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Plastic-Free Toiletries
Toothpaste
Bite is one of the inventors of plastic-free toothpaste tablets, and they're still one of the best. (Trust me, I've tried them all.) They're tablets are compact (great if you look at even those tiny details for packing light, like I do), foamy but not too foamy, and they make both fluoride and fluoride-free versions.
I love Canary's very foamy toothpaste tablets, which come in surprisingly great flavors like watermelon and coconut mint.
They also make foaming hand soap refills, which I've tested and found work perfectly well in other brands' dispensers.
Duo is the only toothpaste that also gives you your vitamins! A great multitasker for travel. (They pass all my other tests, too – plastic-free, vegan, SLS-free, etc. Their formulas do not have fluoride, so I still recommend Bite for that.)
I love Duo's Immunity and Sleep formulas. Lots of thick foam, compared with most other toothpaste tablet brands, and great subtle flavors.
Excellent, simple, affordable toothpaste tablets, with or without fluoride. They come in a compostable bag with a zipper, and have a delicious slightly vanilla-y mint flavor!
(UnPaste reformulated in 2025, so these are much better than they used to be!)
A fantastic plastic-free toothpaste for people who don't like the tablet concept, this toothpaste contains bamboo salt, an ancient Korean ingredient that’s a natural antibacterial, and contains minerals that are good for your teeth. Intensely flavored with natural peppermint, salt and pine. I also love their silk dental floss!
Other Basics
Bite started out as "just" my favorite brand for plastic-free toothpaste tablets, but now they also make my favorite refillable deodorant, great bar soaps, plastic-free teeth whiteners, and a lot more.
Hoopsy is more than 99% accurate (just like the standard brands) and 99% made out of paper. A brilliant alternative to home pregnancy tests that drowning in plastic packaging!
High-quality toiletry basics that are entirely plastic-free and refillable – from shampoos to dental care.
I’ve tried most of their products, and my favorites are their refillable floss, and refillable hand sanitizer, both of which I've used for years and always come back to, despite testing lots of other brands.
This Canadian company makes dozens of plastic-free skincare products, including sunscreen, makeup and skincare, all in cardboard tubes, plus other personal care products.
(Not everything they make is plastic-free, but they do have a lot of great options that are hard to find elsewhere. I'm currently testing a couple dozen of their products. Review coming soon!)
Plastic-free, bamboo bandages that are compostable – unlike regular Band-Aids, which are made of petroleum.
I've used these for a couple of years and they WORK. They stay on well, and get the job done. Plus, PATCH is a small company and certified B Corp.
Refillable Skincare
All of the brands below use top-quality, vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, and have made it through many rounds of testing.
Unique, clinical-quality skincare in glass bottles that are actually refillable – reducing CO2 emissions by 99% and plastic waste by 75%. Activist makes several formulas of each product for different skin types, so check out my review for details!
You can test the entire line on your skin with their trial kit, then use the refillable minis for travel, as I do.
Rebrand makes the simplest skincare routine I've found – 5 products total (including a lip balm and a face oil), with double-sized refills in aluminum packaging at a significant discount.
If you're looking for a simple, refillable cleanser–serum–moisturizer routine, Rebrand is where I'd recommend starting. I've asked several friends to try these products – everyone likes them!
This small, woman-owned brand makes THE MOST SUSTAINABLE skincare I've ever found – with refillable metal containers and refills in paper. Plus, with zero liquids, they're uniquely ideal for travel.
Their solid Vitamin C serum is the cornerstone of my daily routine, and their powdered face wash is also fantastic.
This Utah-based, woman-owned brand might seen a bit fluffy at first glance (lots of mermaid puns) but after a lot of testing, they're the real deal. You can order any liquid formula WITHOUT a pump top, and reuse the one you have!
And they have the most variety of any sustainable skincare brand I've tested.
I personally love their ECLIPSE Sunscreen and Coconut Charcoal Face Wash Bar.
I've been experimenting with facials (including expensive Hydrafacials), and so far Skin Laundry is the one that's impressed me the most after ONE treatment. My pores and acne have disappeared, the line between my eyebrows is way softer, and my skin looks and feels smooth and fresh.
TWO people at my gym even asked if I was wearing (I'm normally not) the day after my first treatment.
These aren't just relaxing, cucumbers-on-your-eyes facials – they're clinical treatments performed by RNs (registered nurses who know their stuff). Skin Laundry has locations around the US that run promotions to get your 1st facial for $75, but this referral price is the best I've seen!
Reusable Items
I've tested a lot of plastic-free razors, and the Leaf is the only one that won me over. The pivoting-head design means it feels a lot like using a cartridge razor – but without the plastic. (And it costs much less in the long run! The recyclable steel refill blades are just a few cents each.)
