to the regular gal. Her posts also provide countless outfit ideas for every budget and every season.
(Of course, she links her outfits in each post)
 
 

10. Kara (@theflippside).

Kara uses colors to her advantage. Each post is filled with bright, striking colors, whether it's a maroon wall in the background or a yellow outfit that goes perfectly with the background. Naturally, she's a firm believer in ethical fashion and manages to integrate cultural elements into her outfits – partnering with slow fashion Filipino companies to support small businesses. She also actively speaks out against racial injustices and openly discusses social issues on her platform.
 
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article! For more related articles on sustainability, visit us here.

Note for any eco-friendly influencers: We have created a Slack channel with a network of sustainable brands and fashion designers. Email me at shrutigoli@shopsustainably.me for access to join this network with brands and get collab opportunities!