refillery copenhagen: April 2025

Mostly zero-waste bathroom

In the morning, when I walked into my bathroom, I decided to take a picture of it just as it was.

While many of the items that I use are zero-waste and certainly something I plan to have in my own zero-waste space, not all of them are.

My partner doesn't love solid shampoo, so he uses certified, natural shampoo in a bottle made from recycled plastic. I use it too whenever I wash my hair with shampoo (sometimes I wash it with plain water). I generally like shampoo bars and over the past 15 years I have tried many of them, but I haven't found one that works well for me. Some of them don't clean my hair well, while others have strong scents, or plant butters that are too heavy for my hair. Some melt very quickly even when stored properly, and others don't work well in hard water areas (especially the ones that are true soaps). Many locally made shampoo bars are very expensive and are not something I can afford to repurchase regularly, especially if they don't work well for me. I still hope to find a shampoo bar that works for me and for my child. Alternatively, my partner and I will do our best to find a liquid shampoo that can be refilled in our own zero-waste space.

Recently I removed a comb made from recycled plastic (I got that comb free of charge from a hotel a long time ago) from my bathroom, as I cut my hair shorter. When it's shorter, I gently comb through it with my fingers. It doesn't usually tangle at this length (despite being wavy!), which is currently above my shoulders.

Other products made from plastic in my bathroom include toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes. These days, it's easy to access zero-waste bamboo toothbrushes, toothpaste tabs, and toothpaste packaged in glass jars. Personally, I don't enjoy using these products, bamboo toothbrushes being my least favourite. Toothpaste packaged in glass jars is very similar to toothpaste packaged in plastic, but is more expensive. Currently, we use certified, natural toothpaste that is locally made and packaged in a recycled plastic tube.

Other products that we use are generally compatible with a zero or low waste lifestyle. I don't use any conventional skincare, as my skin looks and feels its best when I don't. Instead, I use soap bars and oil. There are two soap bars on the plate in the picture because I let the tiny one dry out. Then I can use it again without it melting/disintegrating. After trying many different oils, I noticed that I liked grapeseed oil the most. I buy it in a local cooperative supermarket (it comes in a glass bottle) where it is sold in the food section, and refill a tiny 30 ml glass bottle. I use this oil on my face, lips, hands, body, to remove sunscreen, to massage my belly, and even in my hair. Argan oil was very pleasant to use, too, but it was much more expensive and didn't perform better than grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil doesn't have any scent, which I also appreciate. Apart from the soap and oil, there is a crystal deodorant (in cork packaging which I find rather unnecessary) and a small tin with a locally made multi-purpose balm that I'm currently trying out.

I don't use any sponges when I take a shower. When I want to exfoliate my skin, I use a cloth that I then wash in the washing machine with the rest of my laundry and a laundry sheet.

It is of course possible to make my bathroom even more zero-waste. For example, I could make my own balm, get a crystal deodorant without any packaging, use a shampoo bar and toothpaste tabs. In the beginning of my zero-waste journey, I would feel more uncomfortable about compromises such as using shampoo packaged in plastic. These days, I prefer to honour the products that I live with, share products with my partner, use them up, and use what works best for me and my family.

100+ zero-waste practices: The ones I want to try

Here are the practices that I love

Here are the practices that I find generally good but have reservations about

Here are the practices I don't love

Here are the practices I don't implement

This entry is the last one in the series of entries (see links above) where I've listed most zero-waste practices that I have experiences with. As always, these are my personal experiences, so if some of the practices that don't work for me work well for you, it's absolutely ok. With this series of entries, my aim is to inspire fellow humans to consider a great diversity of zero-waste practices, while also seeing them in a more critical light, and perhaps identify one's own constellation of practices that works with one's personality, philosophy of life, lifestyle and circumstances.

There are some zero-waste practices that I would like to implement in the near future. Many of them are related to my yet unborn child. When he is born, I plan to continue on my zero-waste path. I look forward to navigating zero-waste living with a baby and observing this journey with all its successes and failures.

Cloth diapers. The idea of disposable diapers never appealed to me. While many fellow humans find single use diapers convenient/efficient, pursuing efficiency is not the highest on my list of priorities in life. I want to dwell deeply in my life's experiences instead in a way that feels most authentic to me, as well as gentle towards myself, human and non-human others, and nature. Here is an article about single-use diapers in the journal Science of The Total Environment. Whenever I read information like this, using cloth diapers feels like the right decision for me, considering the values that I try to live by. I am inspired by my grandmother and my mother who used cloth diapers. I inherited many cloth diapers from my stepmother-in-law. For now, I use them to dry my hair and to exfoliate my skin in the shower.
Zero-waste period items. I've been on the path of simple, slow, minimalist and zero-waste living for 15 years or so, but I have very little experience with zero-waste period products. When I was very young, my grandmother told me how to make period pads myself. She would wrap cotton wool in some fabric (muslin), and it worked surprisingly well. For many years, I used an implant for contraception. Using implant made my period stop completely. When I took the implant out after having it replaced for many years, I began to use period products made from compostable materials by companies that develop more ecological period products and diapers. Having said that, I have reservations about these products, as they still contain plastic. Now I don't have a period as I'm pregnant. Many fellow humans in the zero-waste movement use menstrual cups and reusable pads. While cups and other products that keep menstrual blood in do not appeal to me, I will be trying reusable pads after the baby is born.
Solid dish block. I wrote about it in this entry. When I lived in Northern Sweden where water is soft (it's hard here in Copenhagen), I could use true soap to wash my dishes. True soap doesn't work as well in hard water areas. While researching zero-waste products for my own zero-waste space, Refillery Copenhagen, I came across a solid dish block. While it looks like a bar of soap, it's not true soap. To clean, it relies on a detergent.
Reusable napkins (for the baby). Perhaps it is unusual, but we don't use napkins routinely in our household. They are not part of our dinner table. However, we will need them for our child as he navigates his relationship with food. Here in Denmark, it is common to use paper towels for this, or single-use napkins. I want to use cotton ones that I can wash and reuse.
DIY skincare for the baby. In my previous entry, I mentioned that I don't use DIY skincare for myself. I use plain grapeseed oil for my skin. For the baby, I don't plan to buy any skincare at all that is marketed specifically for babies. I plan to make my own whenever possible. This doesn't apply to sunscreen.

