Pact Organic

I first stumbled upon Pact when I was searching for organic, fair trade leggings. While I do like their leggings, I've ended up buying most from them has actually been underwear!

Pact initially only had the bare-bones basics: underwear, socks, and T-shirts. However, in the past few years they have grown their selection of goods to include a variety of dresses, bralettes, sweats, leggings, and more! I only own a few items other than undies from them, but here is a quick low down on this company:

Organic Cotton

Pact makes all their clothing from organic cotton (and some elastane). This has a huge impact on both the environment, the farmers who grow it, and you. If you need some reminders as to why, here are just a few:

• Conventionally grown cotton is a huge culprit when it comes to pesticide use, responsible for as much as 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and more than 10 percent of the world’s pesticides. And those pesticides have a bigger impact than we may realize.

• In the US alone it is estimated that pesticides unintentionally kill minimally 67 million birds annually (1992 figure).

• According to the World Health Organization there are an estimated three million cases of pesticide poisoning occur every year, resulting in an excess of 250,000 deaths.

• 7/15 of the top pesticides in the US are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as possible, likely, probable, or known human carcinogens. There's not clear, peer-reviewed studies indicating if wearing materials grown with these chemicals has a direct carcinogenic impact, but why take that risk? Especially when farmers and their families are exposed to this nasty stuff constantly!

So, from my perspective, investing in organic clothing is very important, and Pact makes it pretty easy to start building an organic wardrobe from to bottom up! Their clothes are third party certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and Organic 100 Content Standard.

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Fair Trade

The fast fashion industry is problematic in oh, so many ways. Which is why I'm happy to say everything from Pact comes Fair Trade Certified. Simple as that. 

Super Comfy

I've been wearing pact since 2016, and I can confidently tell you that their products are soft and comfy from day 1.

Durability

This is where the jury is still out for me. As I said, I've had several products for about two years, and they have been heavily used! So far, all the underwear I've purchased has held up very well. 

The one problem I've had was with the leggings. So a little disclaimer, I put my clothes (and leggings in particular) through a lot. I hike, ski, do Pilates, work, and lounge in leggings, and I don't really wear jeans.  So, that being said, the cotton they use isn't exceptionally thick for these, and I wore them so much (because they were so darn comfy!) that I've created a small hole in the crotch region. I'll patch it up easy enough, and they haven't turned see-through (as some lesser brands will), but I'm hoping they come out with some thicker leggings that I can wear in the winter and will hold up a little better to my crazy use!

Affordability

Unlike a lot of other organic brands, Pact isn't high dollar, so being ecologically and socially conscious won't wreck your wallet here! Since they only use organic cotton, so their seed is cheaper, and they don't need to pay for all those nasty chemical pesticides, and they pass those savings along to you! They also have pretty awesome sales, if you keep an eye out for them!

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Pimentel, David, et al. “Environmental and Economic Costs of Pesticide Use.” BioScience, vol. 42, no. 10, 1992, pp. 750–760. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1311994.

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This post was not sponsored, but may contain affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Patagonia

Women's Houdini Jacket

Frankly, I can't believe I haven't written about Patagonia before. They are absolutely one of my favorite, and most used, companies. Patagonia sets a high standard for itself with their mission statement:

Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

 After quite a bit of research into their company, I personally feel that Patagonia lives up to this mission.  Certainly there's always more that can be done, but for many years Patagonia has been systematically approaching different aspects of their sourcing and production processes to identify and handle as many humanitarian and environmental impacts as possible. And they are still striving to improve!

High Quality Goods

Men's Lightweight Bluffside Shirt - 60% organic cotton/40% polyester

It's hard to track down any concrete numbers about how long Patagonia's products actually last, but I don't think you'd find many people in the clothing or outdoor world who would question the quality of them. I can tell you personally that all my Patagonia gear is in great shape, though I don't think I've had much of it for over 5 years.

I'd say the evidence to the quality can be seen through both their Ironclad Guarantee and their Worn Wear site.

Their Ironclad Guarantee is as follows: "We guarantee everything we make. If you are not satisfied with one of our products at the time you receive it, or if one of our products does not perform to your satisfaction, return it to the store you bought it from or to Patagonia for a repair, replacement or refund. Damage due to wear and tear will be repaired at a reasonable charge."

Worn Wear

Patagonia created their Worn Wear site to help keep their products in use as long as possible, functioning off the idea that the single best thing we can do for the planet is keep our gear in use longer and cut down on consumption.

Here's how it works:

1. You buy something used on Worn Wear or new from Patagonia
2. You wear it, adventure in it, and get as much use out of it as you can, and always repair and care for it
3. When you stop using it, trade it in at a Patagonia store, you'll get some store credit and they will prep it to be resold on Worn Wear
4. When gear is beyond repair, responsibly recycle it

I haven't purchased anything from Patagonia since they launched Worn Wear, but I will definitely try it out the next time I have a need for something from them!

Environmental impact / sustainability

Women's Solid Kupala Top - made of  83% recycled nylon/17% spandex blend. Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.

sustainable materials

Organic Cotton: In 1996 Patagonia made the switch to using only organic cotton (GOTS certified)

Textiles: 56% of their fabrics are Bluesign® certified.

Recycled Materials: Patagonia makes extensive efforts to use recycled materials for their fabrics, including recycled cotton, down, nylon (see above), polyester, and wool.

