Sustainable NYC

I’m not vegan but I love trying new teas. I got their pineapple ginger iced tea and it was sooo good and sooo refreshing. Doesn’t look like much from the outside but I would definitely go back.

I had some delicious vegan vanilla ice cream that had nuts and chocolate chips and maybe some toasted coconut mixed in? AND they have gluten free sugar cones! Win win win! Wish I had a place like this at home.

I come here for two reasons: gift shopping/​inspiration as well as for a quick café stop. I love their products here and am still getting plenty of compliments on my Sustainable NYC Maptote. It’s great to also bring in out-​of-​town guests here for some retail therapy.

Adorable place. Will visit every time I visit New York. Loved the place but also love supporting this business.
Small but filled with sustainable treasures. I didn’t eat there, but instead shopped. Lots of great items that are terrific gifts for $ 20 or less. Jewelry, socks, change purses … Other types of accessories.
Very friendly service.

This used to be one of my favorite stops near Tompkins Square Park, and we’ve always made a point of stopping (2 or 3 times per year) with the kids. The food isn’t great, and the selections are limited, but it was always a cozy and friendly place to have a snack and buy something new. Today we stopped in and were surprised to be treated poorly. The selection of gifts was more limited than usual, but it was the terrible and rude service that was the real problem. We selected three pairs of shoes, a hat, and a notebook, but walked out after the clerk spoke to my children disrespectfully for a third time. I tried to be patient — anyone can have a bad day — but there was no reason. It’s too bad, because a place like this (Eco-​friendly focus, kids gear) won’t make it if they don’t treat families well.

Dig this place. Finally found a place with spicy vegan hot cocoa with soy or almond milk options! The spot in the back is fun to chill and maybe grab a feta and spinach biscuit :). Staff is super nice too. Next time I’ll try the vegan ice cream… Yum.

I make a point to stop by this joint every time I’m in the East Village. Always great a place to pick up (sustainable) gifts and stuff. I’m way into their sustainable personal care products, particularly the vegan Beautiful Birdie makeup line. (One word: lipglossssss!!!) Their coffee and food is always delicious too! …I always say I’m going in just for a coffee, then I end up getting sucked into their world of amazing vegan and sustainable and earth-​friendly goods.

I want to like this store, I really do! I love the concept, I love the products they carry, I love the location. But I have been in here 3 times and each time I went in the staff was very unfriendly and unhelpful. The first time was a busy Saturday afternoon, so I’ll give them that. But most recently I ducked in there during a snow storm and was the only patron inside. The sales lady was standing just feet away from me and uttered nothing, didn’t ask me if I was looking for anything and needed any help. I really want to support this store, but if they can’t be bothered then why should I? Note to owner, please do some staff training on customer relations.

Coooool spot!
Just happened to be walkin past and cruised in to check it out. Picked up some Bamboo utensils for a fair price and that was that. The girl at the register was… nicer by the time we left but kinda smug; surprisingly.
This spot is worth checkin out for sure!

Adorable little shop/​café! A plethora of natural and organic stuff up front, including shoes and clothes, homewares, baby supplies, and essential oils. In the back, a little café with vegan ice cream! Highly recommended, especially for vegans looking to hang out somewhere a bit out of the way of the St. Marks hubbub.

Stopped in to grab something to eat and discovered this wonderful establishment! I am not vegan and usually I would have gone somewhere else but the atmosphere and service was welcoming and shopping was unique!
Had the gluten free PB and Jelly with banana and it was fabulous!
Highly recommend this place!

Love this place — mostly for the snacks.
Fun vegan cookies, muffins, and ICE CREAM! Hell yeah!
The store itself is a LOT to look at.
They used to have these PB&J bars… where did those go? I love to stop in here and see what they’re serving. I’ll be making even more stops come spring…

Sustainable NYC is definitely one of my go-to’s for gifts that are unique, sweet and ethically made. the staff at Sustainable are always so sweet and generous with their time and it’s very appreciated. I have on many occasions asked for their opinions and they will dig thru their inventory or traipse around the store with me to find exactly what I’m looking for.
Always so happy to pay them a visit.
Tips! I come here for sweet little jewelry and accessories like scarves, makeup and small house goods. I also love this place for carrying ethical personal products like razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lady products ect.
Mention you’re a local and get a local discount: D