This plastic-reducing travel hack is much more than an "as seen on Shark Tank" gimmick: This is the bottle I use to purify my own tap water everywhere I go. (I used it in Mexico for two weeks and in El Salvador – no problems, and I didn't buy any plastic water bottles!)
Better Toilet Paper
Did you know most toilet paper is made with trees cut down from natural forests? (And packaged in plastic.) What a waste! Here are two much better options, both of which I’ve tested:
Reel uses bamboo to make really great toilet paper with 100% plastic-free packaging, and no dyes, perfumes or other irritants.
Bamboo is much softer than recycled paper, and much more sustainable than cutting down trees for TP and paper towels.
They call it, "Toilet paper that builds toilets," because of the investments this company makes in sanitation in developing countries, but it's also "toilet paper that saves forests."
Who Gives A Crap makes both bamboo and recycled paper TP options. Recycled is the most sustainable, but either is far better than the forest paper we buy at the store.
Better Shampoo
Want more? I’ve reviewed many other shampoo bars!
Unique shampoo and conditioner bars made with rice water – a natural ingredient that's been used in Asia for centuries to increase shine, promote growth and strengthen hair.
Plus they smell great and are particularly beautiful – great for gifting!
Are you addicted to top-shelf shampoo and don't see how a bar could possibly do your hair justice? Well that's pretty much Dip's mission.
They're a brand that I'm pretty excited about, and I have to say – after a few uses, I think their bars make my hair shinier and bouncier than any other. I also love the beautiful, subtle, expensive-smelling scents. Highly worth a try!
If you're not a fan of shampoo bars, but still want to cut out the plastic, this is the answer: Travel-friendly, concentrated shampoo, conditioner & body wash.
All of their products come in recyclable aluminum tubes or tins, and last waaaay longer than you'd expect by looking at them.
If you’ve tried other shampoo bars and never liked them, TRY THESE BEFORE GIVING UP! The Earthling Co. has won over more of my friends than any other bars I've made them try.
They lather easily, smell great (with lots of scents), and nothing makes my hair look better.
A small company in Pennsylvania that makes more hair, skin, body, and face care products that I've seen from any other small eco brand!
Bug balm? Got it.
Face oil, lip butter, deodorant, candles? Got 'em all.
Shampoo bars? Got 10 kinds!
Soap bars? Dozens of scents!
Everything is hand-made and vegan, and their packaging is minimal and thoughtfully sourced. (Either paper, glass, or recycled plastic that's also recyclable.)
Review coming soon.
Plastic-Free Makeup
100% plastic-free make-up and skincare serums made by a Latina-owned small company in Oregon. The only makeup I actually use every day.
I love the multi-use "Balmies" (think of them as crayons) for eyeshadow and highlighter. Their Tinted Dew sticks are my favorite for lips and cheeks – color and hydration! The Shape Stick is great for a bit of contouring.
A small, family business making sustainable, vegan beauty products in durable (and pretty!) cardboard packaging. You can order sample sizes – plastic-free, of course – to get the right shade before committing. I love their blush and lip colors, as an alternative to Axiology.
A full line of vegan, cruelty free makeup, with lots of refillable options!
While most brands with such strong sustainability credentials have smaller lines, Elate makes just about everything you could need: Eco-friendly tools (like makeup brushes), refillable makeup palettes (beautifully made out of bamboo), lip, cheek and eye colors, as well as foundation.
Sustainable Vitamins
This small UK company is the only one I've found that can send me the specific vitamins I want, sustainably produced, in glass bottles with refills packaged in compostable packets. They're fantastic.
(They deliver to the US quickly, with no shipping charge for subscriptions. Refills come in a package the size of an envelope.)
I’ve spent a long time looking for vitamins that don’t come in plastic, and when it comes to multivitamins, this small Colorado company is in a very small group of winners. NO MORE PLASTIC VITAMIN BOTTLES! Their multivitamins are formulated for a vegan diet, and they launched a kids' version in 2023.
Discount: Save 50% on your first month with the code KETTI50
This Australian company makes lots of high-quality formulas of vegan-friendly vitamins – from collagen, to Omega-3, to essential multis for kids and adults (including gummies).
Most come in glass bottles, and every time I check back on their website, they've added more in compostable packets. (Meaning less waste & lower shipping weight, AKA lower CO2 emissions.)
Sustainable Clothing Brands
These are just a couple of favorites that I have discount codes for – check out my sustainable clothing brand guide for many more, plus what makes them better. (So you know what to look for!)
Unbound Merino makes my favorite packable travel clothes. They don't wrinkle at all (one of the virtues of good quality merino wool), and they stay un-smelly for days and even weeks between washes.
Plus, their designs are elegant and stylish (no logos), and easy to mix in with your wardrobe.
Knix is one of many brands I've reviewed that makes comfortable, washable period underwear – designed to absorb your flow, replacing panty-liners and even tampons. They also make cute, comfortable wireless bras and loungewear, and have the widest selection of patterns and colors I've found.
