6 Sustainable Product Examples for the Kitchen: Are They Worth It?
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Introduction
You have so many product choices when deciding to live more green, and below, you will find 6 sustainable product examples to help with your purchase decision process. Not all products are as sustainable as you think they might be, and you need to determine whether you actually need the product. Another item to help your decision is the Green Giraffe rating!
Green Giraffe ratings are provided on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is the best and most worth purchasing. These ratings are based on my subjective opinion and are subject to change.
To jump ahead, here are links to the 6 sustainable product examples:
1. Bee’s Wrap
Bee’s Wrap is my favorite product on this list. Bee’s Wrap is an alternative to plastic wrap in the kitchen. As a single-person household, I tend to have a lot of leftovers and need to cover them with something. This Bee’s Wrap works as a great sustainable alternative. It is made in the USA with organic cotton, responsibly sourced beeswax, organic plant oils, and tree resin.
It has a great smell to it. It also doesn't stick to itself like regular plastic wrap - no more fighting with plastic wrap, yay! To use, you put it on top of your item and press the sides down. The warmth of your hands warms it up so that it begins to stick. It does not stick as well as plastic wrap, but for me, it has done the job of covering well enough. One downside is that you cannot put it in the microwave. However, you shouldn’t be putting plastic wrap in the microwave either, so I suppose this is a good thing to get out of the habit of doing.
Check out my video review below.
Bee’s Wrap is a Certified B Corporation and a member of 1% for the Planet (check out the article on certification labels you should get familiar with).
Worth It? Green Giraffe Rating = 5
Product review of Bee’s Wrap.
2. Full Circle Bamboo Handle Dish Brush
The Full Circle dish brush comes with or without a soap dispenser. When I saw the picture of the soap dispenser, I had no idea what it would be since it does not look like a soap dispenser I have ever seen! But in any case, it is an excellent place to store the dish brush while on the counter. Turns out it really is a soap dispenser (check out the review video below).
I purchased this dish brush to replace my plastic one. One thing the plastic one has is a hard plastic edge to scrub dried on foods with. I was worried about how to do this using the Full Circle brush. However, the hard side of the Full Circle brush accomplishes this task just as well.
The bristles on the brush are firm (which may indicate they will last). They scrub off foods very well.
While I intend on using the soap dispenser sparingly, it worked very well. You only need to add a small dab of soap and a little water. Then, when you press down on the dispenser with the brush, the soap rises and gets on the brush. There is a spring-loaded piece that is what brings up the soap. This is great to help avoid needing the dishwasher. Check out the review video below for a better picture of how this works.
When a replacement is needed, you must purchase a new brush (bamboo handle plus bristles). It would be nicer if you could replace just the bristles.
Full Circle Home is a Certified B Corporation (check out the article on certification labels you should get familiar with).
Worth It? Green Giraffe Rating = 4
Product review of Full Circle dish brush with soap dispenser.
3. Hippo Sak Tall Kitchen Bags (Plant Based)
The Hippo Sak trash bags are made from sugar cane! They are made in the U.S.A and are USDA Certified Bio Based. Being Bio Based certified means the “USDA and the federal government stand behind the accuracy of the percent of biobased ingredients as stated on the label.” This all means there is no plastic being used for these trash bags. With so many of us using many trash bags every week, these plant based bags are amazing and a must-buy.
The quality of the bags is also astonishing for not being plastic. They are thick and durable (check out the video below where I try to make a hole in the bag). They have a reinforced bottom to help avoid any bottom-of-the-bag holes. The handles are large enough to make it easy to tie closed.
Hippo Sak is 88% USDA Certified Bio Based.
Worth It? Green Giraffe Rating = 5
Product review of Hippo Sak tall kitchen trash bags.
4. Blueland Dishwasher Detergent
Blueland has many great sustainable products to help us live green, and this dishwasher detergent is no exception. The starter kit contains the detergent tablet and a tin to keep them in. Each time you need a refill, you only purchase the bag with the tablets and add them to your tin.
There were a few crumbles in the bag of tablets, but considering the travel it did before arriving at my house, they held up quite well. It comes with 60 tablets, so if you do not run your dishwasher every day, these will last a long time.
Compared to the previous non-sustainable brand I was using, these tablets clean just as well. You use them the same way you would other dishwasher pods. Therefore, it is a no-brainer to make this switch as you continue to live more green.
The tablets barely smell, so do not expect a fresh or lemon scent.
Blueland is a Certified B Corporation, Climate Neutral Certified, Cradle to Cradle Certified, EPA Safer Choice, MADE SAFE, USDA Certified Bio Based, EWG Verified, and Leaping Bunny Certified (check out the article on certification labels you should get familiar with).
Worth It? Green Giraffe Rating = 5
Product review of Blueland dishwasher detergent.
5. Earthly Co. Reusable Paper Towels
Do you use paper towels like they are going out of style? These Earthly Co. reusable paper towels are a replacement for your paper paper towels. This is a great way to reduce your waste. They can be used for nearly anything you can think of, such as to clean up kitchen messes, as napkins, to dust, or as hand-drying towels in the bathroom.
When they are dirty, you can add them to your next load of laundry. Once clean, roll them back onto your paper towel holder for easy access. If you do not have a paper towel holder, you can fold them or even stuff them in a jar for people to grab (like tissues!). Also, consider adding one to your purse so you do not need paper napkins when you grab a snack or a meal while you are out and about. We use so much paper (and trees!), and this is such a great alternative to make a difference.
This is a purchase you should think twice about, however. Are you only buying these because they are cute and it's the sustainable thing to do? Or do you actually need more cloth items? You may have old shirts, tablecloths, or other items you could reuse as paper towels. This is something for you to consider before rushing to “live green.”
Earthly Co. is certified SHEowns.
Worth It? Green Giraffe Rating = 5
Product review of Earthly Co. reusable paper towels.
6. Ophilia 10 Pack Dishwasher Safe Reusable Food Storage Bags
The idea of reusable food storage bags is one of the best. It reduces a ton of waste from one-time-use bags. However, you need to determine how sustainable your purchase will be.
First, like the reusable paper towels, consider whether you already own something you can use for storage. You may have a cupboard full of containers with lids that can easily be used in place of plastic one-time-use bags. If you have nothing else, then your choice should be reusable over one-time use.
The second item to consider is the material the reusable bags are made from. Since the Ophilia bags are plastic, I do not recommend them. There are many alternatives to choose from that are made from silicone, which is the better choice (it lasts longer and is more ocean-friendly). So, while the Ophilia bags are a great sustainable purchase, it is not ideal. However, it is still better than one-time-use bags.
These and most reusable bags are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe. However, note since they are bag-shaped, they can be awkward in the dishwasher since you need to make sure they stay open. I may do more hand washing than dishwasher washing.
Ophilia is an unknown brand.
Worth It? Green Giraffe Rating = 3
Product review of Ophilia reusable food storage bags.
Here is a recommended alternative brand of reusable bags that is made of silicone.
Conclusion
If you learned only one thing about these sustainable product examples for the kitchen, I hope it is this: You need to consider whether you are buying new things unnecessarily or if these products are genuinely needed in your household. It is not a sustainable purchase if you already have other items that will fulfill the same need. Look around. Do you already have items not in use that can find another use in your life? If not, then definitely consider these eco friendly products!
Have you purchased items you thought were sustainable but later learned they were not? Teach us in the comments!