Let's take, for example, Patagonia's slow-washed wool. For wool to not be itchy as a base-layer, it needs to be treated to remove the irritating scales that are present on every fiber. The industry standard is a chlorine treatment that can be harmful in wastewater, but Patagonia chose to avoid this and, instead, decided to use an innovative treatment employing ozone to remove scales. This process releases only water and oxygen as by-products, which helps keep waterways clean. This less impactful process takes longer than the conventional model and therefore was termed "slow-washing." Slow-washing also produces a stronger, more durable wool because the standard, aggressive chlorine treatment to descale wool also weakens the fiber. So Patagonia checked two boxes with this move: more sustainable and environmentally friendly and a higher quality product!

Some iteration of the Women's Airshield Jacket - I purchased this used for $18!

sustainable choices

Patagonia is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, 1% For The Planet, and is a certified B Corp

Patagonia is one of the few apparel companies that actually encourages repair, reuse, and re-sale of their goods. Several of my own Patagonia items are second-hand (see my jacket to the right).

Patagonia made waves when they published an article titled "Don't Buy This Jacket" on Black Friday in 2011. Why? Because they wanted to acknowledge that even their sustainably made clothing has a big impact. That's why on Black Friday in 2016, Patagonia donated 100% of sales to grassroots environmental organizations.

Guppyfriend washing bag

I have a post fully dedicated to these washing bags here, but to summarize: Patagonia knows that their synthetic apparel items, like those ever popular fleeces, shed plastic microfibers, and they're taking it seriously. While they are currently engaging in microplastic research studies to determine industry-level solutions to the problem, they encourage consumers to use these affordable washing bags to prevent plastic fibers from synthetic garments from making their way from washing machines into rivers and oceans.

“When we reduce environmental harm, we end up producing better-performing, higher-quality Patagonia garments.”

I purchased two of these bags from Patagonia, and I love them!

Education /activism

This may seem like a weird section to have, but Patagonia uses their site not just as a store, but as an educational platform about environmental issues ranging from public lands here in to US, preservation of land in Chile, stances on dams and dam removal,  coastal protection, labeling GMO products, protecting the organic label, to responsible sourcing.

They also have well laid out  Environmental and Social Initiatives, available in store and online.

labor conditions/Ethics

A clothing textile garment factory / assembly line in Bangladesh (Not one of Patagonia's). Photo by: Tareq Salahuddin

The Atlantic wrote an awesome article in 2016 detailing Patagonia's struggle to have their workers treated well all throughout their supply chain.  Patagonia is a company with a genuine desire to have a supply train free from human trafficking, forced labor, and worker exploitation, but internal audits in 2011 showed that these things did indeed exist in a significant number of their second tier suppliers (the mills which take raw materials and produce fabrics, textiles, etc).  Workers in these factories were victims of vicious, but locally legal, recruitment practices which generate cycles of fear a debt, leaving workers bound to their jobs, neither able to leave nor make a decent living.

“We’re going to dive very deeply into this issue and we’re going to break trails for the rest of the industry.”

— Doug Freeman, Patagonia’s COO

Since 2007 Patagonia has been working to handle issues in their production process. They addressed first-tier supplier first, ramping up investigations, working with NGOs to eliminate wage issues, overtime abuses, and health and safety violations. They also decreased the number of first-tier suppliers from 108 to 75, allowing them to exert control over how workers are treated.

The fact that Patagonia is working to inspect, document, and resolve labor issues deep in their supply chain puts them far above the industry standard for companies and NGOs alike. In 2013 Patagonia launched their current Supplier Workplace Code of Conduct, which was considered groundbreaking and got them an invitation to present at the White House Forum on Combating Human Trafficking in Supply Chains led by Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss their work and best practices on the issue.

So, though their not perfect, Patagonia is without question a leader in this industry when it comes to ethical labor, and is willing to dig deep to figure out exactly what goes on to produce their clothing. They also operate with an incredibly high level of ethical transparency, their Footprint Chronicles allow you to see where their mills, factories, and farms are located and what they produce. That's why they received the second highest rating in the 2017 Ethical Fashion Report, which looks at the payment of a living wage, transparency, and worker empowerment.

Animal Welfare

Men's Organic Cotton T-Shirt - Fair Trade Certified™ sewing. Uses no toxic pesticides and saves 27 gallons of water compared to a conventional cotton T-shirt.

Animal welfare is another area where Patagonia holds themselves to an incredibly high standard. You may have heard the controversy between Patagonia and an animal welfare organization called Four Paws when the group called out Patagonia for their inhumane treatment of birds used to make their down filled products. In response to this Patagonia, true to form, conducted an internal investigation to determine exactly what was going on in their facilities. In response, they launched their 100% Traceable Down Standard (pdf) in 2013, which requires third-party auditing of the entire supply chain. These self-imposed regulations require that an independent auditor makes sure no birds are live-plucked or force-fed through every step of the supply chain via periodic audits and other requirements (pdf).

Since 2015, Patagonia has come under fire from PETA several times for their treatment of sheep that their wool is sourced from.  The ranch PETA filmed at and was using as an attack was one that Patagonia had already cut ties with. Patagonia has always been excessively transparent with their sourcing and in July 2016 they rolled their new Patagonia Wool Standard (pdf) that lays out strict criteria for animal treatment, land use, and sustainability for wool products. Outside wrote a solid article questioning why PETA keeps taking aim at Patagonia. 

