21 November 2024
A multitude of knitwear! Discover the cosiest sweaters at these stores.
- COSH! Member Publicity
COSH! is aware that plastic is a big problem for the environment. We recently shared 7 tips to avoid plastics in your clothes. This article takes a different angle and shares our best zero waste tips with you. That way, together, we reduce our plastic waste!
Tip 1: Take it step by step
Our first and perhaps most important tip is: ‘Start one step at a time!’ You can’t transform into a zero waste warrior overnight! By tackling one theme or place in your home each time, you will make a zero-waste lifestyle more easily achievable. For example, focus this month on plastic use in the bathroom, then switch to the kitchen, taking small steps towards a lifestyle with less waste each time.
This is also how Niki, founder of COSH!, embarked on her own path to zero waste. She first switched from plastic shampoo bottles to shampoo bars and started looking for cosmetics in glass containers and refillable make-up.
For example, more sustainable cosmetics with refillable or biodegradable packaging can be found at Druantia in Lier and Clothilde in Ghent and Aalst. You can find Cîme refills at Fonetik in Aalst, HOST in Antwerp-Berchem, Supergoods in Antwerp, Ghent and Mechelen and My Melonade in Hasselt. Ray products are available at Supergoods, The Soul Store in Oostkamp and SOFlien in Essen. You can also find great Zero Waste products at Teint Teint in Antwerp and Plastic Free Co. in Amsterdam, such as reusable cotton pads and wipes to remove your make-up.
Want to discover more natural and low-packaging cosmetics? Then read this article!
Tip 2: Support local initiatives!
By shopping locally, you support the local entrepreneur and save on transport, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions for your purchase. So, a zero-waste lifestyle fits perfectly with the philosophy of local shopping. We are happy to introduce you to pioneering companies putting zero waste on the map!
Go with the flow with Miokoo
Did you know that just under 3 million disposable sanitary napkins end up in landfills every day in Belgium? Hygiene products are indispensable, but at the same time, unfortunately, they create a gigantic waste mountain.
Fortunately, there are powerful women like Kathleen. She offers a solution to this problem with miokoo. Thanks to miokoo menstrual underwear, you can do away with disposable panty liners and pads! It’s super-easy: put on your absorbent menstrual slip in the morning and feel at ease for the rest of the day!
Discover Miokoo at Supergoods in Ghent, Antwerp and Mechelen. At BlaBloom in Genk, at Fonetik in Aalst. Or, of course, at miokoo itself.
Natural soap from Nature Bar
Amsterdam-based brand Nature Bar specialises in manufacturing natural, vegan and plastic-free soap and shampoo bars. These soap bars are handmade in their own soap-making facility.
The soap and shampoo bars contain only plant-based ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil and sunflower oil. Each bar is enriched with at least one local and circular ingredient, such as organic fruit from local juice bar Juice Brothers or grains from the brewing process of local beer brewery De Prael.
The soap is also completely free of mineral oils, microplastics, silicones and palm oil. Discover Nature Bar’s healthy skincare at their shop in Amsterdam. Here, you can not only see, feel and smell the products but also take a look at the artisanal-making process. You can also find Nature Bar’s products at Six & Sons in Amsterdam, The Plastic Free Co. in Amsterdam and Up To Do Good at Schiphol Airport.
Tip 3: Look for zero waste hotspots in your area
Have you decided which room or theme you are going to tackle? Then, it’s time to go on a zero-waste shopping trip. In our article on packaging-free shopping, you’ll find plenty of products that will make your zero-waste lifestyle easier, from food to cleaning products to cosmetics!
Tip 4: Try fun DIY projects
Of course, you don’t have to buy many new products to embark on a zero-waste lifestyle. This lifestyle lends itself perfectly to getting creative with the things you already have in your home!
Melt your candle scraps and turn them into new candles; collect fabric scraps and feel them into coasters,… The internet is filled with fun upcycling DIY projects to turn old or used things into something new! Feel like getting started? Read our blog with fun DIY ideas and workshops here!
Tip 5: Get inspired by a role model
Could you use an extra dose of inspiration? Then, it’s always nice to follow sustainable bloggers and influencers on Instagram. Some of our tips? Veerle Colle, Sustainable Family, Elisabeth Van Lierop, Laura from The Dessert and Planttribe.be. Of course, you will also find countless tips on May Plastic-Free’s page!
Tip 6: Avoid plastic in your clothes
That you find a lot of plastics in our supermarkets, bathrooms and kitchens is obvious. But did you know that plastics are also found in clothing? Polyester is widely used in clothing, but you often see other synthetic materials (such as nylon and acrylic) in material compositions. When you wash clothes made of these materials, microplastics end up in the water. Want to avoid plastics in your clothes? Then, be sure to check the clothing labels when you go shopping. These tips will help you on your way.
Tip 7: Don’t just throw old clothes away
Are there many clothes hanging in your closet that you no longer wear? Having a tidying session occasionally is fine, but don’t just throw away all the doubtful ones. After all, that is anything but sustainable.
Did you know that less than 1% of all clothes are recycled? This is partly because garments made up of material mixes are difficult to recycle. Even with today’s innovations, separating fibres on a large scale is impossible, so clothes mostly end up in landfills. Today’s low production quality is also not conducive to recycling potential. So think twice before throwing something away!
The following tips from Mijnes Jouwes will keep your clothes looking great for longer:
1. Separate your clothes before washing (I do a white, a light-coloured, a dark-coloured, a red and a dark wash).
2. Use a dash of vinegar in the pre-wash. This will prevent colours from bleeding.
3. Wash all clothes inside out and close buttons and zips. This will also protect other garments.
4. Wash at 30 degrees whenever possible.
5. Do not use fabric softener.
6. Don’t use a dryer! Or, if, like me, you have a house with few drying facilities and lots of children, use the dryer only for towels and cotton underwear.
Want to take your wardrobe in hand? Discover a handy step-by-step plan to do so in a sustainable way here!
