What the Heck Is a Zero Waste Store (And Why We Started One in Escondido)

Hi, San Diego! We’re Vessel Refills, your friendly neighborhood zero waste shop with a lot of heart. If you’ve ever wondered what a zero waste store actually is—or why the heck someone would open one in Escondido—we got you.

Spoiler: It’s not just for "clean girl" minimalists with glass pantries and alphabetized spice racks. Zero waste is for everyone, and we’re here to make it a whole lot more accessible, affordable, and hopefully fun!

First things first: What is a zero waste store?

A zero waste store (also called a refill shop or low waste store) is a place where you can buy everyday essentials—like dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, deodorant, and more—without the single-use plastic packaging.

You bring your own containers (or grab some in-store), fill up on what you need, and pay by the ounce. That’s it.

No unnecessary plastic. No wasteful packaging. No judgment if your mason jar is actually an old pasta sauce container. (That’s resourceful as hell and we love you for it.)

Why it matters

Let’s get real: Our planet is drowning in plastic. Americans throw away over 500 million plastic shampoo bottles a year. Most of that stuff doesn’t get recycled—it ends up in landfills, incinerators, or floating in the ocean somewhere between a sad fish and a very confused turtle.

Zero waste shops like ours help reduce that waste at the source. By making it easy to refill and reuse what you already have, we cut down on single-use plastics, lower your carbon footprint, and make sustainability a lot less… overwhelming.

And when more of us make these small changes, they add up. Fast.

Why Escondido?

We started Vessel Refills because we saw a need—not just for eco-friendly options, but for a space that feels inclusive, approachable, and rooted in community.

There are very few refill shops in San Diego, and only one other shop in North County (and it's on the coast which is a looong drive for those of us in Escondido, San Marcos, Poway, Valley Center, Rancho Bernardo, and Carmel Mountain!)

We wanted to create a central, convenient place that feels like you belong. Where sustainability isn’t gatekept and you are priced out of planet-friendly options. Where we embrace the dark, the gritty, the messy and aren't afraid to roll up our sleeves – sustainability can be dirty work after all! (Ever tried composting or vermiculture?) 

So Vessel found its home in Downtown Esco at 157 S Orange St. Because our community deserves access to sustainable living, too.

What makes Vessel different?

Besides our affinity for horror movies, tattoos, and composting? A few things:

• We’re not about perfection. Forget the guilt, shame, or 42-step zero waste routines. We believe sustainability should feel good, not stressful.
• We’re radically inclusive. Vessel is queer and woman-owned, and we stand firmly for racial, gender, and economic justice. We welcome everyone with respect and no judgment.
• We keep it weird. Our vibe is more “witchy DIY potion bar” than sterile science lab. Our playlist is fire. Our merch is ethically sourced and emo-approved.
• We make it easy. Affordable refills, clearly labeled products, and friendly humans who will literally walk you through how it all works. There's no such thing as dumb questions here.

What can you refill?

Glad you asked. Here’s a small taste of what you can expect on our shelves:

• All-purpose cleaner
• Dish soap & automatic dishwasher powder
• Laundry detergent
• Shampoo, conditioner & body wash
• Lotion, facial toner & deodorant
• Toothpaste tabs & mouthwash
• And lots more coming soon... (Have a request? Let us know!!!)
• And we’ve got plenty of sustainable swaps too — like safety razors, bamboo toothbrushes, Swedish dishcloths, reusable paper towels, and menstrual products.

We’re also sourcing from local, woman-, queer-, and BIPOC-owned brands whenever possible. Because where your dollars go matters.

Don’t have fancy containers? No problem.

Seriously. You can bring whatever you’ve got. Clean spaghetti jar? Yes. Old lotion bottle? Yup. Reused takeout container? We love to see it.

And if you’re just starting out, we’ve got jars, bottles, and tins available in-store. We also host a community jar bin where you can grab donated containers for free—or leave some for others.

But wait—there’s more!

Vessel isn’t just a refill shop. It’s a space for community care, creativity, and learning.

We’ll be hosting workshops on things like:

• How to compost (and what to do with your compost!)
• Sustainable floral design
• Sewing & mending nights
• Making your own zero waste cleaning kits
• …and whatever else y’all want to learn or teach!

We’re also planning pop-ups with local makers, mutual aid drives, and monthly sustainability challenges to keep things spicy.

Ready to join the refill revolution?

We’d love to meet you. Whether you’re a hardcore eco-warrior or just refill-curious, Vessel is here to help you take the next step — with zero judgment. And be sure to give pets and tummy rubs to the shop dogs, Greta and Gus, when you're here!

Stop by, say hi, bring your weird little bottles and trinkets, and let’s build something beautiful together.

Because the world doesn’t need a handful of perfect environmentalists.
It needs a whole lot of imperfect ones, trying.

Refill, reuse, reanimate. Let’s go!