I feel as though in this area Patagonia is in infallible, they've definitely made some mistakes. But, they have made incredibly extensive and thorough efforts to correct any wrongdoings, prevent repetition of inhumane practices, and create/maintain high transparency of their sourcing with their customers.  I think its easy to attack this brand because they are so vocal about how they value animal welfare, social responsibility, and sustainability.  There's nothing wrong with expecting excellence, but I personally feel that PETA's time is better spent elsewhere.

Why have I heard it called Pata-gucci?

Because people are silly. Sure, Patagonia isn't low dollar, but I own plenty of Patagonia gear and I have only ever paid full price for one item, technically three if you include my washing bags. Everything else I got at 25-70% off through sales or purchasing used. And the income of a seasonal biologist is not large, let me tell you! So don't give-in to comparing this incredibly forward thinking company to a fast fashion icon of excess.

Overall

Patagonia sets high standards for itself by pushing for sustainability and ethics across the board. I hope in the future to see more excellent standards set with regards to water and carbon targets, and maybe more ways to recycle different materials. I also eagerly await the day when new clothing is not sent in plastic bags (even if they're recyclable) and hope they continue to work to eliminate plastic waste in their supply chain. Patagonia is a company that I certainly lend my support to, and they definitely get my stamp of approval.

bio-bean

This is an amazing example of ecological economics! 

Bio-bean had the brilliant idea of taking something that we already produce at an incredible rate - used coffee beans - and turned them into something useful!

coffee recycling

The general Gist

Bio-bean works directly with waste management companies to collect waste coffee grounds from independent cafés to major coffee chains;  from universities to property groups and instant coffee factories.

They've worked out a deal where their WM partners handle all of the coffee waste collection for them (brilliant negotiating, I think), and provide everything required for a businesses or group to begin collection such as caddies, bins, refuse sacks, vehicles and the collection service.

Why this works

Buisnesses can sign up for this both out of conscience and practicality. Recycling used coffee can reduce waste disposal costs. By removing the heavy, wet coffee grounds from their general waste, companies can send less to the dump, avoid penalties for contaminated dry mixed recycling, or require less trips, which can reduce their overall waste disposal cost!

Environmental Benefits

According to bio-bean (I haven't backed this up w/ a third party) thier life cycle assessment indicates that sending waste coffee grounds to bio-bean produces 60% less CO2 emissions than sending them to landfill.

bio-bean is currently working with Shell to create a carbon-neutral, advanced biofuel from waste coffee grounds, such as biomass-pellets, bio-diesel, and biochemicals; with the purpose of displacing fossil fuels.

Now that all sounds hunky-dory, but as a biologist I'm always incredibly skeptical wherever big oil is involved.  From what I can tell, the founders had a brilliant idea and were able to capitalize fully on it! Hopefully Shell is doing more good than harm with it's involvement.

unfortunately...

Unfortunately these are only currently available to purchase in the UK. I would love to see this concept expanded, though! I would definitley burn one of these in my future fire place!

ThredUP

ThredUP caught my attention when I heard them advertised on a few of my favorite podcasts (hey Myths and Legends!)

And the timing could not have been more perfect. I had just brought a load of my clothes to a local Plato's Closet. I brought a different load to goodwill, but these were items that I felt were actually worth some money. I wasn't expecting to get a lot, but I was expecting to get SOMETHING. However after a 2 hour wait, they informed me that they could not accept any of my items (even though quite a few of them were brand name items) because all of my clothes were older than 18 months. 

My first thought was "Ya.... Of course my clothes are older than 18 months! That's why I brought them in..."

I realized that some of these consignment shops, like Plato's Closet, are actually fueling fast fashion by demanding clothing be of a certain age. Needless to say, I was rather frustrated.

So when I heard of ThredUP I was super excited, and I've had nothing but excellent experiences with them so far!

How it works

1. You decide you want to sell your clothes (but because you bought high quality clothing that lasts a long time, your clothes are older than 18 months, so some thrift stores don't accept them!)
2. You order a closet cleanout bag (recyclable) from thredUP, fill it with your unwanted items, and send it back.
3. thredUP sifts through your unwanted clothes, takes the best of the best, and recycles the rest
4. Items that are not selected are passed onto their textile recycling partners and upcycled
5. You receive your payout! You can either use it to shop on thredUP, donate it to their cause partners, cash out with PayPal (fees apply), or cash out with a thredUP Visa Prepaid Card (no fees)

“We have high quality standards and typically accept less than 40% of the clothing we receive. Items that are still in great shape but don’t meet the thredUP standards are sold to third party sellers. Items that are no longer in wearable condition are passed onto our textile recycling partners and upcycled. The proceeds we recoup through this process help us cover some (but not all) of the shipping and labor costs incurred for the unaccepted items we receive.”

— thredup

Environmental Impact

Fast fashion has become an environmental disaster. From 1980 to 2014 Americans more than quadrupled the amount of clothing we were sending to landfills (EPA). And many modern textiles are made of plastic, which can pollute our oceans both in the form of macro and micro plastics. I'm currently working on an extensive fast fashion post, but it's such a crazy topic it's been taking me a while.

According to their annual report, in 2016, thredUP collectively saved:

• 128 Million lbs of CO2 = 8,111 households’ yearly electricity use
• 14 Million items UPcycled = 140 Nordstrom department stores
• 10 Billion gallons of water = 15,784 Olympic-size swimming pools

“The average american throws away 70 lbs of clothing annually,
IF ALL OF THAT CLOTHING WERE REUSED OR RECYCLED,
it would save 6 million items from ending up in landfill per year.”

