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Find Your Forever Water Bottle
Owala FreeSip Water Bottle
A Sipping Assistant
Silicone Drinking Straws
Forever Baggies
W&P Silicone Reusable Bags
Use Beeswax Wraps for Your Food
Bees Wrap Wraps
Most of us tend to use single-use products everyday, but switching even some of them out for sustainable products meant to be reused again and again can help our planet. Plastic is piling up in landfills and oceans; it’s even floating around in the air. It’s sad and frustrating, and unfortunately, the problem can’t be solved by consumers simply cutting down on single-use plastics—corporations need to do their part. But reducing the amount of garbage we produce can give us a sense of agency, not to mention that you can save quite a bit of money by buying a product only once.
The best reusable products are ones you’re going to want to use again and again. So if you prefer the water bottles from your favorite coffee chain or fancy handkerchiefs from a local boutique, that’s what you should get. And if you have a pile of disposable products you want to replace, use them up first. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a bunch of our favorite products. Don’t see anything you need here? Check out some of our other roundups, like the Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products, Best Recycled Bags, Best Recycled Clothing, and for everything else, Our Favorite Products Made of Recycled and Upcycled Materials.
Updated February 2024: We’ve added reusable baggies and lids from W&P, Friendsheep dryer balls, and Pacific eye masks.
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Photograph: Owala
Find Your Forever Water Bottle
Owala FreeSip Water Bottle
If you’re still buying cases of water, it’s time to stop. Getting a water bottle you love will save you money and a whole lot of plastic waste. You should be able to find filtered water to refill at most offices or colleges.
Owala’s 40-ounce Free Sip is my desert island water bottle. Its genius spout has two openings, one for sipping through the straw and one for chugging. It has a nice lock mechanism, too, so no water will spill in your bag. We have other favorites, but the perfect water bottle is subjective. Just don’t overconsume and be wary of manufacturing practices—we’ve recently learned some brands use lead soldering to seal vacuum-insulated bottles. (Owala doesn’t!)
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Photograph: Amazon
A Sipping Assistant
Silicone Drinking Straws
I much prefer drinking out of straws. I drink way more water during the day when I don’t have to raise a glass to my face. While I’ve also tried metal straws, I prefer soft silicone. I use this pack of 12 straws that includes two cleaning brushes. They’ve lasted me a few years of daily use, trips through the dishwasher, and occasionally, ahem, chewing.
★ Alternative: If you’d rather have a metal straw you can easily bring with you anywhere, WIRED writer Louryn Strampe recommends the Final Straw ($20). It’s collapsible and comes with a case, so you can turn down the plastic or paper straws restaurants offer and use this instead.
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Photograph: W&P
Forever Baggies
W&P Silicone Reusable Bags
We’ve tried a few silicone reusable bags to replace wasteful single-use one, like Ziploc. I love the W&P ones. The closure strip is satisfyingly thick, and they stay sealed. I use them for snacks as well as storage around the house, even to hold nails and thumbtacks. As long as you’re careful to not pierce right through the silicone, it holds up. When you’re done, turn them inside out and either hand-wash or put them in the dishwasher.
You can get a starter kit with 10-, 34-, and 46-ounce flat bags, and 36- and 50-ounce standup bags, or buy them individually. If you pick up one bag every few weeks, you’ll be able to give up Ziplocs without spending too much money at once.
We’re also big fans of Stasher and ReZip bags, with the latter being the cheapest of all three, with a five-piece set for $20. All three brands are freezer-safe, and W&P and Stasher are also microwaveable.
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Photograph: Bee’s Wrap
Use Beeswax Wraps for Your Food
Bees Wrap Wraps
Plastic wrap is annoying. Why is it always getting stuck to itself and not to what you need it to stick to? WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson has been using beeswax wraps from the cleverly named Bees Wraps, and he loves them. This brand uses organic cotton and sustainably sourced beeswax (along with jojoba oil and tree resin). The beeswax makes them waterproof. Be sure to use cold water to rinse them; hot water could melt off the wax.
The company says a roll lasts a year, but Gilbertson has used his for longer than that. He says four to six large wraps are a good bet for fully replacing plastic wrap in your life. To wrap sticky things, like soft cheeses, he also suggests lining the wrap with parchment paper to avoid having to scrub the beeswax too hard when you clean it.
