Updated July 2024. All prices listed below are accurate as of July 23, 2024 and are subject to change.
What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic Free July® is “a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution.” Throughout the month of July, participants around the world are challenged to refuse single-use plastics. Since the challenge started in 2011, over 140 million people across 190 countries have participated, demonstrating how small personal changes can have a massive global impact.
Plastic Free July® is also a program of the Plastic Free Foundation that provides resources, ideas, and inspiration for participants. It also organizes events and reports on the impact of the campaign.
How can I participate in Plastic Free July?
This year’s theme is Small Steps, Big Difference, which highlights the importance of lifestyle changes like switching to reusable cups, avoiding plastic packaging, and using reusable bags at the store. The idea is that starting with one change will help participants discover more and more ways to avoid single-use plastic at home, school, and work. In other words, it’s the first step in a greater journey toward a plastic-free future!
Plastic Free July® recommends these steps to get started:
- Take the challenge by signing up online to get tips, tricks, and stories from other participants
- Take the Pesky Plastics Quiz to discover common household plastics you can avoid
- Explore ideas and commit to your first step
31 days of plastic-free choices
Another way to participate in Plastic Free July® is through daily challenges. Check out this calendar for 31 Days of Plastic Free Choices and see how many you can do. We can even help you out with some of them!
Source: Plastic Free July - 31 Days of Plastic Free Choices for 2024
Another way to participate in Plastic Free July® is through daily challenges. Check out this calendar for 31 Days of Plastic Free Choices and see how many you can do. We can even help you out with some of them!
Here are our favorite plastic-free cleaning ideas:
July 10 – Swapping bottled soaps for bars (and powders)
Bar soap is a great alternative to bottled liquid products, and it isn’t just limited to personal care soap. Solid soap bars are effective for washing dishes and removing stains. Dissolvable soap tablets also make great refill options for cleaning spray and hand soap.
Our solid Dish Soap bar is a plastic-free, hassle-free way to clean your dishes. Just keep the bar near your sink and rub a wet sponge, brush, or cloth over it to work up a rich lather. Scrub your dirty dishes, rinse them thoroughly, and repeat. Choose between a recyclable, compostable paperboard box or completely package-free!
Refill any foaming soap dispenser with our Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablets. Just dissolve one tablet in warm water for a rich, lathering soap that cleans your hands without drying your skin. At just $10.99 for a 6-pack, it’s also a cost savings compared to liquid hand soaps.
Also, try our Bath & Body Soap Bar. This vegan soap is made from organic coconut and sunflower oils and is available unscented or scented with organic essential oils. It comes in your choice of a recyclable, compostable paperboard box or completely package-free!
Powder is also a great alternative to bottled liquid products, especially when it comes to laundry. Our Laundry Powder is made from vegetable soap, baking soda, and washing soda. Think of it like liquid detergent with the water taken out, but made with plant-based soap instead of petroleum-based detergents and additives. It comes in a paper-and-steel canister or in low-waste refills that you can use with the canister or your own container.
July 11 – Choose plastic-free packaging
Did you know that all our packaging is designed to reduce waste? We start by making ultra-concentrated powders and solid soaps that eliminate the need for unnecessary plastic like single-use plastic bottles, hidden liners, and PVA pods and sheets. All our products are single-use plastic-free and most are completely plastic-free! Even better, our products weigh less and take up less space than their liquid counterparts, and many of them come in refillable containers.
July 14 – Shopping in bulk food stores
There are many benefits to shopping in bulk stores. You can buy only what you will actually use, reduce packaging waste, and support small businesses. Many bulk stores carry more than just food, including household products like cleaning supplies. We partner with bulk, refill, and zero-waste stores across the United States to give you more ways to stock up on our products.
Find a list of stores that carry our products.
July 17 – Making household cleaners
Many household items like vinegar, baking soda, and lemons are effective, affordable, and eco-friendly home cleaners. There are also a ton of resources online to learn how to make your own soap and cleaning products. We think these are great options for safer, plastic-free cleaning products, but we also know that the DIY approach isn’t for everyone.
That’s where our products come in. Our founder Kate got started making soap and laundry powder in her apartment. Since then we’ve grown a lot and our processes have improved, but our product design principles have remained the same. We’re committed to making people- and planet-friendly products that work without relying on harsh chemicals or plastic waste. All our products are made with safer ingredients and sustainable packaging so you can get the benefits of homemade cleaners without the added time and effort.
July 19 – Reducing plastic in the bathroom
Single-use plastic is everywhere in the products we use in the bathroom every day. Bathroom cleaners, cosmetics, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, floss, and more frequently come packaged in plastic containers. Most toothbrushes and shower curtain liners are made of plastic, and paper goods like toilet paper and paper towels usually come wrapped in plastic.
We can help you cut down on disposable plastic when it comes to the cleaning and personal care products in your bathroom.
Our All-Purpose Home Cleaner and Gentle Home Cleaning Scrub are effective, single-use plastic-free bathroom cleaners. Use the cleaning scrub for tough stains like soap scum, mildew, and hard water stains on your sink, tub, toilet, tiles, and grout. The all-purpose spray can tackle everything else, like countertops, shelves, and mirrors.
Try our Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablets for washing hands and our Bath & Body Soap Bars for full-body cleaning in the shower.
More from Plastic Free July®
- Take the Plastic Free July Challenge
- Take the Pesky Plastics Quiz
- What You Can Do: Tips to Reduce Plastic Waste
- Find Events Near You