My Experience

thredUP Accepted 23 of my items, here's how it panned out:

Earned Upfront $45.43

Total Consignment Earnings $6.00

Shipping & Handling Fee -$4.99 

Net Earned $46.44

I also got to watch my items get sold. And that felt good. I enjoyed seeing clothes that I wasn't using get bought and used by people who wanted them!

I also then had some extra money to spend on a few new items. I chose to spend my money on thredUP simply because I knew I would be able to find some high quality items that I wanted. I bought two Patagonia shirts, one of which I'm absolutely obsessed with! And both were made at least partially with organic cotton. 

Also, my order came completely plastic free! The envelope my clothes were in was cardboard (no lining), the tags were made of paper and string, and the tissue paper was adorable (I used it to wrap a baby shower gift)! 

update (March 2018)

So recently one of my best friends started a new office job, and didn't have a very extensive office wardrobe.  She also HATES shopping. She's really quite fashionable, but going to malls really stresses her, and she doesn't experience quite the same rush as I do from finding something awesome buried under a pile of junk in a Goodwill. 

She knew I had ordered from and sold to thredUP and was interested in doing one of their Goody Boxes, where someone would pick out clothes that matched her style and needs, and send them directly to her. Even as she was doing it she was feeling a bit skeptical. But I got an excited text from her the day she got her box, saying what an amazing job they had done matching her style.  I even ended up buying one of the dresses from her! I'll do a more extensive post on her box later, but for now, know that it was absolutely a win for her!  

References

1. Environmental Protection Agency. “Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2014 Tables and Figures .” Epa.gov, Dec. 2016, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-11/documents/2014_smm_tablesfigures_508.pdf.

2. thredUP. “2017 Fashion Resale Market and Trend Report.” ThredUP, 2017, www.thredup.com/resale/full.

GUPPYFRIEND Washing Bag

the problem

Plastic pollution is globally pervasive, and is poisoning some of our most precious ecosystems. While plastic bottles, bags, and other forms of single use plastic play a huge role in plastic pollution, your clothes can also be a part of the problem. Synthetic textiles, like acrylic, nylon, & polyester, shed millions of plastic fibers while in the wash. They make their way from the washing machine into waste water, rivers, and oceans. These fibers are incredibly small, and sometimes aren't even visible, and due to their size sewerage treatment plants are not designed to effectively filter them.

Once in our oceans, these fibers are consumed by organisms low on the food chain. A 2015 study found plastic fibers in fish and shellfish being sold for human consumption. And another study found that microfibers could be responsible for 85% of shoreline pollution worldwide.

So what can you do?

What to do

There are several ways to reduce your microfiber waste.  The best thing you can do is purchase clothes made from natural materials like cotton, wool, hemp, and linen; wash your clothes less often, and use cooler water in the wash.

But even us all-natural folks own synthetic fibers. Much of my specialized outdoor gear is made out of synthetic materials, like my ski gear, running clothes, and leggings. While you want to reduce the amount you wash these, you eventually need to do so.

So seeing this problem, a group of surfers and nature lovers came together to try and forge a solution, and the idea of a washing bag was conceived amongst friends, over a couple of beers.

The GUPPFRIEND washing bag prevents microfibers originating from washing machines from entering into rivers and oceans. It's the only one of its kind on the market today. They also claim that the soft surface of the bag (and it is indeed very soft) actually results in less fiber loss, and could potentially extend a garments lifetime. 

I use two GUPPYBAGS to wash all of my synthetic athletic clothes in one load. 

How to Use

1. Separate your colors / fabrics for the wash as normal.
2. Place your synthetic textiles into the GUPPYFRIEND (max half full)
3. Close the GUPPYFRIEND and wash as usual
4. Take out wet textiles after washing
5. Remove the released microfibers from hems inside of GUPPYFRIEND and dispose properly

Note: For synthetic clothes that need to be hand washed, hand wash without the bag, but use bag to filter wastewater 

Care

• Preferably, use liquid detergents
• Remove coarse dirt and animal hair before washing

How Not to Use

• Do not place your GUPPYFRIEND in the dryer
• Do not rinse under running water (this defeats the purpose) 
• Do not iron (the crumpled surface is not a problem)
• Do not dry in the sun

Soooo... this bag is made out of plastic....

Yes, it is. GUPPYFRIEND Washing Bags are made out of 100% nylon, which can ultimately be recycled. You can either recycle it with groups of identical materials (PA 6.6) if programs are available near you, or you can return it to the makers and they will make new GUPPYFRIENDs from it.

Return address:
STOP! MICRO WASTE
Ackerstraße 113
40233 Düsseldorf
Germany

This is just a start

Even the creators of the GUPPYFRIEND understand that this is only a first step towards a handling our microfiber pollution. Real, long term solutions like reducing our overconsumption, creating new materials, new manufacturing techniques, clean washing machines, and more effective sewage treatment plants need to be prioritized.

Unfortunately, these long term solutions will most likely not happen overnight. Until then, GUPPYFRIEND has provided us with a practical and effective way to reduce your input of plastic pollution into our rivers and oceans.

I want one!

That was my reaction when I first heard about them! 

You can purchase them directly for 29,75 € here.

Or you can buy them through Patagonia for $20 (who sells them at cost) here.

I purchased mine at our local Denver Patagonia store, and though they are a little pricy, I'd say it's well worth it for the environmental benefit.

Some of my microfiber waste (and some dog hair...)

References

1. Hartline, N. L., Bruce, N. J., Karba, S. N., Ruff, E. O., Sonar, S. U., & Holden, P. A. (2016). Microfiber masses recovered from conventional machine washing of new or aged garments. Environmental science & technology, 50(21), 11532-11538.

