When it comes to our bathrooms, there are plenty of zero waste bathroom swaps we can make. There are more eco and sustainable bathroom accessories on offer than ever before. Here’s how you can create a low waste bathroom cabinet and make a difference.

The problem with our bathrooms

As Brits, we’ve been getting the hang of recycling in the last decade or so. In fact, nine out of ten of us now recycle our kitchen waste. But, we haven’t got the hang of recycling from the bathroom. Four out of ten of us don’t recycle bathroom products. That’s a problem because we send around 30,000 tonnes of recyclable bathroom waste to landfill each year. We use 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds each year in England alone, 10% of which we flush down the loo.

And that’s not the only problem. Even if we were better as a nation at recycling our bathroom waste, not everything can be recycled. We’re all vaguely aware of ‘fatbergs’ and dread having them cause a backlog of sewage on our lawn, but did you know that fatbergs are only 5% fat and a staggering 93% baby wipes? We use over 10 billion wet wipes each year!

If we choose eco bathroom accessories, and know how to make the right choices, we can be ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly in our bathroom.

Creating a low waste bathroom cabinet

The trick is to consider zero waste bathroom swaps; stop buying disposable plastic items and start investing in long-lasting sustainable alternatives. Let’s look at the key items you need:

1. Lotions and potions

We think of the scourge of plastic bottles being due to disposable drinks bottles. But what about all the disposable shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and toothpaste bottles and tubes we send to the bin? What’s more, many of these don’t get recycled as they cannot easily be cleaned.

Key zero waste bathroom swaps include swapping plastic bottle shower gel and face wash for Soap. Or choosing products with plastic free packaging, such as our Moisturiser.

Lotions and potions which come in more environmentally friendly aluminium tubes, like our award-winning Scrubs, are an excellent choice. Want to squeeze even more out of the tube? You’ll need one of our secret eco bathroom accessories: The Tube Squeezer. The satisfaction of getting out every last drop is worth it alone.

2. Go reusable

Recycling-friendly bathroom cabinet options are great. But where you can, go for reusable over the disposable wasteful counterparts.

Reusable make-up pads

Instead of throwing away make-up wipes and cotton pads, choose reusable make-up pads. These are made from sustainable hemp and cotton, in three layers, making them perfect for a smooth hassle-free daily clean. Our pack (launching soon!) will include seven pads, ensuring you have one for each day. They will even come with a mesh wash bag.

Reusable plastic-free razor

Another of our sustainable bathroom accessories which is proving to be very popular is our Safety Razor. The problem with mainstream razors, as well as most wooden handled and metal handled ones, is they need plastic for the replaceable blade mounting. Our design doesn’t.  

Our safety razor is completely plastic-free. It’s unisex (and looks great in subtle duck egg blue) and can be used on both the face and the body. The blades are simple to replace, and you can return them to us to recycle. We’re so behind you on this that for every five blades you return to us, you’ll get £1 off your refill pack.

We’ve worked out that you’ll also save around £163 each year compared to using a disposable razor.

Reusable muslin cloths

Another of the key eco bathroom accessories you’ll need is some Organic Muslin Cloths. These can replace wipes and non-sustainable flannels. We’re sure that you’ll actually prefer using these. They are lightweight, so wash and dry easily, and are made from organic cotton and bamboo making them very sustainable.

You can use these in any way that you’d usually use a wipe or a flannel. They are brilliant for removing our Cleansing Balm or Face Mask. For the extra feel good factor, the UpCircle muslin cloths are handwoven at a female cooperative in Kerala, India, helping to support fair trade and women’s wellbeing.

3. Biodegradable

Other zero waste bathroom swaps involve choosing biodegradable options. 

Going back to the big baddie – the cotton bud – we feel passionately about eliminating plastic cotton buds from use. There’s no need for them, and they either end up as plastic pollution in our oceans, or take centuries to decompose in landfill; neither is good.

Instead, choose Bamboo Cotton Buds. They are biodegradable and plastic-free, made from sustainable bamboo. Please don’t pop them in the loo (which shouldn’t happen with anything except toilet tissue), but you can put them in your regular rubbish knowing that they will biodegrade.

There’s always room for pampering

Just because you’re choosing a low waste bathroom cabinet, doesn’t mean you have to bypass the pampering and luxury that bathroom time can mean. Time spent on skincare or cleansing rituals can still be indulgent and deeply relaxing. Again, it’s all about making choices to swap out wasteful options and choose low waste alternatives. 

What better way than making sure that you have some beautifully scented candles in your cabinet ready for an evening of dimmed lights, incredible scents and rejuvenation? 

We’ve got two options to choose from to match your mood. Our Soy Candle with Chai Spices will take you on a gentle journey with delicate chai latte tones. While the Soy Candle with Coffee Grounds provides an invigorating sweet caramel coffee scent.

These candles are 100% natural and hand-poured using repurposed ingredients.

Love your low waste bathroom

When you become a low waste convert, it’s easy to feel the guilt every time you reach for a product that is heavily packaged or plastic-laden. By kitting out your bathroom with eco bathroom accessories, you’ll enjoy plenty of guilt-free pamper time.

Got any sustainable bathroom swaps? Post them in the comments below!