How to Go Plastic Free this July

An astonishing 12.2m tonnes of plastic waste is being thrown into our marine environment each year according to The Green Alliance, which is something that we all need to change, fast.

It’s much more than just recycling our empty shampoo and makeup bottles; we must consider whether we can avoid plastic altogether if we are really going to make a difference.

Many of us associate going plastic free with swapping plastic shopping bags to reusable tote bags or saying goodbye to multiple plastic water bottles for one water bottle, but we are usually guilty of forgetting about the plastic that consumes our beauty and sanitary products. Here are our top 3 ways to ditch the plastic this month for Plastic Free July.

Did you know that your makeup wipes probably aren’t just made of cotton?

These non-woven materials contain hidden plastics and chemicals to ensure they remain sturdy and strong while you take your makeup off each day.

You don’t need to stop using wipes all together, make a simple swap to those which are plastic free and made from certified organic cotton (which is naturally biodegradable and free from chemicals). This doesn’t mean the wipes are safe to flush but it does mean that they are better for the environment once they have eventually broken down in a landfill.

Ditch the plastic cotton buds and opt for those with FSC carboard stems. You may only use a cotton bud for a few minutes each day, but they can take years to break down and are deadly to the marine life. Scotland has already banned the manufacture and sale of plastic cotton buds in an effort to prevent plastic pollution from becoming any worse, with the rest of the UK following in 2020. So far, over 150,000 plastic cotton bud sticks were cleared from Scotland’s beaches alone by Marine Conservative Society. (Sabrina Barr, The Independent ‘Plastic cotton buds now banned in Scotland in fight against ‘global climate emergency’’, 12 October 2019). Swap to our organic cotton buds which have a biodegradable cardboard stem, Organ(y)c cotton buds are also packaged in a recyclable cardboard box so you can feel confident that you are doing your bit for the environment.

One other way to cut down on your plastic use is by swapping to natural and organic sanitary products. Organ(y)c products are made from 100% certified organic cotton which is super absorbent (organic cotton can hold up to 10 times its own weight in menstrual fluid), naturally ultra- soft, breathable and hypoallergenic, helping to reduce those unwanted intimate skin irritations. Organic cotton is also naturally biodegradable, which means it is not only kinder to your vagina but is in synergy with the environment too. The biodegradable, compostable and recyclable packaging is another reason to make the change to Organ(y)c. With cardboard applicators made from FSC recyclable cardboard, protective back sheets which derive from corn-starch and tampon applicators made from 90% sugar cane (and recyclable) you can be sure that you are cutting down on unwanted plastic all year round.