2. Pirc, U., Vidmar, M., Mozer, A., & Kržan, A. (2016). Emissions of microplastic fibers from microfiber fleece during domestic washing. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(21), 22206-22211.

3. Rochman, C. M., Tahir, A., Williams, S. L., Baxa, D. V., Lam, R., Miller, J. T., ... & Teh, S. J. (2015). Anthropogenic debris in seafood: Plastic debris and fibers from textiles in fish and bivalves sold for human consumption. Scientific reports, 5.

4. Browne, M. A., Crump, P., Niven, S. J., Teuten, E., Tonkin, A., Galloway, T., & Thompson, R. (2011). Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines woldwide: sources and sinks. Environmental science & technology, 45(21), 9175-9179.

Mountain Dog Products

We've been using the same ratty, hand-me-down leash for the past three years for our dog, Piper. But it's finally run it's course. We're keeping it in the car as a spare just in case, but I wanted to find a dog leash made from recycled materials.

Enter, Mountain Dog.  I was looking for a company that at least made ropes out of recycled material, but Mountain Dog actually up-cycles old climbing ropes!  This means that after a climbing rope has served its initial purpose of keeping climbers safe, it is cut and transformed into a leash! This is fantastic for several reasons:

1. This keeps the climbing ropes out of landfills
2. Since climbing ropes are made to withstand very high tension, they will never snap or break on your dog
3. All Mountain Dog leashes are assembled by hand in the U.S.A. by sweatshop-free labor
4.  The company claims that their leash will last at least 6.7 times longer than any other leash in the world.
5. If you find this not to be true or aren't satisfied with your leash they have a lifetime guarantee: No questions. No conditions. No time limit.

For more on how to have a zero waste dog check out this post!

Klean Kanteen

I've been a fan of Klean Kanteen for a long time now. But my love has definitely grown for them since I've been working to align my values with the zero waste philosophy.

When I think of what I want in a company, this is the mental checklist I rundown:

1. Creates a high quality products
2. Operates with a high level of ethics socially and environmentally
3. Reduces or eliminates waste wherever possible.
4. Gives back to communities and/or to the planet in some capacity

Klean Kanteen not only meets, but exceeds these standards. Which is why they are easily one of my favorite companies. 

Remember when stainless steel water bottles weren't a thing? I do. And so does Klean Kanteen®. They took a revolutionary step in 2004 towards ending single-use plastic by creating the first stainless steel, BPA-free, reusable water bottle. Obviously many have followed suit, but they've continued to be trend setters, make high quality products, and operating with the same determination to eliminate waste that got them started. This is why I love them.

Trend setters, you say?

Damn straight. Part of why I love Klean Kanteen is that they aren't sitting at the sidelines watching what other's put out and copy-catting. They're coming up with products that I don't see anywhere else. Here's a few of my favorite examples:

1. The Straws

If you're reading this you've probably heard of stainless steel straws, many zero wasters have and use them. But have you (or a friend) ever thought "Gee, this is great, but it's just not the right texture, I wish it could be both soft and reusable!"

This was the first complaint I got when I tried to introduce stainless steel straws into the lives of my  friends. And Klean Kanteen® is the only brand (that I know of) that has stainless steel straws with silicon tops. They are also the right width both for normal liquid drinks and smoothies! 

Also the cleaning brush that comes with the straw is plastic free! 

2. The Tumblers

I'm OBSESSED with these tumblers. When I first wrote this post in 2017, pretty much no one else had tumblers like these. Other brands have come out with similar items since, but as far as I can tell Klean Kanteen was one of, if not the, first to produce these types of products!

The 8 oz size is absolutely perfect for: small cup of coffee, espresso drinks, whisky drinks by the fire, all the good things in life. I gave out four of these as stocking stuffers last Christmas!

The 16 oz size : cup of coffee or tea, smoothies (it has a different cap to accommodate the straw), and as a pint glass for that happy hour beer (or campfire beer)! Yes, this cup takes you seamlessly from morning till night!

3. The plastic free water bottle

In 2010 Klean Kanteen launched a line of completely plastic free water bottles, and they have expanded to growlers and pint glasses as well! Their Reflect line products are made from just three materials: stainless steel, sustainably harvested bamboo, & food-grade silicone. No paint. No plastic. No toxins. Everything I want in a product. 

Insulated Reflect 20oz water bottle

social and environmental accountability

Certified B Corporation -  Collectively, B Corps lead a growing global movement of people using business as a force for good. Honestly, Klean Kanteen® describes it best: "B Corp certification is to sustainable business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk." B Corp holds companies to the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. The whole idea driving this is an aspiration to use the power of economic markets to solve social and environmental problems.

1% For The Planet - $1 for every $100 purchased. It's as simple as that. To date, that's $1.5 million from Klean Kanteen® directly to environmental organizations dedicated to preserving and restoring wild places.

Green Packaging & Shipping - Klean Kanteen® uses packaging, boxes, and all other shipping products made from recycled post-consumer waste or from materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. They also offset the carbon emissions and oil used by their shipping via their Green Shipping Program. They use a portion of shipping costs to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), energy created from renewable sources like wind and solar and carbon offsets (from projects that capture and absorb carbon) equal to their use.

