ZERO WASTE SWAPS// Do You Really Need It?

This photo is a deconstructed safety razor by Keep Well Kept. The blade goes between the two pieces and screws onto the handle.

Shaving was something I always did. I never considered not doing it. Only now, am I playing with/unpacking what these choices mean. Using a razor is a choice. It’s not something I have to use. Decisions about how/what we use, have meaning and implications. 

I believe that “zero waste” or plastic-free swaps (using reusable products in place of disposable plastic items) are best first filtered through the lens of Minimalism. I believe that by getting curious about why we use certain objects, we can investigate whether they’re something we actually need/use, or just a thing that systems of culture sold to us. And if we decide that we don’t need something, then we probably also don’t need the “eco” version. 

There are many “swaps” that are free or easy: making coffee/tea at home instead of in single-use cups, a shampoo bar, reusable mask, reusing takeout containers, using a kitchen fork instead of buying a “reusable” one etc. For a while I didn't use beeswax wraps (which can be the "swap" for plastic-wrap, tin-foil, ziploc bags) because I decided I didn't need them at all. 

However, the Diva Cup is an example of a swap I did make. Investing in a reusable menstrual cup, eliminated period products for me, and I have not bought a single product in over four years. While not all low-waste swaps, such as this, work for everyone; it is significant to mention, not only because of how much waste it’s eliminated, but also the financial savings of no longer buying these products.

The safety razor, featured in this post is one of my high-end swaps. Until making this switch, I didn’t think it would make a big difference (it does). While I am shaving less than before, I still shave if I want to. When I do, and as I continue to unpack this choice, I'm grateful that the tool used aligns with my environmental and design ethics. The energy around this object feels clear, intentional from start to finish; through both the now-conscious decision to use it, and the materiality of it as a physical object (beautiful and made to last).

The December post “The Safety Razor: Keep Well Kept” has more on this razor and on using up what you have first.