★ Alternative: I tried beeswax wraps from Public Goods and like them. If you’re getting anything else from the company, it’s a good thing to throw into your cart.
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Photograph: W&P
Or Try Stretch Wrap and Lids
W&P Reusable Wraps and Lids
I recently tried several W&P products, and was impressed by them all, including the stretch lids and reusable silicone wrap. The wrap is similar to beeswax wraps, but has more stretch to it. It works great covering bowls or other containers, but also works directly on leftover foods, like half an onion. The stretch lids cover anything they can fit, like food storage containers or mason jars. Both wash easily by hand, but you can even throw them in the dishwasher.
If you’re planning on trying both, the Stretch Bundle pack includes three sizes of stretch wrap, six circular stretch lids, and three rectangular stretch baking lids.
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Photograph: JESS DADDIO/Marley’s Monsters
An Alternative to Paper Towels
Unpaper Towels
Paper towels have their place, but it’s easy to use a lot while cleaning up a mess. WIRED writer Louryn Strampe recommends Marley’s Monsters Unpaper Towels in her guide to eco-friendly cleaning products. They’re super absorbent and durable, and they cling together, so you can roll them up like the towels you’re used to. The price seems scary, but again, how many packs of disposable paper towels do you buy a year? Instead of filling your house with paper products in bulk, you can throw these in the wash.
★ Alternative: If you don’t mind a rougher texture and a little more bulk, reviews editor Adrienne So uses bar mops as a paper towel substitute. They’re absorbent, affordable, and come in a variety of colors to hide stains.
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Photograph: Friendsheep
Replace Your Dryer Sheets
Friendsheep Wool Dryer Balls
Reusable wool dryer balls help agitate your laundry in the dryer to prevent it from clumping, increase airflow, and let it dry faster. Friendsheep’s dryer balls work well and are simply cute as heck, with designs like cats, the Earth, and bees in sets of three or six—or mix and match your own.
If you miss fresh scents from dryer sheets, you can also sprinkle essential oils on these before tossing them into the dryer. (Friendsheep sells essential oils, if you want a one-stop shop.) You should wash them separately every so often to keep them in shape and to help keep them from shedding. You might have seen spikey rubber balls used in the dryer. They help open up clothes to dry them and stop the cling. You can also use tennis balls.
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Photograph: Amazon
A Better Sponge
E-Cloth Washing Up Pad
Dish sponges get grimy fast, and even if you put them in the dishwasher to extend their lives, they last only so long. WIRED writer Simon Hill swears by these reusable ones, which have a rough side for tough stains like the sponges you’re used to. They won’t last forever, but Hill throws his in the washing machine once a week, and he says they last around six months before they start to fray and lose their scrubbing power.
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Photograph: Amazon
For Your Pet Food Cans
Pet Food Can Covers
If you have a cat or a dog who eats wet food, you may occasionally have leftovers that need to go in the fridge. Can covers have multiple rings to fit onto most standard can sizes, and having them on hand has saved me a ton of annoying plastic wrap. You can find silicone and plastic ones in varying packs on Amazon or at pet stores, but I have these and like them.
I slightly prefer this plastic one that’s also available from Chewy.
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Photograph: Kabir Fernandez/Baggu
For Shopping
Baggu Standard Reusable Bag
If you haven’t already, it’s time to switch to reusable shopping bags. They’re typically more durable than plastic bags, so you can use fewer. Plus, many places have started to phase out plastic bags and add a small fee for paper. You can buy nice reusable bags from pretty much any grocery store you go to, as well as stores like TJ Maxx, but if you want a few to get started, we love Baggu. They’re made of 40 percent recycled nylon and come in enough colors and styles that everyone can pick a favorite.
Each standard-size bag holds as much as three plastic store bags, but there are several sizes and bundles. They also fold into a neat little square pouch for storage.
★ Produce alternatives: I also tried Public Good’s Small Mesh Bag ($6) and Mesh Tote ($10), the latter of which I particularly love for holding everything. Editor Adrienne So goes produce shopping with mesh bags from Amazon for a little bit cheaper.
