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Resources: Product Suppliers

This is an ongoing list of businesses providing products that can help us live with less plastic. What are your favorites? Please leave a comment below and suggest other companies to add to this list.

Brands & Online Companies:

Physical Shops & Local Brands

CANADA

U.K.

  • Unpackaged: London. Shop sells all its products in bulk and actively encourages customers to bring their own containers.

U.S.A.

  • Berkeley Bowl: Berkeley, CA. Huge selection of bulk items. Tolerates customers bringing their own bags and containers but doesn’t encourage it. Have your container weighed at the bulk counter before filling up so weight can be deducted from total purchase price. Return to bulk counter to have purchases weighed and stickers applied. Read my report on Berkeley Bowl here.
  • Ecology Center: Berkeley, CA. Reusable containers and many other plastic-free eco-friendly household/personal care items.  Huge library of books that can be borrowed.  Runs sustainability workshops and tours.
  • Rainbow Grocery: San Francisco, CA. The largest selection of bulk items I have ever seen. In addition to dry stuff, they sell oils, nut butters, even fresh pasta in bulk. Personal care products too. Although it’s common for customers to bring their own bags and containers, it seems that a greater percentage still take new plastic bags. Procedure: weigh containers yourself on scale in back of bulk section and use stickers provided to mark the weight. Be sure and write the bin number after filling up so the cashier knows what the product is. Read my report on Rainbow Grocery here.
  • Tara’s Organic Ice Cream: Berkeley, CA. Delicious homemade ice cream. The shop uses durable stainless steel tasting spoons as well as reusable bowls for customers eating in. They provide only compostable containers for take-out. What’s more, Tara’s encourages customers to bring their own containers. Read my post about Tara’s here and about my experience bringing my own container here.
  • Truly Raw Gourmet: Venice, CA. Producer of organic, raw sorbet packaged in glass jars.  Truly Raw Gourmet will give a free jar of sorbet to customers who return 12 glass jars to the company to be reused.
  • Whole Foods Markets: Northern California region. This is an international chain of natural food stores, but since I have only visited locations in Northern California, I can only describe these local stores. Decent selection of bulk nuts, beans, cereals, grains, dried fruits, etc. Also some spices and teas. Not as extensive as Berkeley Bowl or Rainbow Grocery (above). Can bring your own containers for bulk items, as well as meat and prepared foods. Have containers weighed at customer service desk first. Be sure and write the bin number after filling up so cashier knows what product you are buying.
November 2, 2009 by

Comments

18 Comments on Resources: Product Suppliers

  1. Lynnel Camling on Tue, 11th May 2010 11:05 am

    2. We make every single bar of soap so you can luxuriosly shampoo, shower shave and bathe. We have been making soap for almost 20 years and have been “green product” long before it was considered one of our responsiblities to do so.
    Our labels and packaging are simple – recycled paper.
    Would love to have you list us as a link to your site if possible.
    You have a great site. Thank you!
    Lynnel Camling

  2. Alyssa on Thu, 13th May 2010 3:37 pm

    3. Just FYI, the stainless steel wine glasses from Green Boat Stuff come with plastic bottoms. I guess there is a “stemless” wine glass that is totally stainless, but that might not be so useful after a lot of wine tasting…

  3. Kate on Thu, 27th May 2010 10:10 pm

    4. I live in New Zealand and I like to buy organic foods like flour and oats but am having trouble sourcing large non-plastic containers in which to keep them. Have I just not found the right sites yet? Any suggestions?

    Kate

  4. Beany on Sun, 30th May 2010 9:58 pm

    5. I’d suggest you add OB People’s Co-op [http://obpeoplesfood.coop/] to the list of physical stores. They really encourage you to bring your own bags and containers. There are the cloth bags available for purchase right next to the bulk bin (in case you forget your own). They sell the stainless steel water bottles along with all sorts of bulk goodies (maple syrup, grains, candies, oil, shampoo, soap, spices) that you can bring your own container in. I get zero friction from the staff when I bring my own bags, containers, jars, etc. They work with me when I ask for plastic free alternatives. Can’t say enough good things about them. And, and! Their prices are lower than Whole Foods. Totally worth a visit!

  5. Jane on Mon, 14th Jun 2010 6:01 am

    6. http://www.smallbones.ca website & physical shop makes/sells many green products: soaps & shampoo bars, beeswax candles, organic cotton bags, hand-woven baskets, toiletries for women & men, etc. Most packaging is non-plastic (some lids are plastic & still searching for alternative lip balm tubes). Located in southern Ontario, Canada.