100+ zero-waste practices: The ones I don't use (and why)

This entry continues my exploration of various zero-waste practices that I experimented with over the past 15 years or so, since I stepped on the path of simple, slow, minimalist, and zero-waste living. In this entry, I will focus on the practices that I thought carefully about but decided against, or that I have tried but quickly decided to step away from. As always, these are my personal experiences.

Here are the practices that I love

Here are the practices that I find generally good but have reservations about

Here are the practices that I don't love

Zero-waste makeup. I completely stopped wearing makeup in my early 20s (I'm 36 now), after trying to use it for some years. When I was very young, I thought I had to wear makeup, because my mother, grandmother and many other women did. Interestingly, my brother never felt the same pressure. When I went to university, some of my fellow female students would sometimes forego buying lunch, just so they could afford to buy makeup products and perfume. While I owned several makeup products, I much preferred how I looked without any makeup. I loved the way my skin felt without it. When I left my family home, I questioned many of my own beliefs and practices, as well as those of others that had an effect on me. I chose to stop wearing makeup completely. It was wonderful. Liberating. Authentic. I certainly experienced judgement from fellow humans for not doing enough (e.g., one PhD student told me that I was not doing enough to attract men). And yet, the freedom that I felt was so worth it. This is not to say that fellow humans should stop wearing makeup if it genuinely brings them joy, but I do believe that those fellow humans who want to step away from makeup, or feel negatively influenced by the makeup industry and its marketing, should be empowered. When zero-waste began to take off, various companies started selling zero-waste makeup. While this seems to be a step in the right direction (refilling containers is so much better than the current norm), I think that we need to question our relationships with products (e.g., why we buy them in the first place), not only the nature of their packaging.
Reusable makeup removing wipes. Because I don't use makeup, I also don't use any reusable makeup removing devices. To remove sunscreen, I use a small amount of grapeseed oil (from the kitchen) and then wash it off with unscented soap bar.
Reusable q-tips. I use q-tips very rarely, and the ones I use are single-use ones with paper stems. They last a very long time. Perhaps reusable q-tips would be useful for someone who uses q-tips regularly, but to me this product feels flimsy and easy to lose.
Solid skincare. My relationship with skincare is similar to my relationship with makeup. At one point, I believed that I had to use skincare, that it would make my skin condition improve (I live with an autoimmune skin condition). There is an enormous industry that perpetuates this view, too. The industry and its marketing practices seem very poorly regulated by the state. Oftentimes I see young girls (12-13 years old) looking at and even buying anti-ageing products. My skin started to feel much better only when I quit using skincare. I use a bar of soap and oil (plus sunscreen) to care for my skin. Because my skin feels its best with this approach, I avoid using any other skincare, including zero-waste options.
Zero-waste caps to invert plastic bottles. I didn't even know they existed, until I began doing more research for my own zero-waste space. It seems to be an unnecessary product. My grandmother, mother and I have been inverting bottles for many years, simply by placing nearly empty bottles in a glass.
Dry shampoo. Dry shampoo is a product that I've never used and never gravitated towards. I love washing my hair with water. Because I live with a skin condition, it's better to use water too, because it washes away various particles (such as pollen) that might irritate the scalp.
Brushes for dry brushing. They look beautiful, but they feel too harsh on my skin. To exfoliate my skin, I use a cotton cloth (cloth diaper) in the shower. To stimulate the blood flow, at times I massage my skin with grapeseed or argan oil.
Food savers. I appreciate it that they might be useful to some, but to me such items feel like micromanaging food storage. For the same reason (to avoid micromanaging), I don't use beeswax wrap and various silicone bags.
Room fragrances. I avoid using anything scented in my home, including essential oil diffusers and candles. I much prefer fresh air.
Reusable coffee pods. They seem to be a good idea. But I drink instant coffee at home, and I visit a café if I want delicious coffee (though I do it very rarely).
Hair styling products. I much prefer my hair, how it looks and feels, without any products in it, perhaps apart from a tiny drop of oil. My partner uses a zero-waste hair wax occasionally, made from shea butter, beeswax and olive oil by a small Danish company.
Clay (and other DIY skincare). It's messy, and when I tried it, I didn't notice any difference. Using plain, unscented soap bar and oil works well for my skin.
(Biodegradable/compostable) phone cases. I have my doubts whether such phone cases actually are biodegradable. Because there are so many various designs, overconsumption might take place (as it happened with reusable water bottles). I don't use phone cases at all.
Wooden pegs. I don't know many fellow humans who use wooden pegs, but they are certainly part of zero-waste aesthetic (when they are new). My family used them when we dried our clothes and home textiles outside, and those wooden pegs were passed down several generations. I dry all my clothes and home textiles indoors, so I don't need wooden pegs.
Specialised cleaning products. When zero-waste took off, some companies began to produce specialised cleaning products, similar to mainstream ones, where one can keep the same bottle but refill it (usually by using a tablet or powder the company sells and water). To me, the issue is normalisation of highly specialised products rather than only the fact they are not refillable. Refillable ones are better for nature than those that come in single-use plastic, but I personally find both of those types of products unnecessary. Very simple ingredients, such as baking soda, soap, and citric acid, can perform multiple cleaning functions. I try to clean my home regularly so that I don't need to buy special products to remove dirt that has accumulated for a long time.

