If you’re just getting started with sustainable living, you might feel overwhelmed by trying to change everything at once. And searching for high-quality, plastic-free products can take a lot of time and energy.
That’s why we put together our signature Zero Waste Starter Pack. We’ve brought everything you need into one convenient kit so you can save time, money, and stress. (And plastic, of course.)
We make all these products from the highest quality ingredients and use them ourselves daily. Each product may seem small on its own, but we’ve seen the amazing waste-saving results firsthand!
What’s in a Silver Falls Sustainability Co. Zero Waste Starter Pack?
We carefully curated our zero waste starter pack to help you start reducing plastic waste around your home — without sacrificing quality or convenience.
Here’s what you get in our starter pack:
- Shampoo Bar of your choice
- Deep Conditioner Bar (2.2 oz)
- Deodorant of your choice
- Shower and Shave Bar of your choice
- Face Bar of your choice
- Vegan Lip Balm of your choice
- Tooth Powder (15g)
- Poplar Soap Dish to extend the life of your bars
- Dish Soap Bar
- Compostable Sponge
Like we said, we use all these products ourselves every day. And this got us thinking… how much plastic waste does this really eliminate in our daily lives?
What is the environmental impact of one Zero Waste Starter Pack?
We crunched the numbers, made the comparisons, and figured out just how much plastic you save by using just one of our zero waste starter packs.
Of course, everyone is different, so your exact numbers may vary. But for average use, here’s what you can expect.
Shampoo Bars
In the US alone, we throw away upwards of 550 million shampoo bottles every year.1 This could fill up 1164 football fields — and most of these bottles never get recycled. Conventional shampoos may also contain harsh ingredients that can irritate your scalp and pollute waterways.
Our shampoo bars are full of naturally cleansing ingredients. Since they’re concentrated and compact, they create less transportation pollution.
One shampoo bar lasts up to 60 washes. So if you wash your hair every other day, a bar will last you around 4 months. In comparison, a 16 oz bottle of shampoo usually gives you about 45 washes.
Waste Saved by 1 Shampoo Bar = 1.75 16 oz Plastic Bottles
Conditioner Bars
Conventional conditioners use synthetic ingredients like silicone to coat your hair — which can be harmful in the long run. And it comes in heavy plastic bottles (if you’ve ever dropped one on your foot in the shower, you already know this).
Our conditioner starts with a gentle, eco-friendly detangler. Then we add nourishing oils to give your hair the hydration it needs. This is easy on your scalp and on our waterways.
One 2.2 oz conditioner bar can give you up to 40 washes depending on your hair length and type. It typically lasts as long as a 10 oz bottle of conditioner.
Waste Saved by 1 2.2 oz Conditioner Bar = 1 10oz Plastic Bottle
Shower and Shave Bar
Body wash is another product typically sold in a plastic bottle. And even if you use bar soap, most of them come inside a plastic wrapper. Many of these also contain foaming agents that can actually dry out your skin instead of moisturizing it.
Our Shower and Shave Bars are full of rich oils to cleanse and soften your skin. We even offer added oatmeal for extra exfoliation! With no chemicals or harmful ingredients, you can feel great about using these luxurious bars for every wash.
If you use your bar for once-daily showers, you’ll typically get 60 washes from it. This is about the same as a 20 oz bottle of body wash.
Waste Saved by 1 Shower and Shave Bar = 1 20 oz Plastic Bottle
Face Bar
The skin on your face is some of the most delicate. So being gentle with your facial skin is essential. But many face washes use harsh ingredients — and since the bottles are usually small, this creates even more waste.
We make our facial bars with 100% natural ingredients, all chosen to nourish and soothe your face. Like all our bars, they come in recyclable or compostable packaging.
If you wash your face twice a day, one bar will last you about a month. About the same as a 6 oz bottle or tube, but without any plastic!
Waste Saved by 1 Face Bar = 1 6 oz Bottle or Tube
Lip Balm
Our lip balm contains natural oils and Shea butter to keep your lips soft and moisturized. Even if you’re not normally a can’t-live-without-my-lip-balm type, you may find yourself switching camps once you try it.
In theory, a tube of conventional lip balm should last about a month with typical use. In reality, a lip balm gremlin often seems to snatch it first. This leaves a lot of lost plastic tubes to pollute the environment.
Our lip balm comes in a kraftboard tube and is almost 3 times larger than most products. So it lasts longer and is easier to keep track of! (But watch out for the gremlins just in case.)
