15 Simple Swaps for Plastic-Free July That You’ll Actually Want to Stick With
Plastic-Free July has arrived so you’re determined to reduce the amount of plastic in your life. You’re trying to kick those single-use plastics to the curb and embrace a greener way of living.
Good for you, that’s fantastic!
But wow — it is overwhelming, right? It’s almost impossible to go about your day without using plastic. Plastic is so prevalent in our daily routines — from the grocery store to your bathroom essentials, it's everywhere!
But don't worry! We've got you covered with 15 fantastic plastic-free swaps that won't require major lifestyle changes or giving up your favorites. We've done the research on these products, so you don't have to — and we absolutely love them all!
We’ve determined these swaps are so awesome, you’ll want to use them year-round.
Plastic-Free Kitchen Swaps
One of the most impactful places you can reduce plastic is in the kitchen. From food storage to meal prep, plastic is everywhere around our food and where we cook. This not only leads to plastic waste, but it also means we are regularly ingesting microplastics — YUCK!
Luckily with a few conscious choices, we can significantly reduce plastic in the kitchen.
Stainless Steel Lunch Containers
Say goodbye to disposable plastic bags, reheated plastic Tupperware, and single-use takeout containers. Instead, upgrade your lunch routine with reusable stainless steel lunch containers.
Top-quality food-grade stainless steel containers are free from aluminum, plastic, BPA, paint, synthetic dyes, and resins. Unlike plastic, they should never make your food taste funky or absorb any unwanted odors or stains, even after years of use.
And since they’re made of metal, they won’t melt in contact with hot food or liquids. That means they are dishwasher-safe, oven-safe, and freezer-safe, providing you with the flexibility to store or heat your meals as needed. (Never microwave!)
Stainless steel containers come in multiple shapes and sizes that are great for both kids and adults. They’re great for meal prep, leftovers, work lunch, picnics, hiking snacks, and more.
Swedish Dishcloths
Replace paper towels and plastic sponges with Swedish dishcloths. They'll become your new favorite cleaning tool!
This reusable cloth is perfect for household tasks like wiping counters and cleaning around the kitchen. Each cloth absorbs 20x its weight in water and does not breed bacteria like plastic sponges. Each cloth can be washed approximately 200 times and replaces 17 rolls of paper towels over its lifetime. When it gets dirty, you can simply place it in the top rack of your dishwasher to clean.
Our Swedish dishcloths are made of 70% cellulose (FSC-Certified) and 30% organic cotton (FairTrade & GOTS), making them 100% biodegradable and plastic-free. Each cloth has a unique design that is screen-printed with water-based inks in Connecticut.
Kitchen Scrub Brush
If you need something with a little more scrubbing power, look no further than this bamboo and hemp scrub brush. This little powerhouse is the perfect addition to your Zero Waste Kitchen!
You can use it on dishes, pots, pans, and even veggies. It is constructed with a bamboo handle, natural hemp bristles, and a cotton rope to hang dry. It is plastic-free so it is compostable at the end of its life.
Wood Cutting Boards
If you’re still using that scruffed-up old plastic cutting board, this swap is for you! Not only is a wood cutting board beautiful, natural, and biodegradable, but it is also healthier! Plastic cutting boards can harbor dangerous bacteria deep in any dents and scratches, but it also deposits microplastics into your food every time you cut on it.
By contrast, wood cutting boards are naturally anti-microbial and food safe, making them safer and more hygienic for food preparation than plastic.
Wood Cooking Utensils
Just like you don’t want to cut up plastic into your food, you don’t want to melt plastic into your food either! So, ditch the plastic cooking utensils and opt to cook with wood spoons and spatulas instead.
Wood utensils are heat resistant, gentle on cookware, durable, biodegradable, renewable, and naturally food-safe.
Plastic-Free Bathroom Swaps
A ton of bathroom and beauty products come in plastic containers. Making these simple swaps can significantly reduce plastic waste in your daily bathroom routine.
Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Swap your plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles for bars! Shampoo & conditioner bars are usually made from natural ingredients, are long-lasting, and come in minimal or no packaging at all.
They're a great plastic-free alternative that cleans and nourishes your hair effectively while reducing plastic waste.
Toothpaste Tablets in a Compostable Package:
Swap your traditional toothpaste tubes for plastic-free toothpaste tablets. These tablets are a great alternative that come in compostable packaging. Simply pop a tablet in your mouth, chew it, and brush your teeth as usual. It's an easy switch that reduces plastic waste while maintaining good oral hygiene. They’re also great for travel, camping, and brushing on the go.