100+ zero-waste practices: The ones I don't love

This entry continues my exploration of various zero-waste practices that I have experimented with over the past 15 years or so (plus a few ones that I'm planning to try).

Here are the practices that I love

Here are the practices that I find generally good but have reservations about

These are my personal experiences, and if some of the practices that don't work for me work well for you, it's absolutely ok. Sharing my own experiences and reflections is not meant to invalidate fellow humans' experiences.

Bamboo toothbrushes. If you search for information about zero-waste living online, you will inevitably come across pictures featuring bamboo toothbrushes. They seem to be one of the first zero-waste swaps for many people and part of the zero-waste aesthetic (when they are new!). Over the years, I've tried many bamboo toothbrushes, but every time I go back to toothbrushes made from recycled plastic. In my experience, bamboo ones don't last as long. Many of them feel unpleasant (e.g., scratchy, not smooth enough) or have an aftertaste. They degrade quickly, despite my best efforts to dry them well between uses. I also feel that it's impossible to offer these toothbrushes enough time to dry fully, as they are in use several times a day. Oftentimes, manufacturers provide very little information about where bamboo toothbrushes were produced, by whom and under what conditions.
Bamboo brushes. I feel the same way about bamboo cleaning brushes as I do about bamboo toothbrushes. In my experience, they don't last as long even if I do my best to dry them well. Many bamboo brushes available on the market look exactly the same, as if they were made in the same factory (and perhaps they were). There is often a lack of transparency about the manufacturing process.
Beeswax wrap. Many fellow humans use these as a replacement for cling film. I've never used cling film, so I couldn't find any use for beeswax wraps in my own home. I generally try to avoid solutions that micromanage and complicate food storage. When I have, say, half an apple left, I don't feel the need to wrap it in something. Most likely, I will eat the rest of that apple very soon anyway.
Mesh produce bags. While I like solid cotton pouches, mesh produce bags seem unnecessary. In the beginning of my zero-waste journey, I bought many of them. I then noticed that I wasn't using them. When I buy produce, I put everything together. These bags aren't suitable for messy vegetables such as onions and garlic, or things such as pasta and beans.
Conditioner bars. Over the years, I've tried several conditioner bars. Most of them felt rather heavy for my hair. Perhaps this is because many are formulated with heavy butters such as cocoa butter. I've noticed that using shampoo is enough for me, and if I need something extra, I can use the same oil I use for my face and body.
Inexpensive cotton tote bags. These days, many supermarkets sell cotton tote bags. I've bought several of them over the years, but usually their quality is very bad. Oftentimes consumers are even advised not to wash these bags (which makes them feel single-use, and they do use so many resources!). All of these bags shrank over time, usually by 20% or so. While I continue to use them, they are not practical, as they are much smaller now than they used to be.
Metal (bamboo, glass etc.) straws. Just like bamboo toothbrushes, metal straws were one of the first zero-waste swaps available, and quickly became part of the zero-waste aesthetic. I had metal straws in the very beginning of my zero-waste journey, too. I gave them away soon after I got them, as I realised that I wasn't using them. I had barely ever used plastic ones in my life, so buying metal straws was not a good decision. I prefer to drink directly from the glass (though I appreciate it that there are fellow humans who prefer or need to use straws).
Bamboo cutlery to-go. To me, such sets feel unnecessary. Most likely, they will not last as long as metal cutlery would. I also suspect they would suffer from the same issues as bamboo toothbrushes and brushes. When I travelled more, at times I would observe fellow humans use bamboo travel utensils that would break as they were using them. Some persons prefer to take with them metal spoons and forks they already have at home. Personally, I don't do that. I prefer to either go to a café when I'm away, or buy food that is easy to eat without cutlery (e.g., fruits, sandwiches).
Regrowing lettuce. I used to do that, but then I came to the realisation that while this practice looks very beautiful in pictures, it doesn't result in much, if anything. Perhaps a few tiny leaves will regrow, but they can hardly be enough for a meal or a sandwich. The best way to make lettuce last is to plant it yourself, from seed, and then use leaves for, e.g., salads, while allowing the plant to continue growing.
Bamboo q-tips. They look beautiful, but the ones with paper stems are usually much less expensive. I use q-tips very rarely and buy the ones with paper stems.
Reusable kitchen rolls. They seem unnecessary. I store random cleaning cloths in a drawer in the kitchen. I don't need them to be the same size, colour, or be attached to one another.
Soap socks. They don't seem to last. As is the case with many other mass produced zero-waste swaps (bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo dish brushes, etc.), there seems to be a lack of transparency about the manufacturing process. Some fellow humans use soap socks to exfoliate their skin. For this, I use a cloth such as cloth diaper. Soap socks aren't very good for travelling. I wrap a piece of soap in an old plastic bag or a cotton cloth. Some use soap socks (also called soap savers) to save small pieces of soap. I usually allow soap leftovers to dry well, and then I use them again, as after drying for some days they seem to foam well again and don't disintegrate.
Toothpaste in glass jars. I was very excited when I first found toothpaste in a glass jars. The formula is similar to the one in a plastic container. Yet, glass jars, though they look beautiful, are difficult to travel with (they are heavy), more expensive, and less comfortable to use. I also couldn't get on with the tiny bamboo spatulas that come with glass jars: toothpaste would always stick to them, and they would need to be cleaned very often.
Bamboo plasters. Bamboo plasters packaged in round cardboard boxes seemed to be a wonderful idea at first. When I tried them, they would never stay on my skin (so I used many more than I'd like to). They were much more expensive than normal plasters, too. These days, it's easy to find affordable, normal plasters from common brands that are bamboo based and also packaged in cardboard. Importantly, they work and stay on my skin.
"Compostable" floss picks. My partner and I use waxed thread packaged in glass, and then we buy refills. I'm not convinced that such floss picks are actually compostable, and they are expensive in comparison to plain floss.
Anything dryer-related. Even though our washing machine has a dryer function, I never use it. I prefer to air dry our clothes and home textiles. So I don't use anything zero-waste related to the dryer. In our previous rented apartment, we were not allowed to dry our clothes indoors. We had to use shared washing machines and dryers. Even then, I felt that no extra products were necessary.
Shave bar. When I shave, I use the same bar of soap that I use for my face and body, and it works well. I don't feel the need to have different bars for various purposes.
Oil blends. I love using oil on my face and body. I use it instead of a moisturiser. Something I avoid are oil blends. Usually, they are more expensive than buying an oil of one type, and very often they contain added fragrance (essential oils). Not all oils work well for me. Some blends incorporate both oils that work for me (e.g., grapeseed, argan) and those that don't (e.g., avocado, rosehip). It's much easier and more affordable for me to use plain argan or grapeseed oil.
Exfoliating gloves/loofahs. I use a cloth diaper to exfoliate my skin. Dedicated gloves and loofahs are more expensive and always feel too rough on my skin.
Konjac sponges. They don't work well for me personally. I find that a muslin cloth (cloth diaper) works much better and lasts much longer.
Inexpensive bamboo combs. I feel the same way about them as I do about other bamboo items I mentioned above. Bamboo combs look very beautiful at first, but poorly made ones fray/split and break easily. Usually, I don't brush or comb my wavy hair, or I simply use my fingers to comb my hair in the shower. I do have a comb though that is made from recycled plastic. I got it from a hotel I stayed in a while ago.
Soaps “for men”. I don't think that zero-waste products should be gendered.
Small containers (e.g., for salad dressing). I've noticed that different brands sell small stainless steel containers with silicone lids that look exactly the same (they just have a different brand name/logo on the lid). This makes me wonder about the manufacturing process of such items, and whether these companies that sell them to end consumers designed these products mindfully or simply sourced a cheap product from a manufacturer abroad without evaluating sustainability credentials of that manufacturer. I avoid tiny containers for the same reason I avoid cutlery to-go and snack bags. I find it easier (and much less heavy!) to eat a sandwich than to bring a stainless steel container with a salad, a stainless steel container with salad dressing, and stainless steel cutlery.
Handkerchiefs. I used to use them when I was young. My family had hundreds of them, as paper tissues were not as widespread yet. I started using them again when I stepped on a zero-waste path. I generally don't find them practical. For example, if one has a cold or an allergy, one would need to have a lot of them. I simply use a toilet roll (made from recycled paper).
Toothbrush container. Even though it seems to be part of zero-waste travel aesthetic, I don't find such containers necessary or easy to clean at all. I wrap my toothbrush in a cotton cloth (it's never so wet that the water would soap through a cloth).