Waste Saved by 1 Lip Balm Tube = 3 Plastic Tubes
Toothpowder
Good oral hygiene is an important part of staying healthy. But the 1.5 billion tubes of toothpaste discarded every year? Not so healthy for the planet.2
Our Toothpowder keeps your teeth clean and polished without creating any pollution. It also solves the argument of whether to squeeze from the top or the bottom of the tube! And it’s made with ingredients that naturally fight bacteria and freshen breath.
One 14g kraftboard jar lasts about a month if you brush twice a day. In comparison, a tube of toothpaste will last you around two months if you use a pea-sized amount twice daily.
(If you love our Toothpowder, we also have a 45g tube that will last a long, long time.)
Waste Saved by 1 14g Jar of Toothpowder = ½ Plastic Toothpaste Tube
Deodorant
When it comes to our deodorant, the jury is in. It stands up to the sweatiest workouts, longest hikes, and most nerve-wracking speeches. Even better, it’s all-natural and plastic-free. And it contains no aluminum, baking soda, or other irritants — so it’s safe for sensitive skin.
A stick of conventional deodorant typically lasts a month if you apply once per day. Our customers regularly tell us their SFSC deodorant tube lasted 6 months, making it the longest-lasting product in our zero waste starter pack.
Waste Saved by 1 Tube of Deodorant = 6 Plastic Sticks
Dish Soap Bar
Like you, we wash a lot of dishes. They seem to pile up whenever we look away. Liquid dish soap is hard to portion, so it’s easy to squirt too much. And many people opt for small bottles since they’re easier to use and store. If you buy 24 oz bottles and do dishes twice a day, you’ll go through at least 20 bottles in a year.
Our dish bar is made to be a cleaning superstar and gentle on hands, and a bar usually lasts about two months. (To extend the life of your bar, keep it out of direct water.)
Waste Saved by 1 Dish Bar = 2 24 Oz Plastic Bottles
Compostable Sponge
When you look at a kitchen sponge, you probably don’t think “plastic.” But many sponges are actually made from plastic products like polyester, nylon, or polyurethane. This means they may take hundreds of years to decompose after they’re thrown away.
Our compostable sponges clean up your home and the environment. They’re made from cellulose fiber that scrubs off even the toughest food. Then once you’re finished with them, they biodegrade and leave nothing harmful behind.
The recommended use of a conventional sponge is 4-6 weeks. You can use our compostable sponges for the same amount of time — just without the plastic waste.
Waste Saved by 1 Compostable Sponge = 1 Plastic-Based Sponge
Total Plastic Saved by One Zero Waste Starter Pack
- 1.75 16oz shampoo bottles
- 1 10oz conditioner bottle
- 1 20oz body wash bottle or tube
- 1 60oz face wash bottle or tube
- 3 lip balm tubes
- ½ toothpaste tube
- 6 sticks of deodorant
- 2 24oz dish soap bottles
- 1 plastic-based sponge
That’s enough plastic to fill a grocery basket! You also save time and fuel used on extra store trips. Since we ship and package everything sustainably, you also help reduce packaging waste.
A Year of Zero-Waste
If you continue to use our zero-waste products over the course of one year, your positive impact grows even more. In one year, you save:
- 4 shampoo bottles
- 8 conditioner bottles
- 6 body wash bottles
- 10 face wash bottles
- 6 toothpaste tubes
- 12 deodorant sticks
- 10 dish soap bottles
- 12 plastic-based sponges
With that, you save a whole grocery cart full of plastic from ending up in the landfill. This is why we believe in the power of one person to make a difference — because the little things add up.
Join Us in Creating a Zero-Waste World
When we first started making our own personal care products, we never dreamed where it would all lead. Now we love hearing every day from people like you who care deeply about the environment.
Together, we can make real progress toward a zero-waste world. You can connect with us by email, on Instagram @sfsustainable, or by joining our newsletter. We’d love to hear about your journey.
If you’re looking for a convenient way to seriously cut down on plastic use, try out our zero-waste starter pack and let us know what you think!
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Comments
Thanks for the tip, Stacey! And for the feedback on our lip gloss. We’re always working on improvements, so if we develop a colored lip balm you’ll hear in our newsletter first.
I love your shampoobars and so does my hair. I have been using bars for years. You get a gold star. Here are a few suggestions to get me to buy more products. I find dish bars too hard to use and prefer it in a metal tin with a brush. Would love the lip gloss to have color. Thanks.