9 October 2026
Bundle up in these amazing scarves, beanies and gloves!
- COSH! Member Publicity
- Lifestyle
COSH! is aware that plastic is a big problem for the environment. Earlier, we shared 7 tips to avoid plastics in your clothes. This article takes a different angle and shares our 7 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!, took 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.
More sustainable cosmetics with refillable or biodegradable packaging can be found, for example, at Clothilde in Aalst. You can find Cîme refills at Fonetik in Aalst, HOST in Antwerp-Berchem, Supergoods in Antwerp and Mechelen, De Groene Passage in Rotterdam, Het Faire Oosten in Amsterdam, LOYA in Breda and My Melonade in Hasselt. Ray products are available at Supergoods in Antwerp and Mechelen and SOFlien in Essen, among some others.
You can also find great zero waste products at The Barn in Antwerp and Kudzu in Bruges, such as reusable cotton pads and wipes to remove your make-up or reusable menstruation cups.
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 local, pioneering companies that are 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 create a gigantic waste mountain.
Fortunately, there are power women like Kathleen. She offers a solution to this problem with miokoo. Thanks to miokoo menstrual underwear, you can do your thing 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 Fonetik in Aalst, Kudzu in Bruges or Inslag in Ghent.
Natural soap bars
If you want to switch to a zero waste lifestyle, replacing your shampoo is an accessible step. Replace the large plastic shampoo bottles in your bathroom with a shampoo bar, locally made from only plant-based ingredients.
For example, 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 in Amsterdam, containing 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 the natural skincare by Nature Bar 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 or even follow a workshop. You’ll also find a refill bar in the shop, where you can restock your bath salts, soap flakes and serum. You can also find Nature Bar’s products at Zepig in Utrecht and Het Faire Oosten in Amsterdam.
You can also find locally made soap and shampoo bars outside of the Dutch capital. BOTMA & van BENNEKOM makes caring and hydrating soaps, oils and balms with a more natural base, all with plastic-free packaging and made with great care in their soap factory in Arnhem. BOTMA & van BENNEKOM products can be found at LOYA in Breda and Zepig in Utrecht.
Tip 3: Look for zero waste hotspots in your area
Have you decided which theme you are going to tackle first? 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!
It’s what’s inside that counts at Tarra in Dendermonde
Would you like to do your food shopping without taking home a mountain of packaging that ends up in the bin? Then Tarra Verpakkingsvrij in Dendermonde is the shop for you.
On the shelves, you’ll find dry goods such as nuts, pasta, rice and flour, as well as herbs, tea and oil at refill stations. The range is largely organic and vegan, with plenty of low-gluten options. Bring your own jars, bottles and bags, so no single-use packaging travels home with you.
Tarra has you covered for your bathroom and cleaning cupboard too. Think washable sanitary pads, handmade soap, and laundry and cleaning products. You’ll even find toilet rolls without plastic packaging in the shop.
Tarra also loves stocking local products, such as Belgian syrups, biscuits, bath bombs, quinoa and lentils. Handy tip: you can combine your packaging-free shopping with an order from local farmers through Buurderij Dendermonde. Curious about the workshops? Follow Tarra on Instagram.
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 is perfect for 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 felt them into coasters… The internet is full of 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 more sustainable bloggers and influencers on Instagram, who can inspire you by following a more sustainable and zero-waste lifestyle. These are some influencers that we think are worth following: When Sara Smiles, Laura from The Desert, Elisabeth Van Lierop, The Green List and Elize Been.
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 as well.
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 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!
