The Best Plastic-Free Products: Kitchen
Zero waste is all about repurposing what you have, buying secondhand, or going without. When it comes to kitchen supplies, it can sometimes be difficult to do these things (let’s be honest, you’re not going to buy a secondhand sponge). Oftentimes, we need to buy new items, and the best option is to look for sustainable products.
Below we have compiled a list of our favorite and top picks for eco-friendly kitchen supplies. As always, use what you have first before buying anything new. If you have a package of plastic sponges under the sink that hasn’t been opened, use all of them first before purchasing a sustainable replacement.
top 12 picks | kitchen
1. Wood Dish Brush
why we love it: We love that this dish brush is plastic-free, and has a replaceable head so when the bristles have run their course, you can remove the top and just replace the head. The hook on the bottom is a great addition so it can be hung to dry. We also love that the bristles are made from agave fiber (that is grown, harvested, and sun-dried using traditional techniques), and the handle is made from sustainably grown wood and metal. It is designed to last.
disposal: Compost head and handle. Recycle metal hardware.
cost: $9.50
2. Castile Dish Soap
why we love it: This dish soap is a MADE SAFE® Certified product. To use this plastic-free, non-toxic soap, you simply wet a sponge or dish brush and rub it across the dish soap. It lathers easily, rinses well, and lasts months! It’s made in the USA, palm-oil free, and not tested on animals. Additionally, Meliora is a woman-owned, B Corp Certified company.
disposal: Paper wrapper is recyclable.
cost: $10
3. Bamboo Pot Scraper
why we love it: The bamboo pot scraper is one kitchen item we cannot live without. It is incredible at cleaning stuck-on messes. (You will ditch your green and yellow plastic scrubber sponge forever). We use it on pots, pans, plates, casserole dishes, baking sheets, and more. It doesn’t get funky like the scrubber side of sponges and does a MUCH better job.
disposal: It lasts a long time, and can be composted at the end of its life.
cost: $14.25/pack of 5
4. Sponge Cloth
why we love them: Swedish dishcloths (aka sponge cloths) replace the use of up to 17 rolls of paper towels, reduce plastic packaging, and overall waste in landfills. They can be washed in the top rack of your dishwasher or the washing machine. They’re anti-bacterial and don’t have that nasty 'dishcloth' smell. Plus, they usually last 2-3 months if used multiple times daily, but can last up to 12 months per cloth or 200 wash cycles. Our favorite sponge clothes are by Ten & Co. They come in super cute patterns and they even make awesome x-large Swedish dish cloths which are perfect for big spills or for under drying dishes!
disposal: They’re made of cellulose (wood pulp) and cotton so they are 100% biodegradable and can be composted at the end of their life.
cost: $6 per cloth
5. Compostable Sponges
why we love it: Toss out your smelly green and yellow plastic sponges (did you know they contain triclosan? It’s an antibacterial and an antifungal agent that is known to be a suspected carcinogenic and an endocrine disruptor) and replace them with non-toxic biodegradable/compostable dish sponges! They’re made from wood pulp, they’re totally plastic-free and perfect for everyday use. Each sponge can last up to 6 months. And be sure to toss it in your dishwasher once a week to keep it clean.
disposal: Compostable
cost: $5.99/set of 2
6. Upcycled Cloth Napkin
why we love it: If you don’t have scrap fabric lying around to make your own napkins, these are a close sustainable second. They are soft, light napkins made from upcycled 100% cotton fabric. Normally we would be all about organic cotton or a renewable resource like hemp or linen but by using these upcycled napkins, you are diverting textile waste from ending up in the landfill. This is the perfect set for meals at home or stash in our bag for eating on-the-go.
disposal: Turn them into rags for household cleaning before composting or recycle them through your local textile waste location.
cost: $30/set of 4
7. Bag Drying Rack
why we love it: This nifty drying rack is great for air drying water bottles, silicone snack bags, and bees wax wraps. We even have a few plastic ziplock bags that we have in constant rotation that we wash, dry (on here), and reuse.
disposal: It’s made of beechwood and can be composted at the end of its life.
cost: $29.99
8. Dish Towel
why we love it: Native Organic makes wonderful, durable, attractive organic cotton products, and these tea towels don’t disappoint. They are constructed from long staple U.S organic cotton grown on family farms, grown and finished chemically free. These towels are a generous size at 19” x 29”.
disposal: Turn into rags for household cleaning before composting or recycle through your local textile waste location.
cost: $28/set of 2
9. Bottle Brush
why we love it: Bottle Cleaning Brushes are a must-have to clean the never-ending pile of water (or baby) bottles. A bamboo handle provides an easy grip while sturdy coconut fiber bristles provide all the scrubbing power. Completely plant-based bristles and handle, the hook-shape gets into the bottom of hard-to-reach bottles. It’s also great for washing jars, vases, and any other hard-to-clean glassware.
disposal: Compost at the end of its life.
cost: $8.99
10. Attitude Dishwasher Tablets
why we love it: ATTITUDE’s Dishwasher Tablets are phosphate-free and worry-free — meaning they only use hypoallergenic ingredients that are safe for you and the environment. Their products are certified vegan — meaning no animal-derived ingredients. (They are members of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program.) Additionally, they are ECOLOGO Certified, and work to avoid environmental contamination at every step: from sourcing raw materials to producing our packaging.
disposal: Cardboard box can be recycled.
cost: $11.95/box of 26 pouches
11. Bamboo Charcoal Water Filter Sticks
why we love it: Bamboo charcoal helps naturally remove impurities and improve the taste of your tap water! Say goodbye to plastic water bottles and filters and switch to this eco-friendly alternative. Skinny-sized pieces are perfect for small mouth containers while the regular pieces fit into wide mouth bottles or carafes.
disposal: Toss your used charcoal into the compost, garden, or potted plants to reduce trash and add vital nutrients to the soil.
cost: $18
12. Stainless Steel Compost Bin
why we love it: This countertop compost bin is perfect for diverting organic food waste from the landfill. (Did you know that composting helps reduce roughly 50% of landfill waste.) It comes with a charcoal filter to absorb odors. They recommend replacing it every 6 months, but we don’t use one and we’ve found that doesn’t smell without it. It’s light so you can transfer your scraps to your outdoor compost bin with ease and hand wash in between uses. It not only looks good, but is it very durable as well.
disposal: This Stainless Steel Compost Bin comes in a cardboard box that can be recycled or repurposed. The can itself can be recycled at the end of its life. However, it will likely outlive all of us.
cost: $24