They come in three natural flavors — peppermint, cinnamon, and strawberry — made with actual peppermint oil, cinnamon powder, and dehydrated strawberries, so they taste better than other toothpaste!
Bar Soap for Body and Face
Ditch the plastic bottles of body wash and facial cleansers by switching to bar soaps. They might seem a little old-fashioned, but we like to think of bar soap as timeless! There are plenty of options available that cater to different skin types and concerns.
Natural soap bars are made of gentle and nourishing ingredients that your skin and planet both love. They typically come in minimal paper packaging, paper wrapping, or no packaging at all.
Shave Soap Bar
Instead of using canned shaving foam or gel, opt for a shave soap bar. These bars can provide a rich and creamy lather for a smooth shave while eliminating the need for plastic packaging and sticky goo.
Pair shave soap bars with a traditional safety razor for a plastic-free and zero-waste shaving experience.
Wood Hair Comb and Beard Comb:
Replace your plastic hair comb or beard comb with wooden alternatives. Wooden combs are not only sustainable but also gentle on your hair and scalp. They help distribute natural oils, soften hair, reduce frizz, and minimize static.
Look for combs made from sustainably sourced wood for an eco-friendly choice.
Aftershave or Beard Butter in a Tin
Beard and skincare is serious business. Many beard butter and aftershave products come in plastic bottles and tins. To go plastic-free, look for beardcare products that come in glass or reusable and recyclable tins. These products tend to also be natural and better for your skin. For example, we love this cedarwood-scented aftershave balm in a tin.
Some tins can even be refilled or repurposed, reducing the need for single-use plastic containers and helping the environment.
Plastic-Free Lip Balm
Some products are so intertwined with their plastic packaging, it might seem like there is no plastic-free alternative. For example, plastic chapstick tubes! What would we do without them?
But did you know that you can get plastic-free chapstick tubes? Instead of a twist-up tube, they simply have a push-pop-style tube. They’re made of durable but biodegradable materials like kraft paper and recycled cardboard, and are just as convenient to use!
Plastic-Free Home Cleaning Swaps
Another great place to reduce plastic is in your laundry and home cleaning routine. We love these plastic-free cleaning swaps and use them to freshen our home every day.
Laundry Detergent Powder
Believe it or not, laundry is a huge source of plastics in our lives. Detergents come in plastic jugs and there are tons of microplastics snuck into laundry products and synthetic clothing sheds microplastics into the water.
Laundry detergent often comes in big plastic jugs that you hope get recycled (but in reality, they just go to the landfill). Also, many laundry soap formulas contain plastic-based thickeners and plastic coatings (yes, even most laundry pods and laundry sheets!) that break down into microplastics and get into our water systems.
Instead, our natural laundry powder is made of just four simple ingredients: washing soda, oxygen powder, coconut soap, and baking soda. It comes in a refillable glass jar, making it completely plastic-free.
Domestic Wool Dryer Balls
Have you ever wondered what dryer sheets are made of? They seem like a kind of fabric, but they are typically made of synthetic plastic fibers. They can also release harmful fragrances and other heat-activated chemicals into your home.
If you want a plastic-free alternative, Wool Dryer Balls are your answer!
Simply toss 3 or more in your dryer to gently soften clothes, reduce wrinkles, eliminate static, fluff up garments and bedding, and shorten dry times by up to 25%. They are reusable for up to 1,000 loads and should last for years. They are unscented, but for a touch of natural fragrance, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the balls.
Plus, did you know that most wool dryer balls are imported from faraway places like New Zealand? At Scrappy’s Workshop, our dryer balls are made on historic mill equipment in Maine, USA with 100% domestic, humanely raised wool.
Instant Liquid Soap
Just like laundry detergent, liquid soap comes in a plastic bottle and can contain sneaky plastic-based thickeners or gelling and foaming agents. Instead, un-plastic your routine with plastic-free instant liquid soap.
It comes in home-compostable packaging (we’ve tested it ourselves!) and is made of just one simple ingredient: coconut soap. It also saves you money because you don’t have to pay for the plastic packaging and the water weight of liquid soap.
Easy Swaps for a Plastic-Free Lifestyle
Phew! That was a lot. Good for you if you’ve made it this far!
Today, there are so many great plastic-free choices available — you just have to look for them! And luckily, at Scrappy’s Workshop, we work hard to compile all these eco-friendly swaps in one place for you. And we are always sourcing new sustainable products in search of more plastic-free solutions you’ll love.
So, we hope you’ll join us in our mission to reduce plastic waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle this July — and beyond!
We use all these products daily, so please reach out if you have any questions. And let us know about any of your plastic-free alternatives that we missed!