40 Zero Waste Swaps & Eco-Friendly Essentials (2025)

This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you.

---

Are you looking for a list of zero waste swaps & sustainable alternatives?

I’ve got you covered. 🙂 I created the ultimate list with zero waste products & eco-friendly swaps! 

The goal is to help you find essentials and sustainable alternatives to nearly anything you may use and need. I’ll also share some of my favorite products & provide easy-to-get options.

To make it easier to find things, I divided the list into the following categories:

• Personal & Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Grocery & On-the-go

Alrighty, without further ado, let’s begin with the list!

Zero Waste Personal & Bathroom Swaps

Shampoo bar:

• Kitsch: Rice water shampoo bar
• Ethique: US | UK & Europe 
• HiBar: Shampoo & conditioner set
• Viori: Shampoo bar
• Lush: US | UK
• Unwrapped Life: Shampoo bars
• Plaine Products: Refillable liquid shampoo (plastic-free) | the US

Conditioner bar:

• Kitsch: Rice water conditioner bar
• Viori: Conditioner bar
• Lush: US | UK
• Ethique Beauty: US | UK & Europe 
• Unwrapped life: Conditioner bars
• SpiraLeaf: Shampoo & Conditioner bar
• Plaine Products: Refillable conditioner in aluminum container | the US

For more options, check out – 21 Best Eco-Friendly Shampoo & Conditioner Bars.

What I use: I’m quite random and I like to experiment and try new products. My favorite shampoo bars so far are Godiva & Jason and the argan oil by Lush and I still haven’t found my favorite conditioner (well, I do like Glory by Lush, but it comes in plastic).

Reusable cotton rounds:

• LastRound reusable cotton rounds
• Makeup remover pads
• DIY reusable cotton pads (Video tutorial)

Natural deodorant (or DIY):

• Ben & Anna Mint Deodorant – I use it together with my alum stone, and I’m pretty happy with it. I tried other scents, and creams from Ben & Anna, but the mint one is my favorite
• Ethique deodorant bar – Vegan & baking-soda free
• Eco Roots deodorant – Vegan & baking soda-free
• We Are Wild – Vegan, good for sensitive skin, refill system (get 50% off here)
• Alum stone deodorant – natural deodorant that neutralizes odor and prevents the development of bacterial growth that’s responsible for smelly armpits
• Meow Meow Tweet – Baking soda-free (good for sensitive skin)
• DIY – 4 DIY zero waste deodorant recipes (+video)

Related post: 15 Of The Best Zero Waste Deodorants

What I use: I like to either DIY my deodorant (#3 is my fav) or if I don’t have the time or ingredients to make it, I use Ben & Anna deodorant (Coco Mania is good and the Mint is my favorite). I tried their other deo packed in a metal tin, but it did not work well for me. I also used alum stone and it works GREAT, but I needed some time to get used to it.

Eco-friendly moisturizer:

• Farmstead Apothecary Natural Cream – natural, organic & cruelty-free, suitable for all skin types
• Ethique Solid Face Cream – vegan, cruelty-free, rich and creamy for dry & mature skin
• Loli Organic Face Oil – balances oil production, shrinks blemishes, and illuminates the skin

What I use: I’ve been using a Bulgarian brand, called Ikarov, for 3+ years now. Their products are natural, local & packed in glass jars. I love & use their rose water spray & Chilean rosehip oil for my face.

Eco-friendly face cleanser:

• Plaine Face Wash
• Kiss My Face Soap
• Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Bar Soap

What I use: As a face cleanser, I use a simple natural soap by Sapunoteka (Croatian brand). When I need a ‘deeper cleanse’, I apply my DIY coffee scrub. 🙂

Reef-safe & plastic-free sunscreen:

• Sun Tribe (worldwide): Vegan option available. 20 SPF & 30 SPF
• Raw Elements: Face & body, 30 SPF | Face (tinted), 30 SPF (contains beeswax)
• Badger sunscreen: SPF 40 (contains beeswax)

Related post: 15 Of The Best Zero Waste Sunscreens

What I use: While I was traveling across Guatemala, I found a super cool plastic-free sunscreen, but it was a local product, so can’t link it. Otherwise, I used Sun Tribe before that, and it was good (but it contains beeswax, making it non-vegan & it is quite hard to spread on the skin).

