Can we transition from a throwaway culture to containers on-loan?
One of the first things that I noticed in my house when I started this SUP-free crusade was the abundance of plastic bottles in my shower. I needed to find a way to get rid of my tie to buying a new bottle every couple months that were then *hopefully* getting recycled. I tried to find a dispensary in my area so that I could use a reusable/refillable container, but haven't yet been successful. Thats when a friend recommended Plaine Products to me.
I absolutely love this concept - you purchase the bottles essentially on loan, you can buy as a standalone or as part of a regular subscription service, you can ship the bottles back when you are done and Plaine Products includes the shipping label (or ideally return them at a store near you - cut the carbon footprint!), and voila no more plastic bottles in your shower! They wash and reuse the aluminum containers, which can be more readily recycled and is higher value than plastic, but still very light for shipping.
If you go the shipping route, the bottles also come in a small cardboard box, no plastic wrapping at all!
As you can see in the picture you can use and reuse a small plastic pump that they provide OR if you are transitioning and already have a bottle like in my Before picture, you can just request to not receive a pump and add it to an exiting bottle with a dispensing top. Or just pour it out of the bottle - not the end of the world.
The products themselves are also wonderful and feel fantastic on your skin and hair. All of the products are vegan, toxin-free, cruelty-free, kid safe, color safe and completely biodegradable, so you can feel good about what you're putting on your body and in the environment.
Its also not just for hair products - they have body lotion, body soap, hand soap, face wash, and face moisturizer, all in fabulous fragrances. I'm also currently trying out the face moisturizer, because thats something I've been having trouble finding a good plastic-free alternative container for recently. The product feels so lovely and light and my skin feels as healthy as ever.
The one thing that I have been grappling with is the externalities of products such as this, and making sure that the products acting as the alternative to plastic is sustainably sourced and isn't contributing to fossil fuel production. Plain Products ensure that they are made from sustainably sourced products and packaging, so I feel fairly good about these in particular. I also constantly wonder about the costs/benefits of shipping, and whether reducing your plastic footprint outweighs increasing your carbon footprint by shipping products - which is why I always encourage streamlining any shipping you do (ex. keeping a consistent and spread out subscription for your products) and purchasing/reusing these products locally whenever possible! I'm pushing to have a local collection facility for these closer to my current home - fingers crossed!
Key takeaway: Never be afraid to ask questions of the companies that provide you your goods, and always stay curious about externalities and how everything is linked!
If you're looking to reduce your hair-care footprint even further, there are also lots of wonderful options for shampoo and conditioner bars that don't involve any bottles or packaging. Here is a great article by Elle that outlines some of the top options. I've also seen most of those products in stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, as well as specialty stores like Lush. Shampoo bars are becoming much more popular and can be much more readily found nowadays, so no need for shipping.
For more info on this product: Plaine Products
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