Hands-down, the best sustainable underwear brand I've tried (and I've tried a lot). The quality of their garments is outstanding – you can tell by the thickness of the fabric, and the way their seams are neatly sewn and lie flat. Plus, they're soft, comfortable and use entirely organic cotton.
Food & Wine
One of my favorites of the many organic Napa Valley wineries I've visited, Clif Family Winery is true to it's name – a small, family-owned winery with outstanding sustainability practices. (Including being certified organic, bee-friendly, and a certified B Corp.)
Misfits Market lets you order mostly organic groceries – that would otherwise go to waste – at a discount.
How it works: 1.) You sign up for 100% customizable, weekly deliveries of everything you’d find in a normal grocery story.
2.) They send you good food with superficial “flaws” that often cause it to be thrown away at the store.
3.) You spend less on groceries, while keeping food out of landfills.
Organic pastas made the old-fashioned way, but in New York state. Less shipping emissions, creative shapes, and authentic texture that passes my husband's strict Italian taste-testing. Great in our family pasta recipes!
Organic coffee delivery with 100% plastic-free packaging. Beans are sourced from women-owned coffee farms (a rarity!) with purchasing practices that go beyond Fair Trade.
Kitchen & Pets
These are my eco-responsible replacement for plastic garbage bags and ZipLocks. While compostable bags won't break down in a landfill, plant-based alternatives reduce demand for petroleum-based plastic, so they're still a worthwhile swap!
Finally – refillable candles. Non-toxic, vegan, no petroleum based ingredients, really easy to make, and in compostable packaging. Plus they're made by a mother-daughter team in Canada.
What more could you want for a cozy, guilt-free gift (for yourself or someone else)?
Dogs don’t actually need to eat chicken and beef, but think about this: If US pets were their own country, they'd be the world's 5th largest meat consumer. That's a lot of avoidable CO2 emissions.
Chippin makes dog food and treats with 80% fewer resources than normal brands. Plus, they're plastic-neutral and have carbon-neutral shipping through offsets.
Do you live somewhere (like an apartment) where composting isn't really feasible? This countertop composter is a super easy way to eliminate food waste (turning it into healthy soil for a garden or potted plants) and prevents the climate impact of food decomposing in landfills.
Cleaning Products
Dropps are fantastic for low-waste laundry, dishwasher and fabric softener pods. Their detergents come in multiple scents and lots of varieties, all in plastic-free packaging.
Blueland makes dehydrated products in tablet form – just add water! They started with cleaning products – think, instead of buying another plastic bottle of Windex, you open a paper packet and drop a tablet into a spray bottle full of water. (Truly zero-waste perfection.)
And now now they also make excellent, sustainable body wash and face wash. Their innovations save me money, time, and mountains of plastic waste.
Concentrated laundry sheets are a great solution for travel – but they're not all the same. Earth Breeze uses few ingredients and gives more to charity than other brands I've tested. (They also cost half as much.)
Best Amazon Alternatives
Independent Online Bookstores
Order both new and used books from a Certified B Corp. Better World Books helps to keep books out of landfills, while funding education and literacy programs around the world.
Bookshop is a Certified B Corp that gives at least 10% of every purchase to indie book stores. It's the best of both worlds – keep local shops in business, and have the convenience of ordering online when we need it.
(Tilted Map has a Bookshop storefront where you can shop my recommended travel, food and sustainability books. Or order anything else you want – supporting indie bookshops and this indie blog!)
You can also do a quick search for books on Bookshop below, or check out book my recommendations for books on food, sustainability & climate solutions, and travel.
Marketplaces (Multi-brand Shops)
For any kind of sustainable products – toiletries, yoga pants, tech, you name it – this Colorado-based start-up is my favorite shop. They have the best selection, and the best sustainability credentials compared with other online stores for sustainable products.
Novica is a great source for artisan-made, Fair Trade items – perfect for browsing sustainable and ethically sourced gift ideas.
(They have everything: Jewelry, home decor, scarves, art, seasonal decorations, natural beauty products, all made by artisans around the world.)
Language Learning Resources
Pimsleur is a premium language learning program and app that teaches by repetition. (Instead of trying to spell and write, you'll learn to listen and speak – the skills you'll actually need for travel.)
I've used Pimsleur for multiple languages so trust me – it's the best way to get started, short of just moving to a foreign country! Trying it free for 7 days is enough to pick up a few words, and recognize a bit of what people are saying when you land.
Learn a language by watching local TV shows! This is such a unique concept – you can watch real TV series and movies made in the language you're learning. (I used it to watch Brazilian shows before spending a month in Brazil.)
It gives you lots of useful features, including the ability to slow down the speed or pause any time and click any word in the subtitle for an explanation.
If Duolingo gamefies language learning, Liñgöpie story-ifies it.
For more travel-related deals and products, check out my Travel Resources Page!