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Photograph: Target
Reusable Eye Masks
Pacifica Reusable Silicone Under Eye Mask
I love an occasional eye mask in the morning. But if it’s a daily part of your routine, consider reusable eye masks instead. They don’t come soaked in serum, but that means you can pair them with a product you already love. An eye mask isn’t going to make dramatic changes to your face, but it helps your skin soak in whatever cream or serum you’re using. Pacifica’s are affordable and widely available.
I also tried the brand’s brow mask, which I kept seeing on TikTok, but my uber-sensitive skin couldn’t tolerate it. I had a light rash in the shape of the mask for a day. If your skin isn’t as temperamental as mine, there’s a pack with both the eye and brow mask included.
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Photograph: Makeup Eraser
If You Use Makeup Wipes
Makeup Eraser
Disposable akeup wipes are bad for your skin. They don’t clean your skin very well, the ingredients might irritate sensitive skin, and the kind of scrubbing and tugging you do with one isn’t good for skin in general. They’re also wasteful.
Consider a Makeup Eraser instead. It’s basically magic, removing makeup with just water, and it’s significantly gentler than a regular washcloth. If you take care of it, one should last about five years. No matter what kind of makeup-removing method you use, you need to actually cleanse your skin afterward, but this is a good first step. And for those nights when you simply don’t have the will to do your whole routine, at least you’ve gotten rid of your makeup.
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Photograph: LastObject
Ditch the Tissues
Handkerchiefs
My allergies are such that I’ve got a never-ending supply of tissues just to keep my nose in check. That is to say, a handkerchief is not for me. But for those with noses who run like normal, WIRED reviews editor Adrienne So recommends fancy little cloths instead. They’re much more durable than a tissue, of course, and versatile. You can dab at watery eyes without getting tissue dust in them, but, as So says, you can also clean camera lenses, wipe off your glasses, or dry your hands if you find yourself in a bathroom without paper towels (or with only a gross hand dryer).
What you use is up to you. Bandanas or fancy scarves work the same, as long as you can easily throw them in the washing machine. LastObject, which we talk more about below, makes the LastTissue ($24), a pack of six cotton tissues that are washable and reusable like your standard handkerchief, plus a nice case to keep your snotty rags away from your hands.
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Photograph: LastObject
A New Kind of Q-Tip
LastSwab
We shouldn’t use cotton swabs in our ears to clean out the wax, but a lot of us do. You may also use them to fix or remove makeup or to clean dust and dirt away from little crevices.
Q-Tips are wasteful. The LastSwab is designed to put an end to that. They come in several styles, as well as in a beauty bundle, made of rubberlike TPE. The cases are made from ocean-bound plastic. They’re easy to clean with just water and soap or rubbing alcohol.
★ More from LastObject: The company makes other helpful products, like LastRound ($16), a pack of seven reusable cotton rounds that should last 1,750 uses. I frequently use them to apply toner to my face or to remove makeup. I also like the LastPad ($18) mentioned below.
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Photograph: Amazon
A Better Razor
Safety Razors
I didn’t think a single-blade safety razor could cut it, but I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Henson Shaving’s AL13 razor ($70). Not only did it completely remove the hair, but I didn’t have razor burn (that has never happened for me with a regular razor). Henson’s is a bit pricey, but the Merkur Razor ($38) is much more affordable and came highly recommended by product reviewer friends when I put together a shaving kit for my partner. Both are made of sturdy metal.
Depending on what brand of razors you used previously, buying a box of blades can be significantly cheaper than replacement heads, so it’s a win-win.
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Photograph: Modibodi
For Your Period
Menstrual Products
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Photograph: Amazon
For the Doodler
Buddha Board
I love to draw or write aimlessly when I’m bored or need to refocus my energy. It’s usually not anything worth framing—I’ll look down to see a bunch of cubes or my name written 45 times. I didn’t understand the need for a Buddha Board until I tried it, but it gave me that opportunity to move my hand and create nonsense without wasting paper, and the brushes it comes with feel like expensive art supplies, creating perfect strokes. It feels like you’re painting, but it’s only water, and once it dries the board is clear to start again. The company describes it as being like an Etch-a-Sketch.
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Photograph: Target
A Reusable Notebook
Rocketbook Core
We’ve tested a few smart notebooks and Rocketbook is the only one we tried so far that’s reusable. The entire range of notebooks, planners, and note cards work with an erasable Pilot Frixion Pen (one should come with whichever item you buy). You take notes, scan photos of them to the Rocketbook app, and erase the pages with the damp microfiber cloth.
