Plastic-Free July: What’s one swap you san make (and actually sustain)?
Plastic-Free July isn’t about being perfect. It’s not about overhauling your entire food storage system overnight, or breaking up with plastic forever in a dramatic zero-waste spiral.
The goal of Plastic-Free July is to choose one thing you can change this month. One small, realistic swap you can make this month – and keep making long after July’s over.
Vessel Refills is about that kind of change! We’re all about meeting you where you are and encouraging you to use what you have first. We love when people make swaps, of course! But for change to be effective and adoptable, it has to feel doable, not daunting.
So what is Plastic-Free July?
It’s a global movement that invites people to reduce their plastic use for the month of July. That could mean skipping the plastic straw, refilling your soap, switching to a bamboo toothbrush, or finally retiring the cling wrap you kinda hate anyway.
But the key isn’t going zero-waste overnight, it’s picking one swap you feel good about, making it part of your routine, and keeping it going beyond the 31st.
Because the point of Plastic-Free July isn’t a perfect month. It’s a permanent shift, one habit at a time.
What kind of swaps are we talking about?
We’re so glad you asked. We are always happy to provide some low-effort, high-impact swaps you can make (and yes, you’ll find them all at Vessel):
🪥 Swap your plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one.
It’s the easiest upgrade in the game – Our bamboo toothbrushes are gentler on your mouth, compostable handle, castor oil bristles, and no plastic packaging.
🧼 Try a plastic-free deodorant.
Ours come in compostable tubes or opt for a fully nekkid (unpackaged) deo cube! They’re effective, smell amazing, and don’t leave you (or the planet) in a sticky situation. (And no, from our testing, they don’t stain your clothes! But if you notice residue, that’s nothing our unpackaged stain stick can’t handle. 😉)
🐝 Replace cling wrap with Bee’s Wrap.
Beeswrap is reusable, washable, and way more charming than that tangled plastic you wrestle with every time you make a sandwich. We even have some vegan plant-based, beeswax-free wrap options!
💧Use silicone lids instead of single-use plastic film.
They're stretchy, durable, dishwasher-safe, and basically immortal. You'll wonder why you didn’t switch sooner. We have stretchy silicone lids in a variety of sizes to fit most bake wear and common dishes.
🫙 Refill something you use every day.
Dish soap, shampoo, or laundry detergent – whatever runs out next, refill it instead of replacing it. We’ll walk you through it. Or you can read up on this blog on how to shop at a refill store.
🧻 Swap to UNPaper Towels or reusable dish cloths.
UNPaper Towels and sponge cloths clean better, dry faster, and look oh-so-cute on your counter. Plus, they’re machine washable so they’re easy to add into your normal laundry routine!
But what if I mess up?
You will. We all do.
Plastic sneaks in. Life happens. That’s not failure, it’s just… living in the real world! What matters is that you keep showing up and trying.
It’s not like you just rented out a whole city for your wedding and flew celebrities in from out of town in multiple private jets. (Who said that??)
Even one small change, done consistently, makes a difference. If everyone who reads this blog switched just one product this month, that’s hundreds of plastic tubes, wraps, bottles, and brushes that don’t end up in a landfill. Not me assuming hundreds of people will read this, but here’s to hoping… Is that what we call manifesting?
That’s the magic of Plastic-Free July: you only need to do one thing.
Lola Young? Is that you? One Thing plays softly in the distance
Need help choosing your swap?
That’s what we’re here for. At Vessel Refills, we’ll help you figure out which swap makes the most sense for your lifestyle. Maybe it’s switching out your dish soap. Maybe it’s finally finding a deodorant that doesn’t come wrapped in plastic and false promises. Maybe it’s just grabbing a silicone lid so your leftovers stop drying out in the fridge.
Whatever it is, it counts. You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be willing to try. And we are happy to help you think through your next sustainable swap. 😊
TL;DR – One Swap Is Enough
Plastic-Free July isn’t about being perfect. It’s about picking one plastic-free swap, making it part of your routine, and keeping it going.
Because real change doesn’t happen in a month. It happens in the small, everyday choices we decide to keep making. That’s the snowball effect! Little changes add up.
So, tell us, what’s your one swap?
Not sure? Still feeling overwhelmed? Come into Vessel this month. Let’s figure it out together. We’ve got the supplies, the ingenuity, and the jars waiting for you.