4 Eco-Friendly Brands With More Than Basic Packaging

For decades, the US has been sending the bulk of our recycling to China. Last year, they decided to no longer be a dumping ground for the world’s recyclable waste, essentially jamming the recycling programs in every country. This ban on plastics and mixed paper (think: junk mail, magazines and office paper) has left waste companies scrambling. Now they’re telling towns, cities, and counties that there’s no longer a market for their recycling. So where does it all end up? Landfills.

Some companies have decided to take a stand on this war on trash. From no-waste bottles to plastic free packaging and recyclable cardboard boxes, we’ve found the brands developing better solutions and better packaging for a growing throwaway culture. They have integrated sustainability into their products as a design requirement. In a bid to help the planet, we rounded up a few of our favorites.

CEO and Co-founder Sarah Paiji Yoo started Blueland with a mission to eliminate single use plastic bottles. 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean each year and these microplastics are landing back up our food and water. The company will send you a clean essentials kit with their Forever Bottles and cleaning tablets. Simply fill the bottle with water, drop in a tablet and you’ve got instant cleaning solution. No plastic, no waste.

Blueland has several different options to get started. Essential Kits with everything will run you $38 or purchase a single kit for $12. Buy refill packs for $2 each (then compost the wrapper)! If you want to switch things up for the holidays, they are currently offering scents like gingerbread, evergreen and peppermint.

Why we dig it: 

• Environmentally conscious company with a worthy purpose.
• Smart use of recyclable inserts to protect and display bottles
• Yay for eliminating plastic in landfills! Buy the bottle just once.
• All the products are formulated with non-toxic ingredients

Myro deodorant has kept out all the scary ingredients (hello aluminum, parabens, phthalates and synthetic fragrances) and created a fully recyclable and refillable pod system. The mix & match cases themselves come in a variety of colors and use 50% less plastic than traditional drugstore deodorant.

The starter kit comes to you for $10 in a smartly designed package (love that insert!). From there, refill pods are $10 each and delivered quarterly in packs of three. Just take out the used pod and pop in a new scent for happy armpits. Customers can cancel, pause or switch scents at any time.

Why we dig it: 

• Packaging designed with the planet in mind
• All 6 scents are 100% essential oils and naturally derived ingredients
• Printed insert holds everything in place
• Sleek, refillable case cuts down on plastic waste

Besides cleaning your teeth, most toothpaste has one thing in common: the plastic tube. Whitening, fluoride free, mint or bubble-gum flavor – each tube will most likely end up in a landfill. Bite toothpaste invites you to “kick the tube.” The bits were designed to fit in a small glass bottle. Pop a tablet in your mouth, bite down and brush with a wet toothbrush.  Our favorite part is the travel convenience. No more buying tiny tubes of toothpaste to fit TSA guidelines. Just bring enough bits to carry you through your time away from home.

One bottle of Bite Toothpaste Bits costs $12. Choose from Naturally Whitening Mint or Fresh Mint with Activated Charcoal. It all comes to your mailbox in a recyclable box. They also have a subscription service that sends a $30 supply of 256 tablets every four months.

Why we dig it: 

• 100% plastic-free: glass bottles, aluminum lids & fully compostable refill packets
• Practical and easy to travel with
• Tablets are all-natural, fair trade, vegan and made with organic ingredients
• Minimalistic styling allows the focus to be on the brand’s purpose

HiBAR is winning the war on plastic. There are two basic problems with typical shampoo. First, the plastic bottles themselves. Americans buy more than a billion dollars worth worth of shampoo each year. That’s a lot of plastic bottles! Second, as much as 80% of shampoo and conditioner is plain ol’ H2o. That means we’re paying to ship, store and use a product that’s mostly water. HiBar smartly removed both the water and the plastic.

So what do you get? A solid bar of shampoo or conditioner. Apply directly to your wet hair or rub in your palms and then into your hair. HiBar says it will lather up quickly from there. You can also breath easy knowing everything is made with a blend of almost entirely plant-based ingredients and essential oils . A set costs $26.50 or subscribe to receive a package every 3 months for $75.54.

Why we dig it: 

• Clever shape that perfectly fits in your hand stands alone in the shower.
• Paper and shipping packaging that are recyclable, compostable or biodegradable, including the packing tape. You’ll find no plastic here.
• Breeze through airport security with it. Just wrap up in a towel and pack along with your clothes.
• That perfectly shaped packaging. Genius.

Yes, we love all things packaging. Interested in creating something recyclable to showcase your brand? Let’s talk.