We are two friends living on opposite coasts (Brooklyn, New York and Santa Monica, California) that share a passion for living a minimal, zero waste lifestyle and on a mission to help others do the same.
Harper. Lives in Brooklyn with a +1. Sassy pup. Matcha. Wine. Whiskey. Cheese. Proscuitto.
Charley. Lives in Los Angeles with a +1. Doofy pup. Coffee. Wine. Whiskey. Cheese. Pasta.
IT’S A MIXED BUY. We love Clean People’s Sink & Bath Scrub is made from natural ingredients, no bleaches, phthalates, ammonia, dyes, etc. We felt comfortable using this even without gloves on! We liked the citrus-y scent and appreciate that the product is vegan and cruelty free. The price point is in range with other scrubs on the market. Our biggest concern is that lack of larger refill options, and that it comes in cardboard and plastic one-time use packaging (when it could be refillable!).
IT IS DEFINITELY A BUY. We love Caraway’s 4.5qt Sauté Pan so much —that it has become our most-reached-for pan, even when we just need to fry 1 egg 😂. Others in the family (my husband, my mother when she stayed with us for a weekend) have commented on how beautiful it is. It is very non-stick (food slides right off!) and so very easy to clean. Most of all, we love that we don’t need to worry about PFOA or PFAS with this pan, and looking to slowly replace our existing cookware with Caraway! BUY BUY BUY!
MOSTLY A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Scrubber Sponge— no plastic in packaging, 100% plastic free and made without glues or adhesives (it is hand-sewn with cotton thread instead). We love the two sides — loofah on one side for scrubbing, and 100% FSC certified cellulose on the other side for softer washing. The fact that its hand-sewn makes it more durable than other scrubber sponges we have used in the past — and we really like the light blue color, it’s way more aesthetically pleasing than many other sponges. Only complaint is that it is quite a bit more expensive than even other eco-friendly scrubber sponge options, but if we’re doing an order from Blueland, we’re happy to throw it in with our order.
IT’S A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Cloud Cloth— no plastic in packaging, made of 100% FSC-certified cotton fibers and cellulose, water-based and VOC free inks, and bleach-free. These cloths are VERY absorbent, reusable (can replace as many as 1,500 paper towel sheets!) and machine-washable. We also like the bold blue colors!
MOSTLY A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Pop-up Sponge— no plastic in packaging, 100% plastic free and made of FSC-certified plant cellulose. It’s also certified by EPA Safer Choice and Leaping Bunny. We do love that it arrives super flat and compact (1/5th the size of a regular sponge) and ‘pops up’ when you add water. We’ve used it for 3 weeks now and that sponge has stayed remarkably fresh — we haven’t even had to throw it in the dishwasher yet — and we really like the light blue color, it’s way more aesthetically pleasing than many other sponges. Only complaint is that it is quite a bit more expensive than even other eco-friendly sponge options, but if we’re doing an order from Blueland, we’re happy to throw it in with our order.
We purchased Stack Man’s 100% Compostable 7 inch Bagasse Plate for everyday grilling and entertaining, and it’s the perfect size for appetizers, tapas style meals or dessert! We love that the plates are made of bagasse (by product of sugar cane production) and bamboo, and appreciate that they are very sturdy and thick plates. However, when we compared against other options, including other compostable bagasse options, it was one of the most expensive — and we’re not seeing anything particularly special here to warrant the higher price. We will try other brands and report back!
It’s a BUY for more special occasions. Overall we had a positive experience with SUGARFIBER’s 10 inch compostable paper plates, they are very heavy duty (no leaks or plates breaking down) and appear very ‘premium’, especially with the interesting floral border design. We love that the plates uses no artificial coating, petroleum, wax, chlorine or bleach. However, we may use these in more special occasions where we really want the design, as there are other compostable options that are less pricy.
Overall, MAYBE buy. The small garbage bags are good if used for composting — they are also cheaper than the composting competition. HoldOn uses much better materials that consume less energy, which is great. Additionally, we expect the trash bags to compost, even in landfill conditions. The kitchen zipseal storage bags are great to use - especially for marinating when tight on time (which is often). We like that you can toss them in the compost when you are done with them rather than the trash and that they compost in weeks. More expensive than typical plastic zip bags, but cheaper than the alternative composting one. The trade-off for all of the products is worth it if you can afford it.
