Aug 16, 2025
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My Top 5 Less Waste / Zero Waste Essentials.
Today I’m here with a list of some of my favourite less waste and zero waste swaps but before we begin with the countdown I have something important to mention. While we’re all raring to make the swap over to more sustainable items, it’s important to note that if you already own something that does the job, i.e a plastic toothbrush, don’t meaninglessly get rid of it without using it! Then, see if you can find a second life for it after it has fulfilled its purpose. Toothbrushes are great for cleaning small, fiddly objects. Now, let’s jump in!
1. Plastic Bottles / Glass Jars / Containers
We all already have these lying around, especially if you’re new to the zero waste lifestyle. I would encourage you to, instead of throwing away items and swapping over to something more ‘sustainable,’ keep everything! Without trying to sound like too much of a hoarder, I keep all my containers. Plastic bottles from used shampoos come in handy as I can take them to naked shops and refilling stations to buy soaps or other liquid items without having to buy another bottle. Glass jars are great too. I have so many that were food jars or candles, and now I use them to store oats, dried beans, nuts, cereals, cookies... the list goes on! Because of this, I can give items that would have gone to landfill a new life and purpose. Also, I very rarely run out of things because of how many 1L bottles I have filled to the brim. A zero waste option can usually begin as something you already have, that you can re-use instead of throwing away.
2. Deodorant
This was a really tricky swap to find, because my first foray into natural and zero waste deodorant’s left me stinky. I’m not sure why it was so difficult for me to find a product that worked for me, but I think different pits need different things. For a long time me and my partner were trying a lot of different, all natural, deodorants that came in various packaging until we finally found three we loved. Not all three of them work for both of us, so a bit of trial and error is expected in this search, but I’m going to share our top three in the hopes that one will be a winner for you. First up is the Lamazuma solid deodorant, which has a subtle citrus smell and comes in a small cardboard box. Second is the No Bo Smoo Bar by Primal Suds, which is similar in smell to the Lamazuma but times 10. This one has an amazing (but very strong) lemon smell. I thought this one smelt incredible, but I really like strong fragrant scents. Last but not least is the one I’m using, which is Earth Conscious’ Natural Deodorant. My current one is ‘pure unscented’ and came in a metal tin (which I will keep and try to find another use for it) but they also sell their deodorants in cardboard tubes too which can be recycled but explains why I can’t say this swap is completely zero waste.
3. Soap Sacks & Solid Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner
Maybe you’d rather get back to plain old fashion soap in the shower, or maybe like me, your 1L bottles are used more for detergent and washing up liquid instead of shower gels, shampoo and conditioner. A Soap sack is an amazing thing to have. Loofah’s, which are often found in showers across the globe, are made out of plastic and not kind on our skin. When one gets old and grotty it’s just thrown away. A lot of soap sacks are made out of natural materials which can be composted after use. I bought mine from plastic freedom and it works wonders! Now if you’re using a soap sack you need to move to solid soaps and these can be found anywhere and are usually kinder on your skin. Solid shampoos and conditioners are also a really great swap to make, as again, most are kinder and gentler on your hair (remember the app YUKA I spoke about in a previous blog post? You’ll be shocked by just how many bathroom items have poor ingredients in them.) So finish the rest of your shampoos, conditioners and shower gels (but keep the bottles to re-use!) and swap over to solid soaps. Check out this blog post from the plastic freedom website which discusses why we should be making the switch to all natural soaps.
4. Dry Shampoo
This one may seem like a random choice, but I hate washing my hair with a passion. I try to do it once a week, or twice if it’s getting really greasy, and I stopped using aerosol cans a long time ago because I always felt like I was choking underneath a cloud of spray. I knew I still wanted some form of dry shampoo, but really wasn’t sure how I would be able to find a zero waste version of it and, right now I have one that is as close to zero waste as I can get. The dry shampoo is also from plastic freedom and comes in a paper bag. I’ve linked the brunette option, but you can choose between brown, blonde and red hair. As you can see from the picture I’ve included, it is a loose powder. I had an old glass jar that used to be a candle which I’ve put the dry shampoo in along with an old plastic measuring spoon that was from a box of washing detergent. So, while the paper bag the dry shampoo initially came in was recycled (hence why it’s not perfectly zero waste) I’ve been able to save and reuse some items that would have otherwise been thrown away.
5. Flannels / fabric / fabric rounds
A pretty standard swap. My first ever blog post was about wet wipes, how bad they are for the environment and how easy it is to swap other to other options. Flannels, cloths, old clothes and other miscellaneous fabrics are a great swap for anything single use. I’ve had old fabric turned into reusable rounds and used them alongside flannels for washing my face, cleaning surfaces, wiping up spills... everything! And then, once it’s been used, it can just be chucked in the wash and used again. It’s important to try to re-purpose everything. If you can give something a second, third, fourth life, then you’re nailing it when it comes to living zero waste.
What items would be in your top 5 zero waste / less waste lists? Let me know in the comments below, by reblogging, or by dropping me a message on my page. I would love to hear from you all.
Until next time,
The Sustainable Swap.
Handmade Soap
The Art and Science of Handmade Soap: Why Going Natural is Worth It In a world where convenience often trumps quality, there’s something deeply satisfying about returning to the basics—especially when it comes to personal care. One such return to simplicity is the growing popularity of handmade soap. Far more than a mere bar for washing, handmade soap represents a thoughtful blend of artistry,…