  6. Lynnel Camling on Mon, 14th Jun 2010 1:17 pm

    7. Does anyone know where I can find paper/cardboard lip balm tubes? TY!

  7. Beth Terry on Mon, 14th Jun 2010 1:21 pm

    8. YES! Jane and Lynnel. In fact, right here on this page. Organic Essence sells lip balm in cardboard tubes. I wrote “plastic-free” but I should have specified that the tubes are actually cardboard.

    Jane, I’ll check out SmallBones.ca and add them.

  8. Lynnel Camling on Tue, 15th Jun 2010 1:00 pm

    9. Thank you. I am looking for the empty tubes and other eco friendly packaging to use for products at shoppe.

  9. Jane on Tue, 15th Jun 2010 2:44 pm

    10. I’m looking for eco friendly lip balm tubes, too. I make lip balms.

  10. Beth Terry on Tue, 15th Jun 2010 3:00 pm

    11. Jane and Lynnel, Eco Vision is the company that makes the cardboard tubes and containers. They are owned by the same people as Organic Essence. Contact them! http://eco-vision.com/index.html Contact them to find out how you can buy tubes/containers. I have no idea how much they cost. The prices are not on the web site.

  11. Justfriends on Sat, 26th Jun 2010 3:53 pm

    12. Wheeeeeeeee!!! I’ve found an online source for toilet paper that has NO plastic in the wrapping – AND it’s made from 100% recycled materials AND no bleach!!! AND it’s not exxpensive. Green Heritage by Atlas Paper Co. has about 12 different green varieties. It i ‘s a tad confusing – I mean have you ever measured your squares of toilet paper??? I’ve ordered a case – yes 96 rolls! I just hope the shipping box has minimal plastic/tape – but it’s still way better than that plastic wrapping on every doggone package. Check out – http://www.restockit.com

  12. Beth Terry on Sun, 27th Jun 2010 12:22 am

    13. Justfriends, that sounds great. Will you contact me after you receive the TP and let me know exactly how it was packaged in the box? Always looking for good sources of plastic-free products.

  13. Justfriends on Tue, 6th Jul 2010 6:47 am

    14. Follow-up on the TP packaging from Restockit: I’m so pleased to report that the ONLY plastic on or in the whole 5 cu ft box was the little plastic envelope containing the packing slip – no tape even! At a cost of 62 cents per 500 sheet roll, it beat out the big box stores. And, it’s decent TP too, which is a good thing, since I now have enough to last me two years! — – Eve

  14. Jane on Wed, 7th Jul 2010 6:04 am

    15. I just tried to order the toilet paper, only to discover after getting to the shipping info page that the company doesn’t ship to Canada! I sent them an e-mail to suggest that they really should state that up-front. I wasted a lot of time!

  15. Eve Stavros on Sat, 2nd Apr 2011 8:49 pm

    16. Interesting supplier of recycled newspaper pencils!!! I haven’t checked into their shipping policy yet, to see if it is plastic-free, but thought you might be interested. http://www.treesmart.com/

  16. Beth Terry on Sun, 3rd Apr 2011 10:45 pm

    17. Eve, that’s interesting. What I wonder is what the eraser is made from. It’s latex-free, so I’m assuming it’s made from plastic. I emailed the company to find out.
    Beth Terry´s last [type] ..April Fools Day Crocheted Produce Bag Give-Away

  17. Melissa Brown on Thu, 1st Dec 2011 6:50 pm

    18. Hey Beth,
    I love love Badger Balm. Their products are mostly organic and mostly plastic free. The only plastic in the tins is a safety wrap/ring. They have oils in glass bottles but with a plastic pump and lid. Their sunscreen is the best (great ratings from the EWG) and the container at least contains some recycled plastic.
    I’m really excited because they are planning on coming out with a deodorant next year and they said it will be plastic free.
    So, great products, great ingredients, and the company strives to use Eco friendly packaging.
    Melissa Brown´s last [type] ..blue biker chic

  18. Annie Waters on Fri, 2nd Dec 2011 5:31 pm

    19. Please add these organic cotton produce & bulk bags to the list…they work great! (Even for flour)
    http//www.organicgreensbag.com
    Annie Waters´s last [type] ..The Farm Bill – who will lose?

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