We’re celebrating Plastic-Free July, a global movement to reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school, and within your community. By choosing to refuse single-use plastics, a small change by many can make a huge difference in the world’s plastic pollution problem. Join us in imagining a world without plastic waste. We’ll be posting Plastic-Free July tips and blog posts with ideas all month!

This second week of Plastic-Free July we bring you some suggestions for going Plastic-Free shopping. Check out our ideas:

Choose plastic-free, sustainable packaging.

From our aluminum bottles to the boxes that they are shipped in all materials we use are Plastic-Free, sustainable, and recyclable. Even our packing tape is Plastic-Free and made out of paper and a natural adhesive! If your boxes arrive looking well loved, they are probably on their 2nd, 3rd or 4th life cycle. Just like we reuse and refill our bottles, we reuse our boxes as much as we can. Choose to refuse single-use plastic products and packaging!

Shop in bulk!

Food packaging, in particular, is full of plastic and is most likely a large portion of your plastic waste. However, many foods from tea to spices, flours to nuts, and beans to olive oil are available in bulk, without the plastic. Shopping in bulk can reduce packaging waste and may even save you some money! It can also reduce food waste because you can get just the amount you need. Gather up your mason jars, cloth bags, and reusable containers and choose to shop in bulk! It’s a great way to go Plastic-Free shopping.

Use reusable produce bags. Or no bag at all!

Those pesky plastic produce bags are just as bad as plastic shopping bags. And really, a lot of produce doesn’t even need a bag – just put it straight into your cart. Reusable produce bags are one way to help minimize single-use plastics.

Shop at your local plastic-free or refill shop!

If you are lucky enough to have a Plastic-Free, refill, zero waste type store or pop up in your community, be sure to support them! By refilling and reusing containers we are able to keep single-use plastics out of our landfills and oceans. Shops that offer plastic-free, reusable products, and bulk refills are on the rise worldwide and will continue to grow with our support. Plus, Plaine Products can be found in over 30 stores in the USA. There may be one near you!

Shop used!

We really love shopping second-hand and buying things made from re-used materials in order to use less plastic! By shopping secondhand, you aren’t using any new resources. Plus, you can find some really cool upcycled items! It’s a great way to do some Plastic-Free shopping.

Skip the balloons and choose other ways to celebrate or decorate!

Balloons are not biodegradable. They kill wildlife and pollute the earth. Balloons have been identified as a major threat to the seabirds traversing the world’s oceans and mistakenly feeding on plastic. For your next celebration skip the balloons and find alternative ways to decorate.

Buy sustainable gifts!

Gift giving can be a great opportunity to introduce someone to your favorite sustainable, and plastic-free products, whether it’s for a birthday, a holiday, hostess gift, or just because. And keep your gift wrapping plastic-free too!