100+ zero-waste practices: Good ones

This entry is a continuation of what I started in my previous one: listing 100+ zero-waste practices that I've tried out myself (and a few that I plan to implement) since 2010 when I stepped on a path of simple, slow, minimalist, and zero-waste living.

In the previous entry, I briefly discussed 39 practices (and products - without naming any brands) that I personally love. In this entry, I will focus on those practices and products that I find generally good, but with which I have some problems, too.

These are my personal experiences. I appreciate it that some of those practices and products work well for my fellow humans. As I said in my previous entry, even my partner and I (we practise this mode of living together, and plan to run our zero-waste space together, too) disagree on some practices.

Shampoo bar. Over the years, I've tried many of them, but I haven't found the one that works well for me and that I would recommend to my friends and family. Though formulations of shampoo bars seem to have come a long way, and there are so many options available, I generally find that they don't clean my hair as well as liquid shampoos do. Oftentimes, they are heavily scented, too. Those shampoo bars that are true soaps don't work well in hard water areas. I live in Copenhagen where water is hard, and shampoo bars that are true soaps leave a waxy residue. As someone living with a skin condition, I prefer my shampoo to wash off as fully as possible. Early on in the zero-waste movement, fellow humans would often recommend using vinegar rinse after using shampoo bars that are true soaps. I've tried this many years ago, and I noticed that it wasn't very helpful. I would also spend much more time in the shower than necessary. Having said that, there are several shampoo bars (formulated with detergents) that have worked well for me, but they were rather expensive, and my partner was not willing to use them. These days, I use the same natural shampoo he is using (and I'm trying out a new shampoo bar, as this is something we would like to have in our shop). At times, I use just water to wash my hair. In soft water areas, I used for my hair the same soap that I used for my body and face, and it worked well.
Toothpaste tabs. I don't dislike them as much as some fellow humans do, and I use them occasionally, but I generally prefer natural toothpaste in a tube. When I was very young, my family would occasionally have powders to clean our teeth, and I liked them a lot.
Cellulose sponges. I like them much more than plastic sponges, but they are more expensive and don't last very long. I try to use brushes instead.
Produce bags. They were one of my first zero-waste swaps. I like solid ones made from organic cotton, and I still use them. I use them mainly for storage though, but I would use them in my own zero-waste shop too for things like pasta and beans. In the beginning of my journey, I bought many mesh produce bags, but I don't love them. Though I find them beautiful, I just don't separate my produce. And if I must, I'd rather use solid cotton pouches than mesh bags.
Baskets. They are incredibly beautiful, but they are not practical here in Copenhagen. It rains often, and it's often very windy. I can't imagine using baskets in winter, either. I use cotton tote bags instead. Having said that, baskets remind me of many hours of my childhood spent in forests, foraging mushrooms and berries. They are useful for this purpose.
Second-hand shopping. I'm in two minds about second-hand shopping. My partner and I buy second-hand technology (e.g., phone, camera lenses), but apart from that we avoid second-hand shopping. I find it time-consuming, and I dislike shopping more generally. I'm happy with the items I live with and don't want more or anything different. I also wear the same outfit every day, so I don't shop for clothes and shoes often at all. Finding something unique, from many decades ago, at a price of a fast fashion item doesn't bring joy to me personally. Because buying second-hand is more environmentally-friendly and often less expensive, there is a chance that a human being doesn't challenge themselves to question their thought and consumption patterns (e.g., assuming that they are not enough, or what they have is not enough). Having said that, I do believe that if a person, for example, is trying to find their style, it's better to buy second-hand. There are also plenty of things that one can get second-hand without spending too much, including craft supplies and kitchen items. And while I don't love second-hand shopping, I certainly use second-hand items (inherited, borrowed, passed on to me, etc.).
Travel soap dish. They can be useful, but I often simply use an old plastic bag to transport soap, or a piece of fabric (such as a cloth diaper).
Soap dish. Some of them look beautiful and can last forever, but I simply use a small plate. I don't find that my soap bars dry better in a dedicated soap dish. But if I was to invite a dedicated soap dish into my life, I'd go for a ceramic one and avoid wood and bamboo (in my experience, they don't last long and are more difficult to clean).
Reusable water bottle. This was one of my first zero-waste swaps. And while I do find reusable water bottles better than single-use ones, there are many problems with them, too. In my experience, many of them (including expensive ones) rusted. I also find them difficult to clean properly and to dry fully. Insulated water bottles are very heavy for the (often small) amount of liquid they hold. Companies overproduce reusable water bottles instead of encouraging sufficient consumption and keeping the same item as long as possible. Simply put, reusable water bottles became fashion accessories. These days, my partner and I have only one water bottle, made from glass, which is my favourite material for water bottles. Oftentimes, I don't take it with me, though. Here in Copenhagen it's easy to find a place (e.g., a café) that will refill one's water bottle, and I bring a food jar with me.