NOT a haul we recommend. The recycled loofah was a highlight, but unfortunately not enough for the whole haul. We liked using almost everything in this haul (zero waste dish soap, natural sponges, laundry sheets, laundry sheet), but we were confused at the hand soap sheets. Moreover, many items were on the pricey side - the biggest reason for our overall no recommendation
MAYBE buy. We liked Who Gives A Crap Bamboo Paper Towels enough to give it a green light: bamboo paper is more sustainable than tree-based paper towels, the cost is reasonable, and the paper doesn’t shred in our hands. It’s not going to be as luxurious-feeling as normal paper towels, which is fine, but we tend to use reusable Swedish dishcloths like Redecker or DII. For those must-one-time-use paper, WGAC is good option.
It’s a buy! While the Full Circle Cleanya Colada scrubber sponge is a bit pricier than the walnut sponge, we like that the scrubber side is heavier duty and it looks great even if we leave it out on our counters! Not to mention that it’s made of cellulose, coconut husk and recycled plastic!
Kuchenprofi Dish Washing Brush is a zero waste alternative to the typical plastic dish washers. Love it.
NOT a buy. The Seventh Generation Zero Complete Bundle for home cleaning includes the hand washing powder, toilet bowl cleaner powder, laundry tablets, dishwasher tablets, kitchen cleaner powder and bathroom cleaner powder. For a lower price, the whole home bundle omits the hand washing powder, which we like.
The ingredients are non-toxic and the canisters are made of steel — the world’s most recycblable material. However, as an example, with dishwasher powder, we prefer Seventh Gen’s old school powder in a cardboard box, which is already pretty zero waste.
While we were excited to try bamboo paper towels, we can’t recommend The Cheeky Panda’s kitchen rolls. They are too pricey for a product that is significantly worse — we will stick with our reusable swedish dishcloths and recycled paper towels for now.
We like Grove’s mission of being a b-corporation and its curation of eco-friendly, zero-waste and natural brands —we are going to use it like our online convenience store.
Based on the money report, the fact that Grove Collaborative is a b-corp, we feel comfortable suggesting the VIP membership if recurring items are in your basket. Otherwise, there is no necessary commitment to support your favorite green brands by purchasing through Grove Collaborative — you would just need to hit the threshold for free shipping; otherwise shipping is $4.99.
Pubic Goods has incredibly clean packaging and an admirable mission of making sustainable and earth friendly products available on one site. Unfortunately, we barely break even when considering the cost of membership against the products we tried and would actually continue to order.
Imagine if paper towels and sponges had a baby — a biodegradable, zero-waste one... it would be these Swedish Dishcloths! We ESPECIALLY love these from Redecker (even more than other swedish dishcloths we’ve used in the past) for the design and the incredible price. Buy these, and buy many.
Redecker’s 100% recyclable, durable double-layer copper cloths are gentle on most surfaces and tough on stains, stuck-on food, and rust. Great for bathrooms, kitchens, automobiles, silverware and more. And they last forever. We especially like that they are a bit softer to hold than pure copper scrubbers, and the form factor allows you to use like a cloth (for smaller crevices) and fold it up and use like a sponge.
We love Silpat! Not only is it eco-friendly (and wallet friendly) over time, but the mat also helps you be a better and healthier baker!
After trying Public Good’s Walnut Sponge , we wanted to try Full Circle’s Walnut Scrubber Sponge as well — they appear to be very similar products, though Public Good’s version of the walnut sponge is a tad thicker than Full Circle’s Walnut Scrubber Sponge. Similar to our review of Public Good’s Walnut Sponge, we like that Full Circle’s walnut scrubber sponge is ‘cleaner’ than normal plastic sponges, but disappointed that it is still wrapped in plastic and not fully biodegradeable. Still a buy from us!
We think Public Goods Tree Free paper towels made from sugarcane and bamboo is not really a buy. The upgrade over recycled paper towels is that they don’t shred— but you still get the poke through.
We are fans of zero-waste brand, Cleancult’s lemongrass bar soap!
We really liked Public Goods Walnut Scrubber sponge. The catch is, no sponge is really that green.
We love DuJardin’s zero waste, green French style block soap. No residue, scent-free, and extremely affordable compared to any liquid soap.
Given how much waste paper towels can generate, we tried to curb our usage for them by picking up zero-waste DII Swedish Dishcloths
The Laundress is best known for the lovely laundry products, however, we tried the zero waste kitchen hand soap.
IT’S A MIXED BUY. We love Clean People’s Sink & Bath Scrub is made from natural ingredients, no bleaches, phthalates, ammonia, dyes, etc. We felt comfortable using this even without gloves on! We liked the citrus-y scent and appreciate that the product is vegan and cruelty free. The price point is in range with other scrubs on the market. Our biggest concern is that lack of larger refill options, and that it comes in cardboard and plastic one-time use packaging (when it could be refillable!).