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This post was not sponsored by Klean Kanteen, but I have received some Klean Kanteen products for free. I've paid for many more. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kooshoo

Organic Cotton, Plastic-Free Hair Ties

I'm really can't explain how excited I am that Kooshoo exists. I was getting frustrated with how many hair ties I was using, how short they lasted, and just how disposable they were.  And even though I think some of the other zero waste options are awesome (like hair pins and headbands) I still definitely need hair ties in my life. I was verging on the point of trying to make my own when I came across Kooshoo. They make the only ethically made, biodegradable hair ties on the market. Here's why they're awesome:

Made with natural materials

No synthetics, no pesticide-heavy cottons. 75% Organic Cotton, 25% Natural Rubber.

Made in the USA

Los Angeles, specifically. The company designs and samples out of Canada.  The actual production (weaving, dying, cutting, sewing and distribution) happens in L.A. No fuel intensive overseas shipping, no outsourcing. 

Renewable production methods

Kooshoo hand dyes their products in a solar powered dye house. They pack and ship products in 100% recycled(able) and/or biodegradable packaging.

Ethical operation 

Kooshoo works with small Los Angeles based businesses and donate product and profit to charity.

High Quality Product

They claim their hair ties will last significantly longer than any other on the market, about a year (as long as you don't lose it!). I am interested to see if this holds true, and will update if I can manage to not loose a hair tie in that amount of time

Great, whats the price point?

Ok, I'll level with you. Since these are made in the US with all natural materials they are significantly more expensive than your average hair tie. I ordered this pack for 18.95 off of Amazon. That means each one costs about $3.79. While this is way more than you're normal hair tie, if the product lasts as long as it should, I think it will be totally worth it. 

update 6/2018

Ok, so just a few days ago I lost the last of my pack of kooshoo hair ties. So the whole pack lasted my boyfriend and I one year. 

So a few things. If it was just me using this pack, it probably would have lasted at least 6 months longer. My partner has long hair and uses hair ties, but seems to have a pre-disposition to misplacing them. My theory is that since he didn't grow up with long hair he didn't learn the critical skill-set of placing hair ties in memorable locations. 

I will also say, though the Kooshoo hair ties did stretch out, I wouldn't say they stretched out any faster, or slower than standard, plastic ones. But, because the rubber inside held up way better than normal hair ties, they never snapped, but stretched big enough to fall off of my wrist, which is how I inevitable lost a few.

So after a year with our pack of Kooshoo hair ties, I would absolutely still recommend them, especially if your less comfortable with other zero waste alternatives, like picking hair ties up off the street. 

Kishu Charcoal

I had been going a little crazy recently with our tap water. Though we have safe water, I can taste the chlorine in it, and really wanted to filter it! But I was not about to buy any package-heavy disposable filter system.

Then I found Kishu Charcoal! 

This plastic-free water filter is an awesome alternative to the big brand filters uses the same ingredient, activated charcoal. They just pull it off without the plastic cartridges (shouldn't we have come up with this a long time ago?)

You just drop Kishu into your water, and it removes toxins while also adding nutrients. Win, win!

It's effective on most toxins within one hour, and completes its work in 24.  I can personally detect a significant taste difference in my water 12-24 hours after putting Kishu charcoal in it, and it is yummy!

I've used both their Regular and To-Go sizes, next is the XL for a pitcher in the fridge!

 

Are you really sure about this?

Yes. To all my similarly skeptical friends, don't worry, Kishu actually has science to backup their claims:

"This pure form of carbon readily adsorbs or bonds with toxins, principally metals, at the molecular level. Kishu Charcoal has been found to be effective at reducing: LEAD, MERCURY, COPPER, ALUMINUM, URANIUM, and MOLYBDENUM to name a handful of those we tested. In addition, Kishu Charcoal imparts three minerals: Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium."

- James R. Self, Ph.D. | Colorado State University | Soil, Water, Plant Testing Lab

Oh and did I mention that their packaging is 100% biodegradable? 

The Honest Kitchen

I've been feeding Piper, my zero waste pup, food from The Honest Kitchen for about 1 year, and it is absolutely my favorite brand of dog food now!

As far as zero waste and sustainability go, they're on top.

1. They use minimal processing for their food - its just dehydrated
2. Most of their ingredients are sourced in the US.  
3. Their packaging is 100% recyclable! The cardboard box is printed on 100% post-consumer paper and the plastic bag inside is plastic #7, so recyclable (you need to check with your curbside program to see if it's accepted).

And as far as taking care of my dog, I'd also say their at the top of the pack.

1. Piper is a picky eater, getting her to eat kibble was always a challenge. But she LOVES their food and gobbles it all right up!
2. It's 100% human grade. If I can eat it, she can eat it.
3. It's nutritious and minimally processed. The dehydration process helps keep in nutrients, and flavor!
4. All of their health claims seem to have held true for my pooch:
   • High energy levels - she was already about as high on the spectrum as you can get
   • Healthy body weight - check! 
   • Silkier skin and coat - Yes! Piper has always had a nice coat (we treat her to eggs pretty often) but the last time we were at the vet she couldn't stop talking about it! I think we have to throw some credit HK's way
   • Better digestion - I don't really know if it's better or not, but her poops look good to me! I have have noticed that her breath is much nicer when she's on this food!

They are also a charitable business. 

• They work with Donation Match to "lend a paw" to animal-focused organizations
• Over Labor Day in 2017 they donated 100% of their profits to Hurricane Harvey Victims in Houston.

Ok, so I know you're going to go look at Honest Kitchen's prices and immediately think "WTF!?" Yes, this was my initial reaction as well. We did have her on Merrick before the switch. 