Cotton tea bags. While loose tea is something I grew up with and find to be one of the best zero-waste options, I have struggled to find a perfect option to brew loose tea. My grandmother used to have a tea pot where she would make enough tea for the whole family, and that worked well. My own family is very small, and my partner and I have different preferences when it comes to tea, so I look for options that allow me to brew a small amount of tea at a time. Cotton tea bags worked well for me, but they take a long time to clean, as tea leaves stick to the surface. They are also easily lost in the washing machine (it's best to handwash them), and may degrade quickly if not dried well.
Well-made wooden brushes. Some fellow humans who visit my home are surprised that I still use brushes made from recycled plastic. I do it because they are very durable, inexpensive, and after a brush is no longer suitable for the kitchen, I wash it well and use it in the bathroom. This way, it lasts for many months. The next best option, in my opinion, are brushes made well from wood. Yet, they are very expensive. They don't last as long as plastic ones, either. It helps to dry them thoroughly, but it's not always possible, as I wash my dishes often.
Snack bags. The ones made from silicone seem to be very popular in the zero-waste movement. And they are certainly better than single-use plastic ones. Personally, I much prefer food jars or easy-to-store snacks. When I go out, I avoid taking snacks with me that require sophisticated packaging. For example, if I go to the beach and want to take a piece of fruit with me, I would rather take a banana without any packaging than a few slices of melon in a silicone bag. Perhaps the second option would look better, more zero-waste in a picture, but the first one is much more practical.
Sunscreen in cardboard packaging. Sun cream is one of the items that I struggle with when it comes to my zero-waste practice. I've recently finished a sun cream packaged in cardboard. I enjoyed using it, but it was too scented for my liking. In my pregnancy, I found it challenging to use very scented products, especially the ones that are not washed off.
Safety razor. A good quality safety razor is a wonderful zero-waste swap. My grandfather's safety razor lasted for many decades, and it still looks like new. I tried it, and it was very easy and comfortable to use. It was relatively light but very well made. The safety razor that I bought when I lived in Finland was not well-made. It was too heavy, and the rose gold coating came off quickly. It started to smell strongly of metal. After an online search, I came to the realisation that it could be so that many companies buy from the same supplier (who doesn't seem to care about the durability of their product) and label it as their own product. Moreover, using a safety razor was not good for my mental health. In the future, I hope to find a good quality safety-razor, though, and give it another go.
Send-back containers. Some companies are experimenting with more circular business models by inviting their customers to send back the containers to be refilled. While I believe that it's certainly a step in the right direction, I personally don't want to spend my time on sending containers back. I don't appreciate the environmental footprint of shipping. I would rather use a local zero-waste shop to refill my bottles, perhaps even with products from different companies. And I generally prefer solid products over liquid ones, especially package-free solid products.
Beeswax candles. I like them much more than candles made from paraffin, which is derived from petroleum. But I generally avoid using candles in my home, both scented and unscented. I want the air in my home to be as fresh and clean as possible.
Lip balm. There are plenty of zero-waste options, and over the years I've tried many lip balms that come in metal, glass, and paper packaging. While I've enjoyed using some of them, I also noticed several issues. When there is too much product in the tin, oftentimes lip balms go rancid. I prefer to use multi-purpose balms, too, rather than ones dedicated to just one area of the body or face. Something that helps me avoid using lip balms is applying to my lips the oil that I use on my face (these days it's argan oil).
Deodorant in paper packaging. In my previous entry, I mentioned that, for me, crystal deodorant was one of the best zero-waste swaps in terms of packaging, performance, and longevity. I also mentioned some issues with crystal deodorants. Deodorants that come in paper packaging are, in my view, the second best option. But I haven't yet found the ones that works as well for me personally as the crystal deodorant. Some of them irritate my skin. Unlike crystal deodorant, deodorants in paper packaging are often made locally, and this is something I find appealing.
Biodegradable hair ties. I use such hair ties and generally like them, especially because they can safely return to the Earth. Yet, they are very expensive and don't last as long: they stretch out very quickly.
Cotton pouches for gift-giving. They can be very beautiful and last forever, but they only seem to work well when they are reused by the recipient either for gift-giving or for other purposes (e.g., storage). Some fellow humans simply keep them because they are beautiful, but they are functional items that need to be reused.

