How To Avoid & Reuse Plastic

A quick guide for a plastic free routine

Words by ELLA KOPPENSTEINER

One thing that I have come to notice these past years is that breaking up with plastic is definitely a challenge… Have you ever tried shopping completely plastic free at your regular supermarket? Almost all products come with a plastic companion. They are either sold in plastic packaging or plastic bags – food, beverages, body care,… – or are disposable plastics themselves – tampons, toothbrushes, razors…

Our basic needs are covered in plastic. So how can we achieve a plastic free life when we are just surrounded and covered by it?

Photo by Seefromthesky

Actually, there are quite a few things we can do! 

Plastic Alternatives

On one hand, we can  support businesses that look for better alternatives and come up with new solutions and replacements for all this unnecessary plastic.
By supporting them we can hopefully change the current system and spread a new and eco-friendly approach to our lifestyle. Here are a few ideas that you should know more about as I believe that they are just genius:

• Avani Eco: this company developed an alternative to plastic bags and other packagings by creating completely compostable products made only with natural products.
• Arekapak: this young German company came up with another eco-friendly packaging solution made entirely with areca palm leaves, making it completely compostable and keeping us away from having to use plastic packagings.
• E6PR: this company has made it possible to eliminate the six-pack beer rings and replace them with a compostable alternative. Some companies like Corona already use them, so I would strongly recommend to choose your beer wisely and avoid these plastic rings asap to save all the poor animals that get trapped in them on a daily basis.

Photo by Sophia Marston

Reuse Wisely

On the other hand, there are also some companies that take the already existing plastic waste and turn it into something useful. Since plastic has such a long life, let’s give it as many opportunities as possible! Here are a few ideas you might enjoy:

• Earth Wake: this French company found a way to turn plastic waste into fuel! And they are working on finding more innovative ways to reuse plastic.
• Parafina: this brand recycles plastic among other materials to create fabulous eyewear. If you are in need of new glasses you should definitely think of them.
• VSTrash: this brand is against trash and aims to give plastic waste another opportunity by creating sneakers in the most sustainable way. They even make sure to only use renewable sources for their production.
• Ecologic: as they say themselves “mountains of recycled material can be put to good use and plastic can be minimized”, and that is exactly what they do by creating their paper packaging made of recycled materials. L’Oréal is already creating their new packagings with them, so make sure to check them out the next time you buy your L’Oréal products!

Photos by Sylvie Tittel & Yvonne Young

Avoiding Plastic on a Daily Basis

Finally, we can also do something every day in our household to slowly – yet steadily – break up with plastic. Here are a few simple ideas to make your fight against plastic a tiny bit easier:

1. Bring your own bag when you go shopping
2. Bring your own mug for your beverages to go
3. Get a refillable water bottle – for instance, LARQ has invented a fantastic technology that purifies your water in a high end design bottle.
4. Use reusable boxes or jars to store your food
5. Buy your food in bulk purchases – some of the shops that offer bulk purchases are just so lovely and inspiring, if you are ever in Madrid you should check out El Granel de Corredera in Malasaña.
6. Say no to disposable plastic products such as straws, razors, tampons, cutlery…  and replace them with reusable ones that you can find in amazing shops such as One Earth BCN.
7. Replace your body care products with eco-friendly ones that don’t use plastic in any part of their process – Lush is a great brand to check out for such products.
8. Choose plastic alternatives such as the ones mentioned above!

I hope this will inspire you further on your plastic free endeavors!