If you haven’t been living under a rock, then you might have heard that our planet is in a pretty bad shape. Global warming, climate change, pollution – these are big words and big issues that may seem like an individual like you and me cannot help to solve. But the truth is every small thing we do that is eco-friendly can go a long way.
Being environment-friendly or eco-friendly simply means doing things in a way that do not harm the environment. That doesn’t sound too difficult right? We can start by doing small things such as separating our trash to make recycling easier and shop from places that support the same cause.
Get started on your eco-friendly journey – check out these 7 establishments where you can shop for daily necessities such as household items and beauty and hygiene products!
1. NUDE The Zero Waste Store
An easy way to be eco-friendly is to simply reduce the amount of waste we produce. For example, single use plastic packaging! We managed to stop using plastic bags for the past few years but there are still a lot of products in our daily lives that come in harmful packaging.
NUDE The Zero Waste Store was founded with the hope that it would make it easier for people to transition to a zero-waste lifestyle. All products at the store can be sold package-free, you just have to bring your own containers and bags that are used to carry whatever you want to buy.
They offer a wide range of products which you can check out here: https://nudezerowaste.com/products/ before you head to the store for your shopping spree. From foods, goods to moods, you can pretty much find everything you need for your home, self and even pet at NUDE.
Links: Website, Facebook, Instagram
2. Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB)
Just as the name suggests, you have to bring your own bottle when you visit one of the many outlets they have all over Malaysia. BYOB is a concept detergent store that aims to promote the 3R concept (reuse, recycle and reduce). Founded back in 2011 before being eco-friendly was even cool, they have also won several prestigious awards for the work they’ve been doing.
Their mission is to educate the general population about the dangers of plastic pollution and how we need to stop treating plastic bottles as rubbish. This is because plastic bottles can’t really be recycled. Instead, it is downcycled which is a process of turning the plastic bottles into lower grade plastic products. This process involves additional carbon footprint which not helping the cause.
The most effective way is to reuse the plastic bottles we have! Don’t throw your used plastic bottles away, just bring them to the nearest BYOB store the next time you need a refill on laundry detergent, floor cleaner or dishwashing liquid. Not only do you get to play your part in saving Mother Nature, but you can also save some money when you buy from BYOB. Check out other products they have on their shelves here: https://www.byob.com.my/products/.
3. EcoCoco
Did you know that coconut oil is good for cleaning? Due to coconut oil’s strong antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal abilities, it’s not only effective to be used to clean the house but it can also protect your skin at the same time. Brilliant news as this means that it’s safe for children and pregnant women to use as well.
Most importantly, the chemical content in green cleaning products such as those by EcoCoco are biodegradable. They also use natural essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances in their cleaning products. Coconut oil extract and essential oil are the raw materials of EcoCoco household products which means you do not have to worry about causing health problems which are usually associated with toxic chemicals in non-green cleaning products.
Locally and proudly produced in Malaysia, they currently have a few products on sale – eucalyptus laundry liquid, orange peel dish drops, lemongrass floor cleaner, and eucalyptus hand wash are a few of them. They are not that widely known yet but they are definitely worth checking out!
4. LAVE Republic
When I first heard of a shampoo bar, I must admit I was a little surprised because it never occurred to me that shampoo could come in a form other than liquid. Although I have yet to give shampoo bars a try, the main reason anyone should consider changing to a shampoo bar is because they’re eco-friendly.
Shampoo bars are sustainable because they are zero waste. They are also completely biodegradable, and they contain fewer harmful chemicals that can pollute the environment. Not only that, but they are also easier on the wallet and last six times longer. All in all, using a shampoo bar sound like the perfect way to be eco-friendly.
And you can find them and more at LAVE Republic! Founded by 4 friends who believes in helping busy people do the right thing, they decided to use their strength and knowledge in this field to embark on this journey of feeling good and doing good. Find a wide range of soaps, shampoo bars, body butters and body scrubs at LAVE Republic for your daily use.
Links: Website, Facebook, Instagram
5. Hygr
Pronounced ‘hai-grr’, HYGR is a proud local brand that focuses on the importance of nature. Using 100% natural and high-quality ingredients in their products, they aim to be an eco-conscious brand, and this shows as their products come in all-paper packaging. Having started their business before the pandemic hit us, they went viral on one of their TikTok videos in the middle of last year and started getting more attention. I admit that is how I found out about them too!
Ever since, I’ve been intrigued, and I finally decided to get my hands on their tinted lip balm. I’m very excited to try it out as my lips tend to get dry easily. I personally liked that they also work on finding the perfect colour to match Asian complexions as this is something that most brands forget about. Other than lip balms, they also sell natural deodorants that are aluminium free, paraben free, baking soda free and fragrance free.
#supportlokal and support the environment when you buy from Hygr!
Links: Website, Facebook, Instagram, Shopee
6. Palmy
Looking for a unique gift that is eco-friendly as well? Look no further than Palmy – a lifestyle brand that specialises in handcrafted paper and textile goods that are made from agricultural waste! Bet you didn’t know that agricultural waste such as pineapple leaves, banana, stems and bamboo shoots can be used to make beautiful notebooks, planners, calendars, keychains and more. They are also selling a pineapple paper making kit which sounds like a fun way to introduce the concept of being environmental-friendly to the younger generation.
A casual scroll through their website and social media already shows how passionate and committed they are to making a positive impact towards the environment and also the society around them. Taking the word ‘local’ seriously, they do not outsource many of the raw material nor workers from outside of Malaysia. Additionally, having the production take place in Malaysia means that they can reduce their carbon footprint and ensure a greener supply chain.
Links: Website, Facebook, Instagram
7. Bloody Goodshop
Raise your hand if you have heard of menstrual cups but you are afraid of using them – don’t worry, I’m raising my hand along with you. Truth be told, I am a little apprehensive to use them despite hearing many good things about them. And one of those good things are that menstrual cups are more sustainable and eco-friendlier compared to sanitary pads and tampons. Not to mention, much more affordable because one cup can last up to 10 years!
If you have been on the fence and you don’t know where to start, the Bloody Good Starter Kit has everything you need to start using a menstrual cup. The kit contains a menstrual cup of your choice, a mini pot that can be used to sterilise the cup and K-Y Jelly lubricant for easy insertion. Not sure which menstrual cup to use? Just head on over to their website and look for the Cup Quiz. It contains a few questions that will help determine which one is the most suitable for your usage.
Links: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Hope this list would help you take that first step in living an eco-friendly life!