However, I'll make the reach that if you're reading this you may already buy higher-end kibble for your pooch. In which case the price is higher, but still pretty comparable.

Piper weights about 45 lbs and eats about 2 cups per day (pre-hydration).  I have a recurring order (saves 5%) of two 10 lbs boxes coming every month of their Revel recipe, and I occasionally skip the recurring order because she goes through about 1.5 boxes a month. 

If price is really a deal breaker, I would recommend maybe trying out 50% HK and 50% cheaper kibble. We did this for a few months in the beginning before fully switching over! Also, all the brand's I'm including in this comparison are one's I would still feel ok feeding my own pooch!

Price Per Lbs Comparison

Based on comparable, chicken based mixes from each company

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Price Per Month Comparison

Price calculated assuming dog consuming 30 lbs / month and based on comparable, chicken based mixes from each company

The Ingredients

A huge part of the reason I love honest kitchen is because of the high quality ingredients they use, and the transparency of where they source them from. You're paying for better food, not just a better name.  

The Honest Kitchen - 58.79 / 20 lbs (hydrated)

Revel whole grain chicken dog food

Ingredients : Free-range chicken, organic barley, potatoes, organic flax, organic oats, green peas, carrots, bananas, parsley, organic kelp, celery, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, EPA/DHA, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate.

Grandma Lucy's - $72.19 / 20 lbs (hydrated)

Artisan Grain-Free Chicken Freeze-Dried Dog Food

Ingredients: Chicken, Potatoes, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Monoitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cyanocobalamin.

Merrick - $56.83 / 25 lbs

Grain-Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food

Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Peas, Natural Flavor, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Salmon Meal (source of Omega 3 fatty acids), Flaxseed Oil, Apples, Blueberries, Organic Alfalfa, Salmon Oil, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate), Choline Chloride, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract.

Solid Gold - $56.99 / 28.5 lbs

Star Chaser Chicken & Brown Rice with Vegetables Adult Dry Dog Food 

Ingredients : Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Ocean Fish Meal, Dried Eggs, Pea Fiber, Natural Flavors, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Salt, DL-Methionine, Salmon Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Carrots, Pumpkin, Parsley, Apples, Cranberries, Blueberries, Lettuce, Celery, Beets, Watercress, Spinach, Dried Chicory Root, Broccoli, Spearmint, Almond Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Sesame Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Thyme, Lentils, Choline Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Reuteri Fermentation Product

Buffalo Blue - $45.99/ 30 lbs

Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace (source of Lycopene), Peas, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Natural Flavor, Potatoes, Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Potato Starch, Dried Chicory Root, DL-Methionine, Caramel, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Garlic, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Oil of Rosemary, LLysine, Parsley, Kelp, Blueberries, Cranberries, Apples, Spinach, Blackberries, Pomegranate, Pumpkin, Barley Grass, Turmeric, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Copper Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Taurine, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, L-Carnitine, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Beta Carotene, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite.

Little Seed Farm

I found out about Little Seed Farm from my cousin who got me some products from them as a Christmas gift a few years ago. After using their soaps, I now consider them a great addition to any zero waste bathroom.

They haven't been around a very long time (started in 2012), and in 2014 they received a $25,000 West Elm Small Business Grant.  Since then it appears business has been going well, and they've stuck to the core principle that they started with: sustainability.

- As of 2015 they run 100% on solar power.

- They package and ship their products with recyclable or reusable materials.

- Their goats are raised humanely. They are 100% grassed and raised using intensive rotational grazing on 84 acres of pasture lands.

- Their soaps are nontoxic and use only essential oils and herbs for fragrance

- And, zero waste of all, they implement strict recycling policies for all excess cardboard, paper, plastic, and metal on their farm

Their Geranium Rose Bar, currently calling my shower home.

OSMIA

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I found out about Osmia when my mom gave me two of their products as an eco-friendly zero waste  Christmas gift! She's a nurse and the founder is a physician, so that's how she found it. My mom chose a himalayan body buff and rosemary body mousse, both of which I absolutely LOVE!

The products came in small reusable glass jars, and their labels are made from rock and resin and are 100% biodegradable!  The gift set my mom gave me also came in a small reusable burlap bag. 

So not all of Osmia's products are zero-waste friendly. Many of the lotions and liquid soaps come in pump bottles with plastic tops.  However they do make a variety of solid soaps and jared goods that I would say are acceptable for a zero-waste lifestyle. And if you are thinking of not going head first into zero waste, but still want to explore more environmentally conscious options, Osmia is great place to look.

I also like Osmia because I consider them to be a truly non-toxic company. You can pronounce all of their ingredients and they have a list of never-ever ingredients that won't ever be in any of their products. They include:

• Parabens
• Ethoxylated ingredients
• Phthalates
• Synthetic color
• Sulfates
• Synthetic fragrance
• Petrochemicals

So while Osmia isn't a perfect zero-waste company, they are nontoxic, environmentally conscious and have zero waste options available, which is why they made my list of Company Spotlights.

LUSH

Those of you who read this blog make a lot of DIY body products. However, I know that not everyone enjoys or has the time to make these. So, if it's not something you feel up to, Lush has your back.

I've used Lush body products for a while, though I've phased out of it since I've started making my own products.  However, since dying my hair I haven't had success with any of my new shampoo recipes. So while those are still in the works I went back to Lush for some shampoo bars

Even though I don't use them like I used to, I would consider Lush to be an awesome example of a zero-waste friendly company!