IT IS DEFINITELY A BUY. We love Caraway’s 4.5qt Sauté Pan so much —that it has become our most-reached-for pan, even when we just need to fry 1 egg 😂. Others in the family (my husband, my mother when she stayed with us for a weekend) have commented on how beautiful it is. It is very non-stick (food slides right off!) and so very easy to clean. Most of all, we love that we don’t need to worry about PFOA or PFAS with this pan, and looking to slowly replace our existing cookware with Caraway! BUY BUY BUY!
MOSTLY A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Scrubber Sponge— no plastic in packaging, 100% plastic free and made without glues or adhesives (it is hand-sewn with cotton thread instead). We love the two sides — loofah on one side for scrubbing, and 100% FSC certified cellulose on the other side for softer washing. The fact that its hand-sewn makes it more durable than other scrubber sponges we have used in the past — and we really like the light blue color, it’s way more aesthetically pleasing than many other sponges. Only complaint is that it is quite a bit more expensive than even other eco-friendly scrubber sponge options, but if we’re doing an order from Blueland, we’re happy to throw it in with our order.
IT’S A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Cloud Cloth— no plastic in packaging, made of 100% FSC-certified cotton fibers and cellulose, water-based and VOC free inks, and bleach-free. These cloths are VERY absorbent, reusable (can replace as many as 1,500 paper towel sheets!) and machine-washable. We also like the bold blue colors!
MOSTLY A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Pop-up Sponge— no plastic in packaging, 100% plastic free and made of FSC-certified plant cellulose. It’s also certified by EPA Safer Choice and Leaping Bunny. We do love that it arrives super flat and compact (1/5th the size of a regular sponge) and ‘pops up’ when you add water. We’ve used it for 3 weeks now and that sponge has stayed remarkably fresh — we haven’t even had to throw it in the dishwasher yet — and we really like the light blue color, it’s way more aesthetically pleasing than many other sponges. Only complaint is that it is quite a bit more expensive than even other eco-friendly sponge options, but if we’re doing an order from Blueland, we’re happy to throw it in with our order.
We purchased Stack Man’s 100% Compostable 7 inch Bagasse Plate for everyday grilling and entertaining, and it’s the perfect size for appetizers, tapas style meals or dessert! We love that the plates are made of bagasse (by product of sugar cane production) and bamboo, and appreciate that they are very sturdy and thick plates. However, when we compared against other options, including other compostable bagasse options, it was one of the most expensive — and we’re not seeing anything particularly special here to warrant the higher price. We will try other brands and report back!
It’s a BUY for more special occasions. Overall we had a positive experience with SUGARFIBER’s 10 inch compostable paper plates, they are very heavy duty (no leaks or plates breaking down) and appear very ‘premium’, especially with the interesting floral border design. We love that the plates uses no artificial coating, petroleum, wax, chlorine or bleach. However, we may use these in more special occasions where we really want the design, as there are other compostable options that are less pricy.
Overall, MAYBE buy. The small garbage bags are good if used for composting — they are also cheaper than the composting competition. HoldOn uses much better materials that consume less energy, which is great. Additionally, we expect the trash bags to compost, even in landfill conditions. The kitchen zipseal storage bags are great to use - especially for marinating when tight on time (which is often). We like that you can toss them in the compost when you are done with them rather than the trash and that they compost in weeks. More expensive than typical plastic zip bags, but cheaper than the alternative composting one. The trade-off for all of the products is worth it if you can afford it.
NOT a haul we recommend. The recycled loofah was a highlight, but unfortunately not enough for the whole haul. We liked using almost everything in this haul (zero waste dish soap, natural sponges, laundry sheets, laundry sheet), but we were confused at the hand soap sheets. Moreover, many items were on the pricey side - the biggest reason for our overall no recommendation
MAYBE buy. We liked Who Gives A Crap Bamboo Paper Towels enough to give it a green light: bamboo paper is more sustainable than tree-based paper towels, the cost is reasonable, and the paper doesn’t shred in our hands. It’s not going to be as luxurious-feeling as normal paper towels, which is fine, but we tend to use reusable Swedish dishcloths like Redecker or DII. For those must-one-time-use paper, WGAC is good option.
