We all want to do our part in protecting our environment from harmful chemicals and plastics. However, with so many eco-friendly products available, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start.
Making small changes to our shopping habits can make a massive difference to the environment. We all know about reusable bags, but changing our household products to something that still gives us the cleaning power we want, but in an environmentally friendly way, felt like a tall order to me.
However, during the first lockdown, I really felt that we needed to change the way we bought things like washing-up liquid and multi-purpose cleaners. So, I spent some time looking online for sustainable alternatives to our usual supermarket products.
I wanted products made from natural ingredients with minimal plastic waste. But I was also looking for sustainable products that could be delivered to my door.
Whilst a lot of the products available in supermarkets are starting to be better for the environment, they’re still being sold in plastic bottles. I wanted something that was an alternative to that, and found some brilliant companies that are leaders in eco-friendly household products.
I was kindly gifted some of the products to test so I could share my experience of using them.
Bower Collective
The first company we switched to is Bower Collective. One of the Instagram accounts I follow had done a video about the products, which piqued my interest straight away. Firstly, the products were delivered and could be ordered on a subscription basis. That meant we could have products delivered regularly, without having to worry about going into a busy shop if we ran out.
Secondly, they come in plastic pouches, which you return to Bower for free once they’re empty. You can buy reusable bottles from them, or use ones you already have at home, and decant the products into those to use.
The natural cleaning products are made from locally sourced ingredients and produced in the UK. There’s a huge range of products to choose from, including multi-purpose cleaners, liquid hand soap and loo rolls. You can buy a starter pack if you’d like to try some of the products before you commit to buying with a subscription.
Purdy & Figg
Purdy & Figg use plant-derived ingredients and essential oils to change your outlook on cleaning. Let’s face it, for most of us, cleaning is a chore we put off for as long as possible, so anything that makes it a more enjoyable experience is a win as far as I’m concerned.
I love the fact that the company was created by two women in their garage because they wanted to change the way we think about cleaning, both in terms of the environment and ourselves.
From beautiful packaging to products that smell really nice and have great cleaning powers, they don’t fail to impress. The products are available through a subscription, where you can choose from either having the same scents all year round or trying new ones every three months.
Purdy & Figg’s counter clean replaces the need for different products for different surfaces, making it simple and easy to use on anything from wood to glass and stone. You simply pour the cleaning concentrate into your bottle for life, and top up with tap water, shake gently and use all over the house, giving you a brilliant clean and uplifting smell.
I love the smell the products give the whole house when I clean, which almost makes me want to clean more often!
Iron & Velvet
Iron & Velvet are pioneers in the world of sustainable cleaning and the fight against plastic pollution. Their cleaning products are made from natural ingredients, but the genius part is that the packaging is water-soluble.
You simply put a sachet of cleaning product into an existing bottle, fill it with warm water, shake and off you go. The fragrances are amazing and change depending on the season, and they work really well on dirt.
The starter kit gives you a range of products to try and you can then buy as a subscription so you get a regular delivery, or as and when you need them. If you buy five products, you get free delivery. And because of the brilliant packaging, they’re small enough to fit through your letterbox.
Smol
Washing and dishwasher tablets are traditionally packaged in a plastic container to keep them safe from children. The materials used often can’t be recycled, and so create a lot of plastic waste.
Smol has changed this. The packaging the tablets arrive in is made from cardboard produced from responsibly managed forests. They also print onto the packaging using vegetable-based inks. The laundry packaging has a child-lock mechanism, which means little fingers can’t get to them.
We’ve found the washing and dishwasher tablets to be effective against dirt, and the washing products have a lovely fragrance.
For me, the best thing about Smol is the fact that the packaging is cardboard and fits through your letterbox. This helps us reduce our plastic consumption, which in the long run will make a huge difference to the environment.
Eco-friendly household products that don’t cost the earth
So, I hope you’ve found this useful. We love these companies. They’re all British, which means their carbon footprint is smaller than global companies that produce their products abroad.
They’ve created eco-friendly product packaging, which either dissolves, can be reused, or recycled. I’m sure we’ve all got a vast supply of plastic containers we can use, so switching to refillable cleaning products feels like the best way to do our bit in the fight against climate change.
I hope next time you need to buy household cleaning products, you’ll think of using some of these companies. Their products may not be as cheap as some you can buy from supermarkets, but they don’t cost the earth.
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