HOW GREEN IS YOUR HANDBAG?
From silk dental floss to bamboo combs, you can banish plastic from your must-carry items
You’vE stopped using plastic straws and cut back on food packaging. So what’s the next battleground in the fight against throwaway plastic? The contents of your handbag. So what can you do about it? Tv presenter Kirstie Allsopp led the way when she shared a picture with her followers on Instagram showing the contents of her blue Anya Hindmarch tote, along with the caption: ‘Water bottle — tick. reusable coffee cup — tick. Wooden toothpicks — tick. Three previously plastic things gone. Much more work to do on contents of bag, but it’s a start #plasticfree.’ From bamboo combs to cotton hankies, here’s how to rid your bag of plastic . . .
COTTON ON
Cotton handkerchief, £13.95, Liberty Your tissues don’t contain plastic, but those pocket packets come wrapped in plastic film. Try decanting a cardboard box of tissues a few at a time into a fabric pouch.
Better still would be to pack an old- fashioned cotton handkerchief.
STATIC-FREE DETANGLER
Sandalwood comb, £7.83 or Olivia Garden Healthy Hair Bamboo comb, £4.90, both Amazon.co.uk NoT only is a bamboo or a wooden comb better for the environment than a plastic one, but experts swear they’re more effective at detangling as they don’t create static.
HEART OF STEEL
S’Well reusable bottle, from £25 for 260ml size, Amara.com For a completely plastic- free option — including the lid and seal, which are often made with plastic — try a bottle from S’Well, available in three sizes and dozens of designs. Made of vacuum-insulated stainless steel, it keeps drinks cold for 24 hours, or hot for 12.
CHEW OVER THESE
Peppersmith mints, £1.99, Holland & Barrett (Holland andbarrett.com) AlMoST all chewing gum contains a kind of synthetic rubber, derived from petroleum, like plastic, so swap it for mints. The Peppersmith ones come in recyclable card boxes and while they have a cellophane wrapper (due to food safety laws), this will be ditched by Spring this year.
PLASTIC-FREE LINING
Wouf flowers cosmetic bag small, £25, Amara.com MoST make-up bags have a plastic lining, or are made from plasticcoated fabric such as oilcloth. Swap yours for a cotton or canvas version, such as this, and it’s even printed with eco-friendly ink.
COFFEE TO GO
KeepCup Cork Brew Reusable Glass Coffee Cup, £20, John Lewis MANY coffee shops now offer a discount to customers who use their own cups. Every part of this glass and cork KeepCup is either recyclable or biodegradable.
FLOSS AWAY
WooBamboo Eco-Awesome floss, £6.49, Amazon.co.uk or £5.45, GrowingSmiles.co.uk INSTEAd of plastic dental picks or floss, use this floss made from natural silk. Not only is it biodegradable, but the plant-based packaging acts as the dispenser.
SUSTAINABLE CASE
Snakehive solid wood phone case, from £7.95 depending on model, Snakehive.co.uk A FABrIC or leather phone case is better than a plastic one; alternatively, this case is made from sustainably-sourced wood, with a clever slider mechanism that fastens around your phone.
LIP-SMACKING BALM
Bee Lippy lipbalm, £5, BeeFayre.com SWAP your plastic-packaged lipbalm for one in an aluminium tin. Made with beeswax, this organic one comes in delicious flavours.
SWEET SKINCARE
BYBI Babe balm, £18, bybi.com CoNTAININg 100 per cent natural ingredients, this moisturising balm comes in biodegradable packaging made from sugarcane — among the first of its kind in the beauty world.
YOUR OWN ECO STRAW
OnesEarth Reusable stainlesssteel drinking straws, £5.99 for four, Amazon.co.uk A STAggErINg 8.5 billion plastic straws are binned in the uK every year, and the government is considering banning them. But until then, why not carry your own reusable one made of stainless steel?
REFILLABLE MAKE-UP
Revolution Pro Empty Palette, £4 to £10, Superdrug.com go A little bit greener with a refillable compact. Available in three sizes, this one is made of sturdy card. It can be customised with your choice of make-up.