5 ways to refuse single use plastic for Plastic Free July

This month, we're celebrating Plastic Free July!

Plastic Free July is a global movement to inspire and educate people all over the world to reduce and refuse everyday single-use plastic at home, work, school and even at your local café. This year's theme is "Turn the Tide" and it focuses on the huge impact that collective action can have. Making small changes is simpler than it seems! Whether you're swapping everyday products with reusable alternatives or leaving plastic out of your shopping trolley, small individual actions can amount to huge change.

Head over to the Plastic Free July campaign website and take the challenge today. You might be surprised about how many products you use on a daily basis contain plastic without you even thinking about it.

We've pulled together 5 ways you can reduce plastic for yourself and your baby. Let us know if you have any other ideas!

Toys

So many of our children's favourite toys are made from plastic. For the ones you can't avoid (because hey, sometimes kids just want those brightly coloured, noisy ones!) try sourcing second-hand from Facebook marketplace and charity shops or speak to your friends about rotating toys between you on a regular basis, which has the added benefit of less clutter and regular new toys! Just make sure you clean them first with baby-friendly antibacterial surface wipes which are effective against germs but kind to baby skin.

For new toys, look out for wooden options. You can get everything from baby rattles, shape sorters, building blocks, trains, doctors kit, pretend food, the list is endless. Not only do they look nice, but natural wooden toys are great for sensory development and learning about the world around them, as baby discovers and explores through touch, sight, smell and putting things in their mouth. Wood gently heats up and retains warmth as they play and has a natural smell and taste, as well as sound when banged together. They're great for teething babies, have natural antibacterial properties and the bigger pieces often have a good resell value as they last well.

Check your wipes

Wipes are super easy and convenient for not only changing your baby, but also cleaning your home, removing make up and sanitising when on the go. But many of the big brands contain plastic in the fibres, which take hundreds of years to breakdown after you've thrown it away. Thankfully lots of biodegradable wipes are now entering the market. Our biodegradable* baby wipes have always been 0% plastic from the start and now the packaging is recyclable too. Look out for biodegradable options in face wipes and cleaning wipes.

Plates, cups and bottles

Invest in a good, thermal aluminium water bottle for both you and your children that lasts and take it wherever you go so you don't need to buy a plastic water bottle that's used once and thrown away. Eco brand Klean Klanteen have stainless steal baby bottles for milk and and water bottles that transition with your child as they grow. You buy the bottle once and then switch the lid from a sippy lid to sports cap to an open screw top. They also have range of lightweight, aluminium containers for on the go food and snack storage.

There's lots of lovely bamboo plates and bowls with added suction that stick to the highchair (so no more throwing it on the floor!) They last for ages and so can be passed on to younger children and friends when you have outgrown them.

Reusable straws

Billions of plastic straws are thrown away every year.  So if your little one loves a straw, invest in an aluminium or silicone one that can be used over and over again. Buy a few so you always have some in your bag when out and for when they have their friends over.

Cleanse your beauty routine

Many of the products we use in our bathroom come in plastic packaging, like our toothbrush and shampoo bottles. See the plastic free beauty blog we wrote a few weeks ago for easy swapping tips and eco friendly brands we love that are plastic free, including our new natural skincare range for mums.

What changes will you be making? Let us know below.

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*Wipes are compostable according to European Standards EN13432 and are certified by TÜV Austria as OK compost Home.