My favourite sustainable products

Absolute classic content – a favourites haul! However, this one has the twist of focussing on intention and active change rather than the products themselves.

For the most part, being a sustainable consumer means buying less and using what we already have. Despite this, there are certain items that can help us in the journey to creating sustainable change. Definitely helpful if you want to put something more eco-friendly on your birthday wishlist! Today I am going to share some of my current favourite products which are helping me to create change in my own life, some of which may be helpful for you too…

• A reusable water bottle: ✨Ground-breaking✨. Hear me out here! To really transition to a more sustainable lifestyle, it is important to feel comfortable in your choices and products, which requires you choosing the right products for you. Just like the sorting hat, you need to pick the right kind of bottle for your personal lifestyle. For me, I have three water bottles that I use frequently which cover all scenarios. The insulated one pictured above keeps cold drinks cold for a long time and can be used for hot drinks too, so I find this the most useful for when exercising, as a nice cool drink is exactly what is needed – best for those people who run long distances for the fun of it. I also have a bottle which is about half the height of the average bottle, which is great for taking out and about because it fits into many different bags and is less heavy to carry – best for handbags and running around town. Finally, in this overly-detailed water bottle haul, I have the best one yet. This bottle has had more comments than anything else I own and is definitely one of my best finds. From my local supermarket I found a bottle which is about half the width of a normal bottle, and consequently can fit in that pocket down the sides of backpacks. Also, it is dishwasher safe, which makes it so much easier for daily use if you forget to hand wash your bottles or don’t always have the time. What a game changer….. Best for students and others who carry small bags that are already full. Once you’ve picked the bottle for you, you should have no trouble using it in your life and may realise that you don’t need to buy single use plastic drinks bottles anymore. Hooray!
• An Eco coffee cup: again possibly not the newest idea you’ve heard today, but a great item for hot beverage lovers everywhere. The thing here is to pick one that you love and that fits in with your going out lifestyle – maybe a collapsible cup for pockets only or a bamboo cup for keeping in your bag. If you are partial to a hot drink when out and about, these will really help you cut down your single use plastic waste and hopefully embrace reusable.
• A solid shampoo bar: for myself, I am specifically loving the Lush ones. Admittedly, they are a financial investment but having tried them, I believe they are worth it. When you first start going plastic free with your haircare, you can get a bar and a little pot for it and future bars to live in to protect them and prolong their lifespan. I was pleasantly surprised by this bar, it didn’t leave my hair feeling soapy or greasy or unclean. I’ve been using the Jumping Juniper bar which I find leaves me hair feeling soft and lightweight, which is pretty amazing for someone like me with thick hair. I’d without a doubt recommend!
• Reusable makeup remover pads: these kind of make single use pads redundant. With my pack, you get 16 bamboo pads, one cotton laundry bag, one storage bag and a storage box. To use, you apply the pad as you normally would for removing makeup, cleaning the skin or other applications, then put in the laundry bag. Once you have used a few pads, the laundry bag (containing the used pads) can just be placed in the washing machine as you do your normal wash to clean them. Once dry, you can put them back in your storage bag to be used again. The packaging claims that these durable pads can withstand being washed up to one thousand times, so the need to buy cotton pads is drastically reduced compared to single use pads. The only downsize is that sometimes once washed the pads retain some slight colouration. However, they are completely clean and once you get over the white obsession society has with many products (the same goes for paper and teabags) then its easy to accept more environmentally-friendly alternatives.
• Beeswax wraps: fun to make at home or can be bought. I got my first ones from a local business and have found them so useful in the kitchen. Beeswax wraps can be used as a natural alternative to cling film, helping to reducing waste, to cover bowls, wrap food or store ingredients. I’ve found them especially useful in reducing plastic from my lunch as I’m able to wrap sandwiches and loose items in a beeswax wrap without needing to use cling film or foil. After using, you simply clean them by hand with a little water and let them air dry. If your wraps need reviving, you can re-wax them using beeswax, available in handy pellets and drops. Also, having patterned food covers brings a little bit of joy into your day!
• A reusable cotton tote bag: banish single use plastic bags by keeping a tote bag handy with you for any shopping needs. I find using this, combined with a plastic bag for life (beneficial for rainy days) sufficient as shopping bags, carrier bags, etc without needing to buy any plastic bags at the checkout. Tip – always remember to replace your reusable shopping bags in your bag/coat/other so that they are always there if you need them when you’re out, preventing you from having to purchase a plastic bag should you forget.

So there you go: these are some of the items I’m currently using to bring a more sustainable element into my life. Since using these products I’ve found that I produce less unnecessary waste and buy less single use items when out and about because I have my own reusable ‘toolkit’ at my disposal. Hopefully a part of this was helpful and may have given you an idea to put on your Christmas list… 🎅