5 plastic-free things you don’t need to buy

Using less plastic isn’t just swapping plastic for another material or stylish products made of bamboo. It’s about buying less, saving money and being more resourceful.⁠ ⁠

This Plastic Free July, you may be seeing Instagram ads promoting expensive water bottles or cutlery made of bamboo. ⁠The reality is that plastic-free is becoming big business. While products made from wood, bamboo or stainless steel may not be single-use, they are still resource-heavy materials to produce and transport. ⁠

Save money and space, and use what you have. Here are some plastic-free things that you can avoid buying, as you already own the alternative:⁠

Cutlery

Reach into your cutlery drawer at home and pick out what you need for the day. You really don’t need a bamboo spork.

Beeswax wraps

Beeswax wraps are nice, but do you know what keeps a bowl of leftovers just as fresh? A plate!

Bags

If you have a rucksack, an old plastic bag, a free tote bag, a bag for life, then take these with you to the shops. You don’t need to buy a fancy organic cotton one.

Steel containers

That stainless steel lunchbox sure is aesthetically pleasing, but just take your lunch to work in an old takeaway tub or a glass jar.

Amber glass bottles⁠

I have had these two bottles for over 3 years. If you can find somewhere to refill them, then they are fit for purpose, as tempting as it is to whip out the Dymo labelwriter.