Many of their products can be purchased without any packaging like their: bath bombs, bubble bars, shampoo bars, deodorants, and too many more to list.  They even have reusable tins you can buy to take your product home in, and come back with when you're ready for another one!

Even their products that come packaged are zero waste friendly, and here's why:

1. All of Lush's plastic "pots" are made with 100% post consumer recycled plastic (plastic #5)
2. Every part of a Lush plastic package is recyclable (even the tops!)
3. Not only are their pots recyclable, but they'll personally take them back.  Their "5 pot program" will give you a free face mask for every 5 pots you bring in for recycling!
4. The paper bags they use in store if you didn't bring a reusable one are made from 100% recycled paper and are recyclable themselves

If you don't have a store near you, you can order online and they will wrap your online order with minimal, recyclable packaging!

Gifting:

Lush is an awesome resource for zero waste gift giving! I've given my mom Lush products several years in a row for Mother's Day and she is so into it, and my cousin loves their bath bombs too much for words!

Luckily, Lush supports zero waste yet again but supplying "knot-wraps" which are basically adorable bandanas to wrap your gift in.  You can re-use them for more gift wrapping, scarf, headband, etc. They even have a DIY on making it into a drawstring bag!

Makeup:

Since going zero waste, I've been nervous about what to do about makeup. I'm still going through what I had already (I previously used bare minerals).  I've stopped using foundation and just using coconut oil as a moisturizer.  I rarely wear makeup during the day, and It's not necessary for my work.  However, even I like throwing on some eyeliner and lipstick for a concert or evening out.

Again, I haven't run out yet but I am definitely intimidated by making my own.  With makeup color and texture are so important, and while I'm ok homemaking deodorant, toothpaste, and shaving cream, none of those are entirely dependent on exact proportions or color matching.  And I don't really feel like going through the awkwardness of my tween years with non-matching foundation.

However, I feel that Lush may be my saving grace here.  They have a line of eye makeup, lipstick, and light bases all in reusable and recyclable packaging.  I'll keep this post updated as I start experimenting with their makeup line.

Pela Case

Many companies claim to be eco-friendly, but Pela takes it to the next level. 

Electronics have become a necessity in our every day lives, and electronic waste goes hand in hand with using these devices.  It's probably not possible or practical for you to just get rid of your electronics and go off the grid, but you can make smarter choices about your electronic accessories.

Meet the eco-friendly company Pela Case: they use flax as their base material instead of plastic to create what they call "flaxtic."

Pela meets every standard I have for a zero waste product:

• Nontoxic
• BPA, lead, cadmium, and phthalates free
• 100% compostable (industrial and backyard) which I will eventually test in my own compost pile!
• Low-impact manufacturing
• Plastic-free and recyclable packaging
• They work!

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Pela is a charitable company, they are a member of 1% for the Planet, and they donate $3 to a charity for every phone bought with your referral link (here's mine, if you wish).

Since getting my Pela case I have dropped my phone countless times, and it has totally stood up, especially since most of my home is wood and tile (I do have a glass screen protector)!  I also love the style and texture of the case. It's so soft and even if you get a colored one (mine is lavender) it still has this earthy look to it from the flax.

So, why should you care?

In 2016 Apple announced that they had sold their billionth iPhone. And they've only sold more since then.  

In 2014 Business Insider conducted an informal survey of iPhone users and found that 86% of those surveyed used an iPhone case. 

Since that was just a survey and not a study, lets be conservative and say that only 75% of iPhone users have a case.  This would mean that as of July 2016 iPhone users have purchased more than 750,000,000 cases since 2007. And that's just assuming 1 case / iPhone, which is often not the case (hah!).

I'm not going to take a guess at how much plastic that is, but with the cases themselves and the plastic packaging on top of that, lets say it's probably significant.

So I'm not saying you need to get a new case right this second, but when you upgrade your iPhone, or decide the one you have is beat, consider buying from Pela.  

You know you will eventually have to get rid of your case, so get one that can actually break down and return to the earth, instead of one that will last for potentially thousands of years, just because you needed it for 2.

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My original Pela Case, for my iPhone 5

update 5/2018

Since I've been using my Pela case over a year I figured it's time for an update! My Pela case has continued to serve me very well! My phone, though I've completely put it through the ringer (hah!) is still operable, I haven't needed to order a new screen protector, though I drop my phone constantly, and my Pela case is holding up! 

Since I bought from them in early 2017 it looks like Pela has seriously grown! They now offer cases for Androids and have been making cool special release cases with thinks like "save the waves" and turtles on them! This company really just gets me!

I'm hopefully going to upgrade soon from my iPhone 5 to a used iPhone 6ish (totally going for one of Pela's turtle cases if they're still available) and when I do so I'll try to actually compost my Pela case to see how long it takes to fully break down! 

So as of now, my recommendation stands!

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update 9/1/18

So my iPhone 5 finally died on me. To be honest, I went swimming with it, so this one's on me, not on Pela. My phone was on its way out anyway, and I was preparing to replace it soon.

I ordered a used iPhone 6 off of Gazelle, which also meant I got to order a new Pela case! I'd been eyeing their turtle cases for a while now, and wanted to be able to protect my new phone.  And I have to say, the quality of their cases has increased dramatically since I ordered my iPhone 5 case back in 2017. It fits my phone better, is more snug, and the material is thicker so I think it provides even better protection now! And their cases continue to be shipped in a compostable package, completely plastic free!

We will see how my new case holds up, but I have high hopes for it!

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References

http://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/07/apple-celebrates-one-billion-iphones.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-case-survey-2014-7