Once again, we are supporting the Plastic Free July challenge. Can you go a whole month without plastic? If you're giving it a try this year, take a look at our range of over 800 plastic-free products.
Across the globe, millions of people will be taking up the challenge of ditching single-use plastics for Plastic Free July. If you’re one of them, read on for our top tips.
Cling film is difficult to recycle and contains ingredients such as phthalates that can leach into food. If you love the convenience of cling film, but hate the waste, switch to Beeswax Wraps, like Bee’s Wrap , WaxWrap or Superbee. They are made from organic cloth, beeswax and other natural ingredients, and mould to the shape of whatever you need to cover. You can use them to wrap everything from cheese to sandwiches, and then just rinse them clean. (They are also rather pretty!)
If you prefer sandwich bags, try If You Care’s Paper Snack & Sandwich Bags. Not only are they plastic-free, they’re also greaseproof and chlorine-free and keep bread soft for up to six hours. Go for the larger version if you prefer baguettes to sliced bread.
You can virtually eliminate plastic from your laundry with some simple swaps. Ecover's range of washing powders are plastic-free.
Or if you’re feeling crafty, why not make your own laundry detergent? It only takes a few minutes, and all you need is one cup of Dri-Pak Borax Substitute, one cup of Soda Crystals and a bar of Dr Bronner’s Pure-Castille Soap. Grate the soap, mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight glass jar. Simple, but effective.
You can also use Borax Substitute as a laundry booster, by adding a couple of teaspoons of it to the drawer of your washing machine. Check out our guide to using Borax Substitute
To tackle those tougher stains, you can try Imsevimse Citrus Soap Stain Remover.
For Fabric Conditioner, replace those large, plastic-bottled products with Waft laundry fragrances. They have proved to be a hit with customers. You only need a few drops per wash, so a 50ml bottle lasts for up to 100 washes! You need at least 30ml of standard fabric conditioner for just one wash, so there’s a pretty big difference. For an extra boost, add a few drops of Waft laundry fragrances to white vinegar for fragranced, softer, brighter clothes.
You can even add the Guppyfriend laundry bag to your wash, to reduce micro-plastic pollution by reducing fibre shedding and preventing plastic micro-fibres from entering the rivers and seas.
Ocean Saver products are new to Big Green Smile. The revolutionary drops were developed to fight single use plastic and to preserve our oceans and sea life. Ocean Saver are committed to making home cleaning solutions with plant based ingredients, which are totally biodegradable, lab tested and have proven efficacy.
Ecozone have a range of plastic-free dishwasher tablets and biodegradable bags to reduce plastic-waste in your kitchen too.
Choose natural alternatives to plastic
Plastic is used for everything from clothing to toothbrushes, but there are often natural alternatives that work just as well, if not better. LoofCo source sustainable ingredients, such as coir and loofah fibres, to make eco-friendly washing-up pads, scrubbing brushes and more. They last for ages and naturally biodegrade after a few months of use. LoofCo sell these fantastic dishwashing soap bars too!
Go for biodegradable plastic
One of the simplest steps you can take for a greener lifestyle is switching to biodegradable bin bags. While they are made from plastic (and very strong), they have an extra additive which makes them degrade once they get to landfill.
Switching to soap and shampoo bars is an easy way to cut down on plastic bottles. Some bars do come in plastic wrap, but others are packaged in cardboard. You could try Dr Bronner’s soap bars which are made with sustainable and organic palm, hemp and coconut oils. Shop all soap bars
We have a whole article about how to go plastic-free in your bathroom, including suggestions on plastic-free dental care, plastic-free shampoo, plastic-free deodorant, plastic-free make-up and more!
Recycle, recycle, recycle!
When you can’t avoid plastic packaging, look for products that are packaged in post consumer recycled bottles, that can then be easily recycled again. Bio-D and Marcel’s Green Soap products, for example, are housed in cardboard or recycled plastic.
Want some more tips on going plastic-free? Check out our guide to living without plastics.
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