Alternatives

There are a bunch of brands that are known to use microplastics in their products. When we dispose of these products, they can enter our seas and oceans many different ways, like from leaking into groundwater from landfills and getting caught in rainwater runoff. It’s important to avoid buying products from these brands as much as we can. To make this switch easier, here is a list of brands to avoid!

Brands to Avoid:

  • Nivea
  • Colgate
  • La Roche-Posay
  • St Ives
  • Botanicals
  • Clorox (Burt’s Bees)
  • Dr. Hauschka
  • Palmer’s
  • Dove
  • Waitrose
  • Weleda

Because you’re avoiding these brands, you’re going to need to buy from different ones that have similar products and similar prices. Here’s a list of brands that do not use microplastics in their products and are safe to buy from! Choose to support these brands instead!

Alternative Brands to Buy From:

  • Avon
  • Christian Dior
  • Estée Lauder 
    • Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Darphin, etc.
  • Johnson & Johnson 
    • Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Neutrogena
  • Proctor and Gamble
    • Crest, Gillette, Olay
  • Bath & Body works
  • Clarins
  • L’Oréal
    • Garnier
  • Supre
    • Hempz

Avoiding Single-Use Plastic

We understand that the list can be overwhelming, so as a general guideline for which products to avoid, make sure that you are avoiding single-use plastics.

  • SINGLE-USE PLASTICS!
    • These plastics decompose in bodies of water and can release thousands of microplastics
    • Reducing our use of these and cleaning them up when we see them can really help us reduce microplastic pollution
    • Examples: single-use water bottles, plastic grocery bags, ziploc bags

Luckily, we have provided some alternatives to single-use plastic products and some other products that are more eco-friendly!

Alternative Products

Instead of plastic water bottles, choose to use reusable water bottles!

Instead of plastic grocery bags, choose to use reusable grocery bags!

Instead of clothing made with synthetic materials (like nylon, polyester or spandex), choose to use clothing made with natural materials (like cotton, flax, or wool)!

Instead of plastic straws, choose to use reusable or paper straws