Plastic alternatives

[knittedthrow]

Can we have a thread of plastic free alternatives for things we use in every day life. With brand name if possible for ease of amazon ordering

We want to make a real effort to cut out plastic in our house but the stuffs just everywhere and it's hard to easily find alternatives. I guess there's other families that feel the same.

Getting rid of wipes will be a big one for me. We no longer use wipes for sticky hands and faces (use a face cloth now), we also don't use kitchen and bathroom wipes anymore (re usable cloth with antibacterial spray).

I do use baby-wipes for DS bum though. I don't like the idea of washing pooey cloths tbh.

So for the first suggestion can anyone suggest plastic free wipes that are completely biodegradable? Do they exist?

Is cotton wool completely plastic free?

@SleepyGuineaPig that makes me feel virtuous, I don't eat fish or seafood. DH and DS only eat it if we're eating out.

I also walk or take the train nearly everywhere but I've always done that as I like the fresh air and exercise and not finding a parking space.

I buy paper bags (the ones you used to get in greengrocers) in different sizes and use them for the packed lunches.
Sandwiches in one, small fruit in a smaller one etc.

I think good quality plastic is fine. My tupperware containers from over 20 years' are still in use. Glass isn't easily transportable

I try to buy lose fruit etc and have bought a couple of nylon bags

I totally agree. I use Tupperware, as in the actual brand Tupperware that was my mum’s when she was a rep in the 1960s

I use (and give as presents) Onya lunch wraps for packed lunches and Onya loose vegetable bags for loose produce at the supermarket, both made from recycled plastic. Available at Earthwise Girls

Mooncup and biodegradeable no plastic wipes and other disposable menstrual/incontinence products.

Who gives a Crap loo roll and tissues.
Beeswrap
Bar soap

My decaff teabags are non plastic PG tips but I am waiting for Yorkshire tea to get their act together and deliver compostable teabags as they stated they would last year.

Can anyone recommend an antidandruff bar shampoo please.

I have beeswax wraps that I use instead of cling film. I bough mine but you can make them yourself with cotton fabric and beeswax.

I've bought both my girls period pants recently (I already had them) and they have been converted, plus we have moon cups. Cloths for household cleaning and back way back when they were in nappies I used cloth ones and washable wipes (use ordinary toilet tissue to wipe and dispose down toilet first). Bar soap but I want to find somewhere with liquid shampoo that refills bottles (nothing wrong with plastic if it's used over and over again). Maybe I should set it up! Morrison's have some veg loose now (at the same price) as do asda - just wish they would sell mixed salad leaves in biodegradable packaging and charge less for single peppers. Morrison's allows you to bring your own packaging for meat and fish.

Back on refilling, wish someone would do it for bleach etc too

Remember how body shop used to do refills in the 80s. When did it stop. It was a good idea

@Thrupennybrit Lush do a solid antidandruff shampoo, I've used it myself and it smells amazing and works really well uk.lush.com/products/shampoo/soak-and-float

I do most of these - one I do which hasn't been mentioned here is use an Eco Egg for washing, it is natural and reusable, each pack of the little washing balls in it lasts a year. Can be unscented or scented and it works pretty well, manages stains and all that fine

moscovv Thank you. Fortuitously I am going somewhere with a Lush right next door on Friday.

Feeling a bit despondent and suspecting nothing we can do will ever work though after watching HFW talking about how all the fibres from washing have plastic in though as I think some of the cloths I bought are micro fibre

Fibres from washing what?

If you're trying to reduce impact on the environment, you could consider getting rid of the antibac spray. Antibacterial soaps are not shown to be any more effective than their ordinary counterparts, and meanwhile contribute to bacterial resistance, get washed into our rivers and ecosystems...

Just use a drop of your usual washing up liquid on a cloth (saves a plastic spray bottle while you're at it).

I grew up in a household with Ecover everything. Bleach never crossed the threshold - I promise you we were perfectly clean and healthy!

I can also really reccomend a stainless steel razor! Had mine for about a year. Saves a ton of money too compared to plastic version.

It takes a little adjusting to - managed to slice myself rather badly while trying to shave my legs in a rush! I now know the trick is to take my time and use plenty of soap (eco friendly bar soap of course not foam ) and it does an equally good job.

@Thrupennybrit
I got a lavender & tea tree oil from
Itsbaaathtime.co.uk which I'd recommend, they do contain goats milk though, so not suitable for veggie/vegans.

Modibodi period pants are great. Beeswax wraps are brilliant and I keep Jam jars for storing small stuff in the fridge like a piece of cheese. I massively struggle with bar shampoo so for now I’ve been buying Jason brand big bottles of shampoo and showergel. They last for months and the bottles are recycled.

I use an Irish cleaning range called Lily’s eco clean because my local sustainable shop sells refills

I don't like the idea of washing poo wipes either so we use reusable wipes (cheap pound land flannels) for wee at home (out and about or poo - normal, disposable wipes).

Beeswax wraps instead of cling film. Tenner off amazon but I can't remember brands sorry (I think they're all very similar though).

I like the idea of shampoo bars but yet to find a good one, sorry!

Holland and barrett sell coconut oil in glass jars. I now use the stuff as a lip balm, hand cream, night cream for my face, hair mask, eye make-up remover, baby moisturiser and baby cradle cap treatment. So lots of plastic waste saved there!

I've also recently started to use Splosh cleaning products, as they come in refillable bottles (you order the refills online). I personally love the smell of the products and they do a good job in my home.

Green grocers for plastic-free fruit and veg if you have one nearby.

Pound land sell reusable coffee cups.

That's what I thought of off the top of my head but I'm sure there's more that I do. Good luck op

@firstimemamma how are the splosh refills delivered? What is the liquid packaged in for instance?

Oh wow I've found the 'splosh' website and read how it works. The products look amazing! I love the packaging and the fragrances.
I wish they did shampoo and conditioner.
I'll be making an order very soon.

Where can you get bar shampoo and conditioner? Also bar bubble bath for children?
And what about toothpaste?

You can make your own beeswax wraps, I saw a tutorial on crafty or something the other day

@Aroundtheworldin80moves lush does all of those (not too sure about the toothpaste though). I don't like any of the shampoo bars I've found. My hair gets tangled.

I'm about to run out of shampoo and conditioner so I'm going to buy 500ml reusable pumps to fill. L'occitane sells 500ml refills of shampoo and conditioner so I will get them.

I've decided to buy a big, glass jar of cold pressed organic coconut oil to use as make up remover instead of the fancy oil in a plastic pump I was going to buy.

Milk and more milk deliveries

i just use loo paper for my kid‘s bums....