IT’S A MIXED BUY. We love Clean People’s Sink & Bath Scrub is made from natural ingredients, no bleaches, phthalates, ammonia, dyes, etc. We felt comfortable using this even without gloves on! We liked the citrus-y scent and appreciate that the product is vegan and cruelty free. The price point is in range with other scrubs on the market. Our biggest concern is that lack of larger refill options, and that it comes in cardboard and plastic one-time use packaging (when it could be refillable!).
IT IS DEFINITELY A BUY. We love Caraway’s 4.5qt Sauté Pan so much —that it has become our most-reached-for pan, even when we just need to fry 1 egg 😂. Others in the family (my husband, my mother when she stayed with us for a weekend) have commented on how beautiful it is. It is very non-stick (food slides right off!) and so very easy to clean. Most of all, we love that we don’t need to worry about PFOA or PFAS with this pan, and looking to slowly replace our existing cookware with Caraway! BUY BUY BUY!
MOSTLY A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Scrubber Sponge— no plastic in packaging, 100% plastic free and made without glues or adhesives (it is hand-sewn with cotton thread instead). We love the two sides — loofah on one side for scrubbing, and 100% FSC certified cellulose on the other side for softer washing. The fact that its hand-sewn makes it more durable than other scrubber sponges we have used in the past — and we really like the light blue color, it’s way more aesthetically pleasing than many other sponges. Only complaint is that it is quite a bit more expensive than even other eco-friendly scrubber sponge options, but if we’re doing an order from Blueland, we’re happy to throw it in with our order.
IT’S A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Cloud Cloth— no plastic in packaging, made of 100% FSC-certified cotton fibers and cellulose, water-based and VOC free inks, and bleach-free. These cloths are VERY absorbent, reusable (can replace as many as 1,500 paper towel sheets!) and machine-washable. We also like the bold blue colors!
MOSTLY A BUY. We love Blueland’s commitment to zero plastic and it stays consistent with their Pop-up Sponge— no plastic in packaging, 100% plastic free and made of FSC-certified plant cellulose. It’s also certified by EPA Safer Choice and Leaping Bunny. We do love that it arrives super flat and compact (1/5th the size of a regular sponge) and ‘pops up’ when you add water. We’ve used it for 3 weeks now and that sponge has stayed remarkably fresh — we haven’t even had to throw it in the dishwasher yet — and we really like the light blue color, it’s way more aesthetically pleasing than many other sponges. Only complaint is that it is quite a bit more expensive than even other eco-friendly sponge options, but if we’re doing an order from Blueland, we’re happy to throw it in with our order.
We purchased Stack Man’s 100% Compostable 7 inch Bagasse Plate for everyday grilling and entertaining, and it’s the perfect size for appetizers, tapas style meals or dessert! We love that the plates are made of bagasse (by product of sugar cane production) and bamboo, and appreciate that they are very sturdy and thick plates. However, when we compared against other options, including other compostable bagasse options, it was one of the most expensive — and we’re not seeing anything particularly special here to warrant the higher price. We will try other brands and report back!
It’s a BUY for more special occasions. Overall we had a positive experience with SUGARFIBER’s 10 inch compostable paper plates, they are very heavy duty (no leaks or plates breaking down) and appear very ‘premium’, especially with the interesting floral border design. We love that the plates uses no artificial coating, petroleum, wax, chlorine or bleach. However, we may use these in more special occasions where we really want the design, as there are other compostable options that are less pricy.
Overall, MAYBE buy. The small garbage bags are good if used for composting — they are also cheaper than the composting competition. HoldOn uses much better materials that consume less energy, which is great. Additionally, we expect the trash bags to compost, even in landfill conditions. The kitchen zipseal storage bags are great to use - especially for marinating when tight on time (which is often). We like that you can toss them in the compost when you are done with them rather than the trash and that they compost in weeks. More expensive than typical plastic zip bags, but cheaper than the alternative composting one. The trade-off for all of the products is worth it if you can afford it.
NOT a haul we recommend. The recycled loofah was a highlight, but unfortunately not enough for the whole haul. We liked using almost everything in this haul (zero waste dish soap, natural sponges, laundry sheets, laundry sheet), but we were confused at the hand soap sheets. Moreover, many items were on the pricey side - the biggest reason for our overall no recommendation
MAYBE buy. We liked Who Gives A Crap Bamboo Paper Towels enough to give it a green light: bamboo paper is more sustainable than tree-based paper towels, the cost is reasonable, and the paper doesn’t shred in our hands. It’s not going to be as luxurious-feeling as normal paper towels, which is fine, but we tend to use reusable Swedish dishcloths like Redecker or DII. For those must-one-time-use paper, WGAC is good option.