During quarantine many of us have picked up new hobbies – baking, drawing, Tik Toking – and habits – exercising outdoors, wearing pyjamas all day, binging Netflix. For me, one thing I wanted to focus more time and energy on was learning to live more sustainably. Without having to get dressed up and go out all the time, I found myself shopping less for clothes and shoes, moving towards slow fashion. I had more time to research brands, companies, and businesses that aligned more with the world I want to live in. Living sustainably is a journey and there are many ways you can make changes in your daily life. For example, I’ve been walking to places more now, rather than taking transportation or an Uber. I’ve also been shopping at small businesses for birthday presents and Christmas gifts (start early so you can shop small!). There are a ton of resources for small changes you can make, ones that don’t cost money and others that are worth the investment. In this post, I want to focus on a small start-up that is making living sustainably easy, convenient and cost-effective. You can help save the planet one fewer plastic item at a time.

RefillDrop is a local UK business that focuses on changing the way we consume daily products, like soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, bin bags, cleaning sprays and more. They use a circular economy model – by providing products in reusable packaging that are delivered to your doorstep and collected when you’re done with them to then reuse again. They make it easy to reduce the amount of plastic you consume through everyday products, thus helping you help the planet. RefillDrop is your one stop shop for products from various sustainable businesses – Ecover, Fill, Ecoleaf, Who Gives A Crap, Faith in Nature, Scottish Fine Soaps, putting them all in one place to make it easy for you. What’s also amazing about this company is that their shipping from locally – no international shipping that basically negates any good you are doing by switching to these sustainable alternatives. As of right now, they operate in Kent, Battersea, Nine Elms, Hammersmith & Fulham, Chelsea & Kensington, Ashford,  Tenterden, and Maidstone.

So far I have used six of their products and have loved every single one of them.

Eco Panda Bamboo Toothbrush – I have always wanted to switch to an alternative to plastic toothbrush and RefillDrop made it easy. I was able to bundle in the bamboo toothbrush with the other products which made more sense for me than buying a couple and having them ship from far and wide. Made from biodegradable bamboo with medium BPA-free nylon bristles, this sustainable toothbrush is durable and environmentally friendly. Bamboo is grown sustainably without using any harsh chemicals or pesticides, the fastest growing plant on earth, and incredibly abundant.

Fill’s cleaning spray, hand soap, dish soap and laundry detergent – I really enjoy this particular brand of household products. The cleaning spray and soaps smell amazing (they come in a few different scents) and work just as well as the stuff I was buying from Tesco. The bottles are glass and when I’m done with them, I can exchange them for refills – no waste created! The non-bio laundry detergent is biodegradable, dye-free, vegan and eco-friendly with no harsh chemicals. All of Fill’s products are made by a family run business in Northamptonshire! I love being able to support small local businesses, especially ones focused on creating products that help changes our lifestyles for the better.

Who Gives A Crap’s Recycled Toilet Paper – I have seen this product advertised to me on Facebook and Instagram so I’m excited to be trying it out. They came delivered in separate rolls, not packaged together with plastic. The toilet paper is made from recycled books and office paper. It actually comes out cheaper than most big brands, like the one I was buying from Tesco. Again, a cost-effective alternative and it’s good for the planet!

Whether you’ve been itching for a change or you’re not sure where to start, RefillDrop is a great resource. Their business and products make switching to a more sustainable lifestyle easy and convenient. Basically, it works in six easy steps:

1. Place an order on www.refilldrop.com, where you pay a small deposit for the containers on all the products you ordered.
2. The products are delivered to your doorstep waste free (i.e. no stacks of cardboard boxes, ice packs or bubble-wrap).
3. You enjoy your products and place a new order once they’re running low.
4. When your new delivery arrives, we collect all your empty containers to reuse.
5. Your deposits are refunded back to your account.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for a new lower waste life!

My favourite part about the company is that they are affordable. There have been so many times when I’ve wanted to switch to more sustainable products but the cost has been a huge barrier. The fact that most of the products are the same cost or cheaper than the ones I’m using right now is a huge reason I’ve switched over. And shipping is free if you sign up for the membership – only £6 a month! For less than what I pay for Netflix or Spotify, I’m able to make serious changes in my lifestyle to live more sustainably. Seems crazy, but this company has really nailed it.

For more information, check out their website or find them on Instagram and Facebook. They’ve also recently launched a B2B offering, more info here.

Dana’s Do’s:

1. Check out RefillDrop if you want to start making changes to your lifestyle that can have a positive impact on our planet.
2. Support local small businesses.
3. Start your Christmas shopping early so you have time to support local small businesses!

This post is sponsored by RefillDrop.