Natural bug repellent:

• Naturals Mosquito Repellent Balm
• Yaya Organics Natural Bug Spray
• Or DIY my mosquito repellent spray!

What I use: My DIY mosquito repellent – it is easy to make, efficient & super affordable.

Plastic-free body lotion (or DIY):

• Moon Valley Organics: Lemon vanilla, herbal lotion bar, plastic-free
• Lush: Solid body lotion
• Or DIY!

What I use: I’ve been DIYing my body lotion in the form of a solid bar or ‘whipped’ body butter. It is fun and easy to make. You can follow my step-by-step guides (including video guides) here – DIY Non-Greasy Lotion Bar & DIY Whipped Body Butter.

Eco-friendly lip balm:

• Lush lip balms – packed in aluminum tin, cruelty-free & natural ingredients

Plastic-free natural makeup:

• Earth Hero’s natural makeup collection – Features brands like Elate Cosmetics, River Organics, Fat and the Moon, Sustain Yourself, etc.
• Lush makeup – For lipsticks, highlighters, mascara, eye shadows, brushes, etc.
• Antonym Cosmetics – Foundation, highlights, blush, eye pencils, mascara, etc.
• Plant Makeup – Lip balm, body balm, highlighters, eye shadows, lipstick, etc.

Bamboo hairbrush:

• Wooden hair brush by pureGLO
• Nipoo wooden hair brush

What I use: I had a lip balm by Lush that I used for a super long time, and after I finished it, I found something local, packed in a paper tube. For makeup, I use very few things and they last me a very long time (like the highlighter in the image below; the brand was a random & local one).

Plastic-free hair ties:

• Kooshoo organic hair ties

Reusable stainless steel razor:

• Jungle Culture Safety Razor
• Eco Roots Safety Razor
• Albatros Butterfly Safety Razor

Intimidated to make the switch? I’ve got you covered! Find how to safely use stainless steel razors here.

What I use: The rose gold & brandless one on the left image. I was gifted the Jungle Culture safety razor (middle) and the Albatross safety razor (right) and I think they are great choices; I prefer the “Butterfly” opening (the rose gold & the Albatross). For more details, find a list of the best safety razors for beginners and the pros and cons of safety razors.

Bamboo toothbrush:

• Bamboo toothbrush, set of 8
• A set of 4 bamboo toothbrushes, with travel case, floss & tongue scraper

Plastic-free toothpaste:

• Simply Sooney tooth powder – 6-month supply, made in small batches with organic & vegan ingredients
• Chewtab Toothpaste Tablets – 60 tablets in a reusable aluminum bottle, fluoride-free
• SuperBee Dentos Tablets – 100 fluoride-free tablets
• DIY homemade toothpaste
• DIY toothpowder

What I use: My favorite is my DIY Remineralizing Tooth Powder Recipe and my DIY toothpaste (without coconut oil). If I don’t have some of the needed ingredients, then I get the Ben & Anna toothpaste (left image).

Oriculi eco-friendly bamboo ear pick:

• Reusable & eco-friendly ear pick

Natural soap bars:

• Vegan & natural soap bars
• Jungle Culture shaving soap bars

Compostable dental floss:

• TreeBird Dental Floss – biodegradable floss in a refillable glass jar
• Me Mother Earth – vegan dental floss with candelilla wax & peppermint essential oil

Sustainable period products:

• Flex menstrual cup | AllMatters cup
• Reusable menstrual pads (set of 10) | set of 6
• Menstrual underwear: Thinx | Wuka | Modibodi (from the images below!)

Related post: Best Menstrual Cups For Beginners

What I use: My favorite, without a doubt, is the menstrual cup. I used AllMatters cup & Flex cup and they are both great options (I bought AllMatters and I got Flex as a gift). Period undies are a good option too, but not as comfortable for me (especially during warmer seasons).