100+ zero-waste practices: Best ones

For a while, I've been wanting to collect all my personal zero-waste practices in one place. After all, my relationship with these practices, and experiences of them, at least to some extent guide my establishment of the zero-waste space, Refillery Copenhagen.

When I finally wrote down my practices, a few categories of them emerged: the best ones, ok ones, the ones I don't love, the ones I personally don't use, and the ones I want to/plan to try.

It goes without saying that these are my personal experiences. Even within my household, where both my partner and I try to practise zero-waste living as much as possible, we have different opinions about some practices.

When I was writing the list, I focused on both practices and concrete products. I've analysed my experiences over the past 15 years or so, as 2010 was the year when I stepped on the path of a simple, slower, minimalist, and zero-waste living.

In this entry, I will discuss those practices and products that I consider to be the best ones (and the rest I will discuss in the upcoming entries). But as I said in my autoethnography Being of Deep Transformations, what made the biggest difference in terms of me reducing all kinds of waste (including wasting money), were not smaller changes and products, but rather big changes. They are: practising extreme minimalism (in addition to zero-waste, slow and simple living), not having a car, being vegetarian, living in a small apartment (rather than a big house), travelling locally, borrowing and sharing instead of buying as the first option, using what I already have, and going out less.

Here are the best practices, and why I love them:

