New year, new (zero waste) you

Have you made your new year’s resolutions yet? After a crazy 2020, the news spotlight moved from our climate crisis to COVID-19, the US presidential election and #BLM protests – and while these are all newsworthy events, we mustn’t forget about the planet that needs us now more than ever. With the UN reporting greenhouse gases and emissions at a record high, we need to take action, and real change starts with each of us.

From slow fashion to organic cotton period products, small changes to everyday habits can make a big impact on the environment. If you’re thinking of trying out a zero waste lifestyle but you don’t know where to start, start here! We’ve rounded up the simplest, most impactful ways to reduce waste without sacrificing comfort, style or your bank account.

Get decked out in preloved fashion

If you’ve ever impulse-bought a £10 jumper after falling in love with a new style on Instagram, you’re not alone – fast fashion, the term used to describe cheap clothing and accessories that replicate high-fashion runway trends, has become one of the world’s most profitable industries. But this comes at a significant cost to our environment as the frequent shipping, fabric waste and microplastic use has begun to take a serious toll on the health of our planet.

At &SISTERS HQ, we believe fashion should be slow, purchased for quality and functionality, and loved for years (or even decades). As part of our zero waste lifestyle, we love using shopping platforms like Vestiaire Collective to buy and sell pre-loved clothing and accessories.

Sip on coffee made using compostable pods

As many of us have spent most of 2020 working from home, we’ve also become partial to a cup of home-brewed coffee. But have you ever stopped to consider the environmental impact of your favourite cuppa? While coffee at home can save us hundreds of disposable cups a year, many coffee pods are made using plastic, so remember to check before you buy. We love Grind’s compostable coffee pods – not only are they gentler on the environment, but they bring that London coffee shop taste into your own home. Win, win!

Stock your household with reusable bags, bottles, jars and straws

While recycling is great, reusing is better. One of the best ways to jumpstart a zero waste lifestyle is to buy essentials in bulk and fill up in reusable bags, bottles and jars. If you live near a zero waste shop, even better – everything from pasta to spices and cleaning products can be bought without packaging.

And when you head to the market, be sure to bring your reusable shopping bags and reusable water bottles – we love Frank Green drink bottles for carrying our own coffee, tea, water and green juice.

Indulge in a zero waste beauty ritual

What’s more glamorous than a face full of makeup? A face full of zero waste makeup, of course. Everything from our makeup remover wipes, to our moisturiser bottles and our mascara tubes can take a toll on the environment, so remember to fill your bathroom cupboards with the planet in mind.

We love supporting local makers by buying hand-crocheted face wipes, buying makeup from brands that recycle used packaging, and buying refillable beauty products for refilling your own.

Treat yourself (and the planet) to &SISTERS period products

If you’re someone who menstruates, one of the best (and most important ways) you can help the planet is by cleaning up your period care routine. Most supermarket period products are made using plastic and other artificial fibres, which end up in landfill (or worse, our oceans) – and with the average person using 11,000 disposable period products in their lifetime, this can have a serious impact on our planet.

All of our &SISTERS period products go hand-in-hand with a zero waste lifestyle:

• 100% organic cotton pads, tampons and liners. Every last bit of our 100% organic cotton period products and packaging is compostable and biodegradable. Nothing but 100% organic cotton is used in our period products, and our eco-app applicators, wrappers and packaging is made from earth-friendly cardboard and paper. Shop our organic cotton period products here.
• Nüdie period cup. Not only is the nüdie great for heavy periods (it can hold up to three times the amount of menstrual fluid as a tampon), but it’s reusable for up to 10 years, saving you up to 2,000 disposable period products over the course of its lifetime! Shop nüdie here.

For more zero waste lifestyle tips (and a giveaway – coming soon), head over to our Instagram.