I’ve lived in the neighborhood for three years and I’ve passed by Sustainable NYC maybe a hundred thousand times, walked in a few, and maybe only bought one or two things here. I kind of had it pegged as a bit of a hippie store, and while I wasn’t entirely wrong it’s really a great spot to shop. I TELL YOU A STORY.
It’s a few days before Christmas this year and I’m running around like a chicken with, well, you know. I’d sworn off all holiday festivities and obligations months earlier which of course means a last minute dash to buy gifts. Guilt? Morality? A desperate last reach at a lost youth? I’m not sure what drives me into this exact situation every year, but what’s important is that it drove me here, at about 10PM. First off they’re open till ten. Cool! It was more like eleven during the holidays but they maintain a solid late evening presence year round. I managed to knock off about half my Christmas list here (for the 13 and up set anyhow) and just skated down the block to Alphabets for the lil’uns.
That fateful pre-​Christmas shopping binge left me with some very neatly wrapped (at a reasonable fee) gifts, plus a couple pairs of nice organic socks (organic socks!!! I didn’t know I needed them but they’re great, and so playful!) for myself. I also picked up a really nice foaming mint/​lavender soap so I didn’t have to tell my Christmas dinner guests to spit on their hands and rub them together before dinner. A month and a half later and that soap is still going strong. Whether that speaks to its longevity or my personal hygiene is up for debate, but it sure smells purdy!
I’ve since been back once since, again in a mad dash to get a birthday present for a birthday party I was already 45 minutes late to, and ended up with — you guessed it — more organic socks! The staff has been incredibly helpful both times and from now on I’ll make this an actual stop on my weekly and monthly apartment-​freshening shopping trips.
Whether you live in the area or not, definitely make a stop at Sustainable NYC for great, cute, fun gifts and housewares. BY THE WAY THEY’RE OPEN TILL TEN.

Cute little Vegan/​Organic/​Über hippy shop. They have homemade lavender ice cream though which was really fantastic! I’m in that area a fair amount, so if I’m feelin’ the need to scream for some ice cream, I’m going to head there! Vegan, its vegan ice cream. Who knew it could taste so good? I love me some meat and dairy, especially together, but this will do too!

A store offering products and quirky gift items that are Local, Organic, Recycled, Fair-​Trade, Re-​purposed, Eco-​Friendly, Biodegradable, Products and Gifts. They do have testers for the cosmetic products so that’s definitely a plus.
It also happens to have a café right next to it that offers Fair Trade organic coffee by Brooklyn Roasting Company and offers food items like homemade vegan soups, sandwiches, baked goods (cupcakes, muffins, pastries) and even Ice Cream! that are cashew nut based! therefore, Vegan and Vegan-​Friendly.
I got their Vegan ice cream of Espresso and Lavender and it was delicious! I can definitely taste the flavors and it was very creamy and was amazed it wasn’t dairy! They have a good variety of soothing background music (mostly music from the 90s to early 2000s (Boys II Men, Mariah Carey, Brian McKnight, Destiny’s Child etc) which definitely brings back nostalgia if you’re an 80s kid!!!) They do have a restroom for CUSTOMER use only and they do have Wi-​Fi but it was acting funny today… maybe because of the constant downpour we had throughout the entire day today. There are electric outlets on the walls in the seat/​tables toward the far end of the café. Crowd seemed like a good mix of hipsters, laptop/​macbook whores/​East Village artsy types, gays, and the occasional Token Asian like myself.
I would come here for the Vegan treats and if you’re trying to buy a gift for someone and want to get them something unique and NOT something ANYONE can find in a gift shop around the city. I’ll try their interesting sounding tea drinks next time!
Be sure to ASK the staff for the Wifi password as it changes constantly (although it’s written on the wall)!!

Love this cute little spot. It’s filled with eco-​friendly goods and trinkets. The staff is really nice and you never know what you might find.
Added and best bonus, the café! They have wonderfully flavored iced teas, tasty coffees. all fair trade, but the must-​try treat is the vegan ice cream. Lula’s vegan ice cream that is. Lula’s Sweet Apothecary makes amazing vegan ice cream. so amazing you’d have no idea it’s vegan. an absolute godsend for those of us with dairy issues.
So, stop in grab yummy iced tea, ice cream cone and wander around this lovely eco-​friendly space!

I was looking for a place that did vegan ice cream when I saw a notice advertising this place. I went in just for a nosy and was overwhelmed by the choice of things available. I wasn’t intending to buy but spotted an organic make up range with a frosted pink colour lipstick that I’d been after for ages. When I paid for it, the teller told me that they were the sole US distributors of this French brand. Score!

I LOVE THIS STORE!!! Looking for a quirky card, sweet smelling soy candle or a picture frame made out of old tires? This is your spot! Admittedly in the US we are weapons of massive consumption, and I don’t condone buying something you don’t absolutely need, but shopping at Sustainable NYC will actually make you feel good about your consumerism! The café in the back also has a great spread of hot & cold sandwiches, soup, pastries and sorbet. I like to come here and study too because it’s not as crowded as the bean or b cup café, and there’s free wifi!

What an amazing find! I stopped in yesterday to check out the vegan goodies (unfortunately the shop was just recovering from the loss of power during Hurricane Sandy, and I didn’t get to try anything — next time!) and ended up walking out with holiday gifts instead. I loved the selection of beautiful fair trade holiday cards. They also have lots of little gifts; I’m the type of person who will buy a bunch of small things as opposed to 1 big thing, so this was especially fun for me. Fair prices. Very helpful staff.
Will definitely be back for more gifts and to check out the baked goods @ the café!