Why should you consider going plastic-free? Plastic does not decompose—it just gets smaller and smaller generating micro-plastic particles, which ends up permeating every part of our environment. In this article, you’ll learn about five plastic-free brands we’re loving (other than ourselves) that are worth considering for your next next eco-friendly swap.
Axiology Beauty
Axiology Beauty creates plastic-free, vegan makeup products. The Balmies are the first of their kind—they’re multi-use makeup crayons for eyes, lips, and cheeks. Balmies are the most pigmented Axiology product, and they’re the same size as a normal tube of lipstick (just without all the packaging/garbage). They come wrapped in paper and secured in a paperboard box. Also popular are the Multi-Sticks, which are creamy, hydrating, color sticks for eyes, lips, and cheeks. Choose from either the rich-in-color Color Cream Multi-Sticks or the more minimalistic effect with the Tinted Dew Multi-Sticks. You can’t go wrong with either! The Tinted Dew option has seven shades and the Color Cream version has 13 shades. If you can’t pick one, they offer bundling options to try a few together. Just like their other products, the Multi-Sticks are 100% vegan, cruelty free, palm oil free, and packaged in paper. Next time you do your makeup, count how many plastic tubes there are.
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Pela Case
Protecting your smartphone should not harm the environment–look over at your phone right now. We know it’s definitely nearby! What do you see? A plastic case is covering your phone most likely! This is the issue Pela Case is working against. They created 100% compostable, biodegradable phone cases made of plants! Pela compares a normal phone case to a Pela case in a compost test and explains the differences between biodegradable and compostable. Compostable products fully break down in a composting environment, while biodegradable products won’t break down in a composting environment and may take decades or centuries to degrade.
How are they made? Pela discovered a way to use flax shive as the base of their phone case material. According to Sask Flax, “Shive refers to the small broken pieces of flax straw that remains after the fiber is extracted from the straw”. This is what gives the case structure, along with a plant-based biopolymer. The cases are lightweight and described as smooth but grippy in your hand. Their packaging is 100% plastic-free too, and they ship the cases in 100% recycled, recyclable paper. We love when companies give back, and the cherry on top here is that Pela donates a percentage of every sale to Ocean Cleanup and Preservation Initiatives.
Brush with Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on earth. And because of its ability to grow in plentiful amounts, its antimicrobial properties, and its ability to compost, it makes perfect toothbrush material! Brush with Bamboo created a bamboo toothbrush with bristles that are 100% castor bean oil and USDA Certified 100% Bio-Based. This means that the toothbrush bristles contain 0% fossil fuel! The packaging is 100% paper and biodegradable with no tape or glue used, keeping the whole process super sustainable. Over 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away each year in the United States! It’s estimated that in a lifetime, you use around 300 toothbrushes.
So when you swap to a bamboo toothbrush, think of how many plastic toothbrushes and plastic packaging you personally can keep out of landfills. The bamboo toothbrush will last just as long as a regular toothbrush but without all the waste harming our environment. Brush with Bamboo recommends that you compost the organic handle and recycle the bristles through a waste recycling company, like Terracycle, at the end of your toothbrush’s life.
Laundry Detergent Bar
Ditch the bulky plastic detergent bottles! The Waste Less Shop created a concentrated bar of laundry detergent that you can place into a container of water, it dissolves and is ready to use as detergent! You’ll love that the Laundry Detergent Bar is plastic free, but what you’ll love more is the vegan, HE-machine-safe ingredients: coconut oil, olive oil, soap nuts liquid, yucca powder (whitening), baking soda (freshening), oxalic acid (stain lifting & whitening), sodium per carbonate (stain lifting), salt (fabric softening), rosemary oleo resin (preservative).
This comes in plastic-free packaging—a box made of 75% post-consumer waste, which is compostable and recyclable. Your refill bar comes with no box, not just eliminating plastic waste but also saving money. To put this in perspective, The Waste Less Shop gives the following examples comparing prices and number of loads, showing how you can save almost $50/year and 5 plastic bottles from landfills! America's #1 selling plastic-tub laundry detergent: ($.19/load) $11.97 for 64 loads VS Tangie plastic-free laundry detergent: ($.05/load) $25.00 for 512 loads.
Mintly
Whether it be floss picks or string dental floss, common floss products are traditionally made of plastic. A more sustainable alternative is available with the vegan, cruelty free, plastic-free Mintly Eco Floss. The paper packaging is plastic-free and compostable. A reusable, refillable glass jar with a metal cap and dispensing port is the vessel that holds this sustainable corn straw and plant-derived candelilla wax floss. After use, the floss itself is can be placed in a compost.
Using floss with high quality ingredients can lead to visible results. For example, the Mintly Eco Floss with peppermint essential oil, can help remove bacteria, kill fungus, and eliminate germs found in your gums. Next time you’re low on floss, consider swapping for the option that’s better for your smile and for the Earth.
Always use up what you have first before buying something new—that is the most sustainable way to make changes. Using plastic-free tools in your personal care routine can help you feel positive about your footprint while making you feel good. Making tiny shifts where possible can lead to a habit, and within a few years, you can look back on the swaps you made you'll realize how far you’ve come.