The reusable menstrual pads are my least favorite option, but the pads I had were quite thick, so it made it more uncomfortable. I have a whole category about how to have a sustainable period, where I mostly share tips on how to use menstrual cups & answer some of the most commonly asked questions. If you’re curious, you can check it out! 🙂

Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps

Eco-friendly toilet paper: 

• Who Gives a Crap (US / UK) 
• Marcal Recycled Toilet Paper
• Georgia-Pacific Toilet Paper
• Seventh Generation Recycled TP
• Scott Recycled Bulk Toilet Paper

Related post: 18 Plastic-Free & Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper Options

What I use: Who Gives A Crap is my favorite option. To find out more about them, you can see my WGAC review here.

Eco-friendly shower curtain:

• Rawganique Shower Curtains
• Bean Shower Curtains
• The Citizenry Curtains

Related post: Zero Waste Shower Curtain: 10 Eco-Friendly Options

Laundry detergent:

• Meliora: Laundry powder, dish soap, strain removal, etc
• Amazon: Laundry detergent pods
• Earth Hero: Plastic-free dishwashing pods

All-purpose cleaning products:

• Earthy Edith 
• Meliora
• Bestowed Essentials 

Zero Waste Kitchen Swaps

Reusable towels:

• DIY – Cut an old towel or t-shit into small squares
• Bamboo kitchen cloth (pack of 6)
• Reusable bamboo towels (20 per roll)
• Reusable ‘paper’ towels (32 per roll)

• Reusable organic cotton towels (pack of 20)

Charcoal water filter stick: 

• Charcoal sticks for purifying water

Reusable baking mats:

• Silicone baking mats

Reusable wax wraps:

• Bee’s Wrap: Vegan-friendly wax wrap
• Natissy: Vegan wax wraps – set of 6

Reusable cupcake liners: 

• Silicone baking cups

Eco-friendly coffee maker:

• French press
• Moka pot
• Reusable K cup

Plastic-free sponge:

• Biodegradable loofah
• Bamboo brush set
• Bamboo mini dish brush

Solid dish soap:

• Meliora: Plastic-Free Dish Soap
• Amazon: Zero waste dishwashing block soap (fragrance-free)
• Earth Hero: Castile Dish Soap Block

Bamboo cutting board:

• Bamboo cutting board

Reusable silicone baggies:

• Reusable silicone baggies, 6-pack

Reusable recycling bins:

• Triple recycle sorter bag

Related post: Zero Waste Kitchen: 32 Plastic-Free Kitchen Products

Zero Waste Grocery & On-The-Go Swaps

Reusable water bottle:

• Klean Kanteen Water Bottle
• GRAYL GeoPress purifier
• Hydro Flask

Related post: 9 Sustainable & Healthy Water Bottles

What I use: When traveling and the water is questionable, I love to use my GRAYL water bottle – it makes sketchy water safe & clean to drink by purifying viruses, bacteria, and bad odors and flavors.

Reusable to-go cutlery set: 

• Bamboo travel utensil set

Reusable bags: 

• Reusable handmade denim bags
• Organic cotton produce bags
• Organic cotton lunch bag
• Reusable mesh bags

What I use: I will shamelessly promote my granny here. She makes reusable bags by upcycling denim & other fabrics. (honestly, she’s kinda the best :)) You can check her Etsy store here.

Reusable straw:

• Metal, glass, or bamboo straws

Reusable mug:

• Hydro Flask Reusable Mug
• Stanley Mug

Reusable lunch box:

• 3-in-1 Stainless Steel Bento Box
• Bento Lunch Food Box Container

Zero Waste Online Stores

• Zero Waste Store – US | International
• Package Free Shop – US | International
• Life Without Plastic – US | International 
• Plastic Freedom – UK | International
• Green Revolucia – Bulgaria
• Bleschu, Mio Bio – Denmark
• Original Unverpackt – Germany | Europe 
• Naturalou – Germany | Switzerland | Austria​

For more, check my list of 44 zero waste online stores worldwide.

Summary

There you have it – 40 zero waste swaps. I hope this article was helpful & you were able to find sustainable alternatives.

Did I miss a must-have zero waste swap? Let me know in the comments below. 🙂

Find a list & links with all the eco-friendly swaps at the Almost Zero Waste Hub!