Borrowing. No need to buy a product and contribute to packaging waste. It saves money, nurtures relationships between humans, creates demand for alternative organisations' services (e.g., libraries). I enjoy lending and sharing items, too.
Cooking at home. When I cook at home, I have full control over what happens with each of the ingredients. I always try to prevent food waste, e.g., by freezing leftover vegetables or eating leftovers for the next day's lunch.
Unpackaged food (farmers’ markets, supermarkets). I disagree with the notion of zero-waste-waste not being about buying at all. Most of us buy our daily essentials, such as food. Zero-waste, among other things, is about buying differently. Unpackaged food options help me on my zero-waste path.
Minimally packaged food (e.g., in paper). Whenever possible, I buy things such as pasta, rice, and salt in paper packaging. This will change when I can finally shop in my own zero-waste store.
Loose tea. I find it more affordable, and it comes in less packaging. It's often possible to buy it without packaging, or in paper, too.
Foraging. It nourishes my connection with nature and local food. And it is free, and package-free. In spring, here in Denmark I mainly forage spruce tips, birch leaves, elderflower, and wild garlic.
Food jars. I use them for everything: storage, snacks, instead of glasses and mugs, as vases.
Glass bottles with corks. In our household, we use glass bottles that came with gin to cool water in the fridge.
Bar soap. It's not my partner's most favourite zero-waste swap, but I love using bar soap. I use it for my hands, body, and face. When I lived in soft water areas, I used it to handwash my clothes and dishes. It's easy to travel with, too. In the past few years, I've lived in several different countries, and I've always found it possible to buy locally made soap bars.
Crystal deodorant. It doesn't seem to work for everyone, but I've found that it works very well for both me and my partner. We share the same crystal. It lasts very long, too. It's possible to find crystal deodorant that comes just in paper packaging, though the one we have now is packaged in cork (I usually don't put the lid on it, to allow it to dry). And while I think this product is one of the best zero-waste swaps in terms of packaging, performance, and longevity, one serious issue that I find with it is that it's not locally produced. It's hard to tell where exactly (apart from the country) it was made, by whom, and under what conditions. For example, one major producer of crystal deodorants in Europe simply says on their website that their crystal deodorants are not produced in the UK, while they go into many details about the products that they produce in the UK. I am also suspicious about zero-waste products that look identical but are sold by many different companies.
Jute thread, random ribbons. I keep such things to use them for gift wrapping. I also used jute thread to attach our balcony screen to the balcony.
Decorations from nature (stones, shells, flowers). This is one of my most favourite zero-waste practices. It's beautiful and free. I don't use any other decorations in my home.
Cloths as gift wrapping. They can be reused indefinitely.
Old towels to clean one’s home. I don't buy special, zero-waste cleaning cloths. Old cloths and towels can be used for this purpose. My grandmother would use old t-shirts.
Refilling household products (dishwashing liquid). It always feels most wasteful to buy a new plastic (or glass) bottle with a few hundred millilitres of a household product such as dishwashing liquid and liquid soap. At home, we have our own tiny refill station, and currently I'm trying a dish block, too.
Refilling food jars. Food jars can be reused almost indefinitely. I find it wasteful to get a new food jar every time I need some product. Tofu sold in glass jars here in Denmark comes to mind. I look forward to refilling food jars in my own zero-waste shop.
Oils for everything personal care. This is one of my most favourite zero-waste swaps. I use oils (my favourite ones are grapeseed, argan and apricot oils) instead of a face cream, body lotion, and on the ends of my hair. I even use them instead of a lip balm and hand cream. These days, I use them to massage my belly, to bond with my yet unborn baby and to soothe stretched out skin. I've noticed that when I use oils in my hair, I don't need to use conditioner at all.
Good quality, washable cotton tote bags that don’t shrink. Using cotton tote bags was one of the first zero-waste practices I implemented many years ago. I still love this practice, and I use cotton tote bags for grocery shopping and instead of a hand bag. I travel with them, too. But while using a good cotton bag is one of the best practices, in my experience, using a poorly made ones is one of the worst. Several cotton bags I've had before shrank in the wash by 20-30% and became rather unusable. Some of them one cannot wash at all, which feels counter-productive. My favourite bags are the ones I can wash at 30 degrees together with my light coloured clothing and other textiles.
Baking soda. I use it mainly to clean very dirty dishes, sinks, shower, and to remove labels from food jars (mixed with oil).
Vinegar. I use it for cooking and to remove limescale.
Citric acid. I use it to remove limescale.
Used lemons and limes. When I have leftovers of lemons and limes, I keep them and use them instead of vinegar and citric acid, to remove limescale.
Repairing (clothes, electronics, etc.). It saves items and money.
Laundry sheets. They are light, packaged in paper, and it's easy to use the right amount of detergent.
Food boxes. They help me prevent food waste. I don't carry them around though, I use them mainly at home.
Wooden chopping boards. I find them much more durable and beautiful than plastic ones.
Stainless steel kitchen items. They are durable and beautiful. One material that I try to avoid, alongside plastic, is bamboo. It doesn't seem durable.
Glass bowls. I find them beautiful and durable, too. They are something that can be kept for many years and passed on.
Composting. It feels incredibly wasteful to throw away things that can be composted.
Unpackaged toilet paper. It's very difficult to find here in Denmark, though.
Swedish cloths. I mainly use old towels, but occasionally I invite these cloths into my life. They are durable and pleasant to use. They often come with minimal paper packaging.
Compostable dental floss in glass containers. It works well for both my partner and for me. We bought the glass container once, and refills come in paper packaging.
Walking in the sand to exfoliate feet. I try to avoid multiple skincare products. There are several shelves of various foot-care items (creams, lotions, masks, devices) in our local store that sells skin and body care. I find that simply walking in the sand walks best to keep the skin on my feet healthy. Some members of my family love pumice stone, though. Previously, I've made scrubs with salt, sugar, and coffee grounds. But I find them very messy to use.
Cloth to exfoliate skin. For me, a simple, soft cloth works best. I use an old cloth diaper (muslin cloth), as it feels softer than a towel. It also dries very quickly.
Keeping plastic bags. In the beginning of my journey, I used to feel uncomfortable when a plastic bag (e.g., toilet rolls' packaging) found its way into my home. These days, I keep them to use them later for plastic waste. They are also useful to transport soap and shampoo bars if one doesn't have/doesn't want to have a dedicated container.
Talking to family and friends about gift-giving. So many unwanted items used to come into my life through family and friends. Having a gentle conversation about my relationship with objects certainly helped prevent a lot of waste.
Shopping in actual shops rather than online. In my case, it especially applies to clothing and shoes. Though I shop for such things extremely rarely (and I tend to repurchase), it's still an important practice. Not only does it help me avoid packaging that I don't need and don't want, I also have an opportunity to feel the fabric/material.
Taking plant cuttings from friends and family. In my life, I wasted much money on plants. These days, I don't buy plants anymore.
Asking doctors for simpler solutions. I try to avoid taking medication whenever I can. I don't feel bad about taking medicine that comes in plastic when I genuinely need to, but I always ask my doctor if there is a simpler solution that I can try first. For example, for my low blood pressure, my doctor recommended eating a bit more salt rather than taking medication. And, in my case, it works.

Soap-free dish block

My partner and I will be spending half of the Easter break separately, and half of it together. The time we spend separately is a magical time that I use to connect with myself, our yet unborn baby, my own projects, non-humans and nature. And the time we spend together is an equally magical time that we use to connect with each other. I want to use this me-time to begin testing some zero-waste products for the zero-waste shop that we plan to open here in Copenhagen. I will be testing very few products at a time, and I will focus on the ones that my partner and I might have different opinions about. I have noticed that he prefers liquid products (dishwashing liquid, liquid soap, liquid shampoo) over solid ones - though he likes toothpaste tabs, and they are not my favourite zero-waste product, and both of us like laundry sheets. While I enjoy using his liquid shampoo (we share), I actually prefer soap bars.

