Plastic is piling up in landfills and oceans; it’s even floating around in the air. It’s sad and frustrating, and unfortunately, the problem can’t be solved by consumers cutting down on single-use plastics—corporations need to do their part. But cutting down on the garbage we produce can give us a sense of agency, not to mention that you can save quite a bit of money by only buying a product once.
The best reusable products are the ones you’re going to want to use again and again. So if you prefer the water bottles from Starbucks (guilty), or fancy handkerchiefs from a local boutique, that’s what you should get. And if you have a pile of disposable products you want to replace, use them up first. If you need some help getting started, we’ve compiled a bunch of our favorite products here. Don’t see anything you need here? Check out some of our other roundups, like the Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products or Our Favorite Products Made of Recycled and Upcycled Materials.
Updated March 2022: We’ve added a long-lasting dish sponge, more beeswax food wraps, pet-food can covers, more shopping and produce bags, dryer balls, a Makeup Eraser, safety razors, a Buddha Board, Rocketbook reusable notebooks, and OmieGo’s Bio Bento Box. We’ve also added better options for the things you have to throw away.
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