The 5 Best Eco-Friendly Products as Alternatives to Plastic
More often than not, simplicity is the key to sustainability.
So while this list could be far longer, we’ll focus on the 5 products we think can make the most difference in a simple yet effective manner. But before this, I should address my bias:
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Yes - These are all products we make. These are some of the best eco-products around whether you get them from us or anywhere else! I am totally, unashamedly honest about my writing bias for this article because I think these are awesome for all the right reasons and I hope you do to!
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We're far from the only company producing and selling these items. These are simple, low cost, and highly effective in reducing your daily impact on the world around us.
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Mrs. Google can tell you where to find them in your area!
#1 - Bamboo Straws
Plastic straws are not just renowned as one of the biggest, most unnecessary pollutants in the world, they are the easiest to replace. There are now many options for eco-friendly alternatives to the plastic drinking straw, but we’ve found bamboo to be the best of all the options.
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With more and more countries introducing a plastic ban with focus towards plastic straws, these eco-alternatives will soon become the 'new normal'.
Plastic straws cost typically around half a cent per straw while bamboo straws start around 15x more expensive.
But... if you consider the cost per use, you’ll soon find that a reusable bamboo straw can actually be way more cost effective than plastic straws.
If a bamboo straw is 15x more expensive than plastic, use it 16x to make it cheaper!
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We offer bamboo straw packs and sets with natural fiber straw cleaners so you can be sure you always have a bamboo straw by your side, and even one for a friend or the whole family too.
Maybe you're curious to read why bamboo straws are better than glass, paper or stainless steel straws? ...Just visit our bamboo straw page to find the answer!
#2 - Bagia Eco Shopping Bag
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Like straws, plastic bags are one of the first targets in our global efforts to reduce wasteful plastic consumption.
Few of the new eco-bags that have been brought in to replace plastics offer the kind of consideration our Bagia bag has become known for.
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It’s reversible, so you can keep the pockets on the inside to keep things tidy and concealed or flip it inside-out for that extra volume.
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The pockets are stretchy so they don't flop about or get in the way when not in use.
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Our double layers make it look stylish either way around whether you prefer white, black or our funky tropical pattern.
One of the most common things we hear about eco-friendly shopping bags is that people forget to bring them. It's no surprise; a boring plain canvas or tote bag isn't the most exciting thing. But a bag that looks great, holds everything and can be used not just for shopping but in daily life... Nobody's leaving this baby behind!
#3 - Coconut Kitchen Sponges
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Made from different forms of coconut husk, it’s easy to say goodbye to your typical plastic based dish sponge.
The jute (coconut fiber) outer layer is really durable, making this last much longer than a typical dish sponge. Inside; the sponginess comes from raw coconut husk.
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These cost just a fraction more than a typical dish sponge and in our experience last about twice as long.
These are the kind of products that by nature need to be thrown out every few months. Every sponge will come to wear through use and when that time comes, we want to be able to throw away something that can easily be composted and biodegrade without bringing any damage to the environment.
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My personal favorite thing about eco-friendly kitchen products, is that they look great! I don't want to see an ugly plastic sponge, that bright green and yellow on my kitchen counter or in my home. I'm a foody, I like to cook, I like to spend time in the kitchen, I like my kitchen clean and tidy and presentable. To me, this is a little touch that makes all the difference to the environment outside my kitchen, and the environment inside!
#4 - Loofah Body Scrub
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Loofah is an amazing natural material for cleansing.
It comes straight off the tree as Gourds, this sponge-like substance, the fruit of a flowering Cucurbita plant. These plants are beautiful and grow really fast!
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It’s texture is perfect for scrubbing our skin, just coarse enough to exfoliate, and just soft enough to feel great when used with water.
Beyond cleaning this mild scrubbing pressure on our skin can help to improve blood circulation and relieve stress as we gently massage our whole body.
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You can choose to use just a raw loofah or a small pad, but our body scrub makes it a little easier to keep a firm grasp of the loofah and makes it easy to hang to dry.
Keeping your Loofah dry when not in use is the most important thing to know for an item that comes into such close contact with the skin. This texture like any sponge can retain moisture and if allowed to hold moisture for a long time can become a home for bacteria.
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Once it is deemed the loofah is no longer fit for close skin contact, it can easily be repurposed for cleaning dishes, or as a general purpose scrubber for any household items that need a solid spring clean.
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Packaging typically makes the health and beauty industry the most difficult to be eco-friendly. Our loofahs come wrapped in recycled brown paper, providing sufficient protection without any plastic.
#5 - Reusable Makeup Rounds
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When we think of the "R"s, these sure tick a few boxes.
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Refuse - With these available, you can say no to plastic based pads!
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Reduce & Reuse - The back side from the pad comes from offcut fabrics helping our garments team to go zero-waste. These are easy to wash, and by reusing, we reduce our consumption.
Refill - Our handy little pouch makes it easy to bring these with you and once you run out you can order a refill.
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Repurpose - Once their lives as makeup cleaners are over, these can easily be repurposed for cleaning other items like paint brushes, small spills. You won't struggle to find a new purpose for these.
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Rethink - We use organic cotton over regular cotton for our pads. They feel so much better on the skin!
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