I empathise with his preference towards liquid products. Here in Copenhagen where we live, water is hard, and liquid soaps and detergents work better than true soap. Unfortunately, liquid products are packaged in plastic. A while ago, we created our own tiny refill station at home (you can see it in this video). There is no zero-waste shop where we live, so we saved some money to buy two large (10 l each) containers of liquid soap and dishwashing liquid, and pumps for them, too. I would certainly recommend doing that, especially if you have friends and family members who would be willing to purchase these rather expensive items together with you. And while we are very happy with our own tiny refill station, I still remember the time when I lived in Northern Sweden and used soap to wash my dishes. I used the same soap for my face, body, and hair, and to clean my home. Soft water in Northern Sweden made such a big difference. The soap foamed well and washed away fully.

Recently, I saw a dish block that is detergent-based rather than true soap. It might work very well in hard water, and I hope that it will. It's a tiny, 60 g bar that comes in cardboard packaging.

Products

In the coming months, I will be making a list of products that we would initially love to make available through our zero-waste shop. There will be food items, kitchen items, cleaning items, personal care items, and supplementary things such as zero-waste packaging.

I started with my own experience of living a sustainable lifestyle of which zero-waste is an important part, with the items that I've been using for many years. After all, my intention is to buy almost everything my family needs in our own store, too.

For example, I'm contemplating the oils that I use. In the picture above is a small glass bottle with argan oil. I've been using this oil on and off for many years. I use oil instead of a face cream (applied to wet skin), body lotion (applied to wet skin), and on the ends of my hair. When I apply it on my face, I also use some of it on my hands and lips, to avoid using a separate lip balm and hand cream as much as possible (I don't even own any). In the third trimester, the skin on my belly feels somewhat dry and tight, and I use this oil to massage my belly, too. I could use it as a cleanser to remove my sunscreen, but I personally find argan oil rather expensive, and grapeseed oil (it has no scent, either) from the kitchen works just as well for me as a cleanser and for all the other purposes I've just mentioned. In the future, I will use argan oil only on my face and hair, and grapeseed oil for everything else. For me, using oils instead of creams and lotions is certainly not a compromise. They work better with my skin, though I understand that everyone's skin is different. Not all oils suit my skin, though. For example, I find that rosehip oil makes my skin drier.

First steps

I've been nurturing the idea of running my own zero-waste space for a while. For 15 years or so, I've been practising sustainable (slow, simple, minimalist, frugal, and zero-waste) living myself. And for around 10 years I've been researching sustainable business as an academic.

I began to work more seriously on this idea some weeks ago, when my thoughts finally began to crystallise. Working on my dream was also empowered by other unfoldings in my life. During pregnancy, while I was expecting to become more stressed, overwhelmed and forgetful, I noticed that I actually became much more focused on my dreams and priorities. Apart from that, my partner and I didn't receive support from a manager to apply for funding for a research project that we wanted to do: us being a couple and doing research together at the same time is something that makes the manager feel uncomfortable. I didn't want to continue working on a funding application if my name could not be on the project. It felt like being a ghostwriter.

The idea for a zero-waste space specifically comes from my own lived practice and sorrow that I feel about a lack of such spaces here in Copenhagen where I live. It also comes from a felt need to experience and document how sustainable business happens in reality. In my academic field, there are so many ideas of what a genuinely sustainable organisation would look like, but much less understanding of how it is possible in the real world. Even when descriptions of real businesses exist, they are someone else's businesses: and there is only so much one can learn from this kind of research. I realised that so deeply when I began to study my own sustainability practice rather than that of fellow humans.

I hope to run a business that sells (and also provides for free) the products that I use myself, and that is based on the principles for sustainable business that I describe in my own work (for example, this book). The principles are focused on the four domains: (1) material transactions with nature, (2) social relations, (3) social structures, and (4) inner being. That is to say, the business would have a strong foundation in the ecological thought and philosophy (e.g., sourcing local products). It would aim to develop caring and gentle relationships with the local community (and beyond). It would facilitate nurturing social structures (such as less consumption and free exchange). And finally, it would be a space for me, my partner, and for others, to grow.

To honour all four domains, I plan for this space to have three elements:

Zero-waste shop

Swap shop

Workshop space

I've written more about these three elements here.

The first steps my partner and I are taking concern the legal and financial aspects of setting up a company, practicalities (such as finding the right spot for this place here in Copenhagen), and identifying what products we will sell and otherwise make available.

The legal and financial aspects are challenging. We would like to start very small and avoid borrowing from financial institutions. For this reason, I set up a fundraiser.

When it comes to identifying the products to sell, I've started with my own life and practice. Something that it challenging to navigate in this realm is finding products that are both affordable and useful. For many, including myself, paying DKK 200 for a bar of soap is not affordable. Our society also feels saturated with, for example, water bottles (something one often finds in zero-waste shops). Yet other products, such as produce bags made from cotton mesh, feel much less useful than cotton pouches, though they are very beautiful.

In the picture above is a dress that I bought for my stepchild a while ago. It's made from organic cotton by a Danish company. She wore the dress only once. I hold on to this dress to place it in the swap shop part of my zero-waste space. It will be a space where fellow humans can bring unwanted children's items and take what they need.