A new year is around the corner and what better way to bring it in than on a no waste note?
Throughout 2022, we have watched the rise of conscious consumers seeking sustainable solutions from their favourite brands, and what can only be described as the refillution. So as we start afresh let’s make some climate-conscious resolutions, meaning a clean beginning to 2023 for us and the planet. Starting in our favourite place… the bathroom!
Wondering how to reduce plastic use whilst also keeping your home stylish and aesthetically pleasing? Not to worry! Fiils is here to guide you with the best solutions, brands and swaps to add to your bathroom shelf.
First up… A fresh start begins in the shower.
Get that clean hair, body and planet feeling by switching up on single use plastic with your shower routine. If you’re wondering what zero waste is in the sea of eco-friendly hair products, body washes and lotions available, the best solution is to opt for refillable! This year alone, 550 million empty shampoo bottles made their way to landfill. That’s not including the various other discarded bathroom bottles that are unaccounted for, so it’s safe to say that switching to a brand that swaps replace for refill makes a huge dent in landfill.
Opting for a refillable aluminium bottle that stays with you for life stops single-use shower waste at the source and comes with the added bonus of being recyclable without degradation, for a plastic-free shampoo. At fiils we keep every step sustainable. From the box to the bottles, and our pouches are designed to be recycled.
Now stay with us… Bamboo for your loo.
Toilet paper tends to slip through the cracks (pun not intended!) in our eco thinking, but it’s a product we use every single day, and one the average American gets through 50 million tonnes of every year. It doesn’t just come down to natural materials for this one; even though all toilet paper is technically biodegradable, every piece comes from a tree, meaning… you guessed it – deforestation.
The good news is that bamboo offers us a tree-free alternative, growing almost one metre per day, a year long feat for our forest friends in colder climates. The plant is classed as a renewable source for materials, emitting 30% fewer greenhouse gases than tissue products made from virgin wood, meaning bamboo toilet paper makes for a pretty sustainable choice. Try Cheeky Panda or Naked Sprout for your holder.
Don’t forget deodorant! But not disposable ones – they’re a pest for the planet.
The industry produces 15 millions pounds of plastic every year, enough to fill over 200 Boeing 747s with disposable plastic. Instead, we’re back with the refillables, a plastic-free deodorant option to go eco with your underarms and keep you smelling fresh! Brands like Fussy and Wild are just a couple of options we love.
Let’s brush up on zero waste toothpaste!
When you take a breath of minty fresh air, you can take one for Mother Nature too by swapping out plastic for your pearly whites and once again, make the switch to our sustainable ally, aluminium. Isn’t she just so flexible?!
In just one year, 300 million toothpaste tubes end up in UK landfills, but metal means recyclable, which in turn means no waste for nature. By changing to a plastic free toothpaste tube, you’re cleaning your teeth and the environment with one swoop of a brush! Not sure where to look? Happier and Waken are a couple of brands to start with.
We’re not quite done with mouth care…
Bamboo, the super plant we were raving about earlier, is one of the most durable materials out there, so it makes sense that investing in a toothbrush made from it means a lifelong reduction in sending your old plastic handles to landfill; all you have to do is replace the bristles.
Brands like Barnaby’s Brushes and Etee make it easy; no plastic, no problem for the planet! Prefer electric over manual? We haven’t forgotten about a solution for you… Brushd offers a returns scheme! Send your brush heads back and they’ll use the magic of Terracycle to turn them into new products.
Transition to eco-friendly cleaning products…
In the UK, we collectively throw away 48 million cleaning bottles annually… Not so clean for the Earth, and she’s our main priority! Scrubbing plastic from our routine has become a whole lot simpler in recent years thanks to brands like Spruce and Smol offering eco-friendly products, cleaning our homes and our climate. Clean greener and close the loop by purchasing refillable cleaning products and replenishing them with ethical formulas and wipe away waste for an eco bathroom.
Now for a smooth transition to reusable razors.
You might be surprised that disposable razors are one of the biggest contributors to bathroom waste, with handles and heads made from plastic. These aren’t easily recycled, so two billion of them end up in landfill every year. To avoid a close shave with increasing your plastic waste footprint, opt for a sustainable safety razor with blades that can be recycled and keep hold of your reusable metal handle for years. FFS has a great selection!
Start as you mean to go on…
It’s the small swaps that make a big difference. Let’s bring in the New Year with a clean conscience, bathroom and climate. Ready to start your plastic free shop? Our Body Wash Kit is the perfect set to get you started with a single step: a sustainable shower!