The paper isn’t as nice to write on as regular paper, but it’s made to withstand the damp cloth. Technically, you can write in any old notebook with a pencil or erasable pen, take photos, and erase it, but that will eventually ruin the integrity of the paper. The Rocketbook app is also designed to keep everything together and easily send things off to Google Drive, Evernote, OneNote, and a handful of other options. If I took a ton of notes every day, I’d probably want really good paper, but I like that one notebook can last as long as you take care of it.
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Photograph: OmieGo
A Better Bento Box
OmieGo Bento BIO
When it comes to food storage, glass is easier to clean and lasts longer than plastic. But there are times when you want plastic. It’s lighter and won’t break, which is important for kids. In that case, you might consider OmieGo’s Bio. The three-piece set is made of plant-based material, and they’re durable. I like that the little containers snap onto the top of the longer one. Reviews editor Adrienne So packs her kids’ lunches in the company’s Insulated Box ($45).
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Photograph: Quip
For Your Pearly Whites
Better Oral Hygiene
Yes, even your tooth-brushing routine could stand to be more sustainable. You’re never going to use one toothbrush for life, but there are a few things you can get to help out.
- Oral-B Pro 100 Oscillating Electric Toothbrush for $50: Electric toothbrushes are less wasteful than manual ones, since the only thing you’re tossing out is the brush head rather than the entire thing. We have a full guide on our favorites, but Oral-B’s Pro 1000 is a reliable and affordable brush to get your teeth sparkling.
- Suri Sustainable Electric Toothbrush for $92: If you can spend a bit more, the Suri electric toothbrush company repairs and recycles brushes instead of letting them sit in landfills once their batteries reached their limits. The brush heads are made from cornstarch with castor oil bristles that should break down without leaving microplastics behind.
- Quip Refillable Floss for $12: I prefer floss picks to string floss, but it’s worth it to replace them with this refillable pick from Quip. You’ll need to replace the floss as usual, but there’s no single-use plastic pick being tossed in the garbage every day.
- Listerine Concentrate Starter Kit for $13: If you already use mouthwash daily, Listerine’s newest product makes slightly less waste. You start with a normal plastic bottle and instead of tossing it when it’s done, you fill it with concentrate and water. It doesn’t eliminate plastic, but it minimizes it.
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Photograph: Amazon
For the Stuff You Have to Throw Away
Better Single-Use Products
We can do a lot to reduce the waste we create, but most of us can’t completely stop throwing things out. I don’t know about you, but I’m not willing to wash my toilet paper or reuse a dog poop bag. For those instances, you can still make smarter choices.
- GreenPolly Trash Bags for $5: We recommend these in our eco-friendly cleaning guide. They aren’t as durable as Hefty or Glad bags, but they’re made of 90 percent postconsumer plastic and 10 percent renewable sugarcane.
- Give a Shit Compostable Dog Poop Bags for $13: Some WIRED dog owners recommend these bags for their pups. They’re made of plant components and won’t hang out in landfills long after the poop has hardened. Plus the company donates 10 percent of profits to the Soi Dog Foundation.
- Cloud Paper Bamboo Paper Towels for $45 and Toilet Paper for $47: WIRED writer Louryn Strampe tried these paper towels for her cleaning guide. Bamboo is renewable (it’s the fastest-growing plant!), and it saves trees from being cut down to clean your counters or your tush. Louryn says the towels weren’t the softest, so we can’t guarantee the toilet paper will be what you’re used to.
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Photograph: Maryna Terletska/Getty Images
More Things You Can Do
Some Advice
If you take anything away from this guide, it’s that a little goes a long way. You don’t have to replace everything in your house, but you can start to make small, low-lift choices.
- If you buy takeout and it comes with these plastic deli containers, keep them! They’re perfect for reusing, freeze well, are stackable, and last a long time even with dishwasher use.
- If you don’t want to give up paper towels or spend on the pricey Marley’s Monsters, you can save the paper for really gross messes. For minor cleanups, use a reusable kitchen towel you probably already have and throw them into the washing machine.
- Ditch single-use coffee filters for reusable filters.
- Swiffer pads can be replaced with microfiber cloths. You can use your own cleaner with them too.
