7 simple sustainable swaps to make for an eco-friendly home
If you're wondering how to make your lifestyle more sustainable, making simple, eco-friendly swaps in your home is a great place to start.
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Though we may think we're doing our bit for the planet, the reality is that less than 10% of household plastic waste gets recycled in the UK - a statistic easily improved with simple sustainable swaps to zero waste, refillable and planet-friendly products in your home. From laundry detergent to toilet paper, washing up liquid to kitchen roll - there are endless ways to make your lifestyle less impactful on the planet.
So, whether you're already an earth-conscious consumer or you're looking to make the switch to a greener lifestyle in 2022, we’ve compiled a selection of eco-friendly swaps to make in your home from brands big and small that are doing their bit to reverse the effects of climate change on our planet.
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Swap laundry detergent for an Ecoegg
ecoegg Laundry Egg, £9.99, Lakeland
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One of the easiest ways to make your home more sustainable is to make the switch to a refillable Laundry Egg. BY swapping out your plastic bottles of liquid detergent and fabric conditioner, each household can save up to 40 bottles of plastic each year.
Using refillable mineral pellets inside a case that can last up to ten years, the ecoegg helps to eliminate single-use plastic in your wash cycle. Free from harmful chemicals, the ecoegg is not only kind to your skin, but also kind to your pocket. We're a huge fan of it at HELLO!.
Swap plastic-wrapped dishwasher tablets for Smol
smol Dishwash Tablets, from £4.60, smol
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Refillable, returnable and recyclable packs of smol's dishwasher tablets save plastic, chemicals and carbon keeping dishes and homes wonderfully clean. Costing less than £5 for a 30 tablet pack, you tell smol how often you put your dishwasher on, and tnhey will regularly deliver what you need.
Swap clingfilm for beeswax wraps
Beeswax Food Wraps, £9.99, Etsy
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Beeswax food wraps are the perfect eco-friendly alternative to clingfilm or saran wrap. They help to preserve food naturally, without the nasty condensation plastic wrap accumulates when warmer leftovers are placed in a cool fridge. It's also far more breathable than plastic wrap, allowing your food to stay fresh for longer, reducing food wastage.
Swap toilet roll for Who Gives a Crap
Recycled Toilet Paper, from £36, Who Gives A Crap
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If you haven't heard of Who Gives A Crap, you'll want it on your radar ASAP. This sustainable brand makes eco-friendly toilet paper that’s good for the planet, good for people and good for you.
All of their products are made from 100% recycled paper or renewable bamboo.They also donate 50% of profits to help build toilets for the 2.3 billion people who don't have access to proper sanitation - that’s 1 in 3 people.
Wrapped in colourful, recyclable paper, this subscription-based loo roll is also free from dyes, inks, and plastic - all while looking gorgeous in your loo.
Swap cleaning products for Bower Collective
Green Cleaning Machine Bundle, £30.99, Bower Collective
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Bower Collective is a company that believes in the refill revolution - and you should too. If you're still reaching for your supermarket washing up liquid and plastic scouring brush - there are easier ways to go green in your home.
This bundle contains everything you need to overhaul your cleaning cupboards and introduce natural and effective cleaning products that help you to reduce plastic waste. And when you're finished? Simply head back to Bower to order your refill.
Swap kitchen roll for Marley's Monsters
Marley's Monsters Towels, £16, Selfridges
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Marley’s Monsters UNpaper®Towels sit right between tea towels and kitchen paper - made from single-ply 100% cotton-flannel, these clever towels cling together naturally and become more absorbent after the first few washes - the perfect sustainable (and colourful) alternative to kitchen paper.
READ: Make your home more eco-friendly with these 11 simple steps
Swap bathroom chemicals for Spruce refillables
Bathroom Starter Kit, was £12, now £8, Spruce
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Spruce's bathroom cleaner spray arrives in a gorgeous eternity bottle made from lightweight aluminium, which means it's not only unbreakable, but infinitely recyclable. Simply refill your spray bottle with a sachet of ocean-friendly cleaner and water, which is free from chlorine, petrol, palm oil, synthetic fragrances and other harsh chemicals that harm our environment. Even better, with every Spruce starter kit you purchase, Spruce remove ocean-bound plastics equal to twenty-five plastic bottles. It's a win, win from us.
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