These local businesses are all about stylish supplies for sustainable living in Singapore. Time to put together your zero-waste kit!
You know by now that we’re making a commitment to cut out the plastic crap, and this goes well beyond #PlasticFreeJuly. If you’re curious about sustainable living, consider gathering your own little zero-waste kit. Here’s where we pick up our faves, from reusable cutlery, straws and bags for daily use to plastic-free beauty essentials we take on our travels! Don’t forget to check out the goodies for your home, because going zero-waste in Singapore can be pretty damn stylish.
Best shops in Singapore for zero-waste goods
1. The Social Space
After deciding to go zero-waste, this is the first place you should hit up. The Social Space is a multi-concept store featuring a cafe, a nail salon, and a retail area that stocks eco-friendly products. Get your reusable bags, food wraps, foldable cups, and other zero-waste essentials here. You can also refill your household and personal care products. Be sure to sign up for its events if you want to learn more about living sustainably in Singapore.
Fave buy: The safety razor, which comes with 10 blades. Single-use plastic and ingrown hairs? We don’t know them anymore.
The Social Space, multiple locations including Kreta Ayer and Duo Galleria
2. The Sustainability Project
If you haven’t stalked The Sustainability Project, you’d better follow this store on Insta, stat. We can’t resist the beautiful glass coffee cups by Sol, as well as beeswax food wraps, vegan soap and shampoo bars, and cotton fabric snack bags. Check out the stainless steel bento boxes with matching tumblers – the perfect size for your iced coffee or lime juice from the hawker centre.
Fave buy: The adjustable waterproof bowl covers by Marley’s Monsters. We’re totally into our cactus print bowl cover, which we use over and over again. Farewell, cling wrap.
The Sustainability Project, available online and at multiple locations including Refash and Botany
3. My Naked Bar
Let’s make shower time fun and fancy! My Naked Bar aims to eradicate adverse effects on the environment with soaps that take good care of our skin. Check out the awesome array of soaps for various occasions – you’ll be spoilt for choice. From facial soap bars to bars that are baby-friendly, there’s no stone (or soap bar) left unturned. Iconic fragrances like lavender oatmeal, macchiato scrub and bubble gum ripple will have you smelling like a million dollars.
Fave buy: The Vanilla Cocoa Swirl is definitely on our list as it’s perfect for sensitive skin. Talk about inclusivity!
My Naked Bar, available online and pop up stores at multiple locations including Funan
4. The Clean Attempt
Sisters Angeline and Jacqueline run The Clean Attempt on top of their day jobs, and we’re bowing down to their commitment to creating this compact but clever collection of zero-waste goodies in Singapore. We’re talking about a microfibre cloth to remove makeup using just water, tooth powder made with bentonite clay, a fantastic solid shampoo and a lotion bar. Check out the Upstanding Toothbrush – the most stylish bamboo toothbrush we’ve seen so far – and beautiful beeswax wraps too. Pick up one of the beeswax mending bars while you’re at it so you can keep your wraps in tip-top shape.
Fave buy: The super nourishing lotion bar, which is made in a kueh mould (yes, we like our low-waste beauty goodies to look gorgeous) and comes in a reusable tin that’s perfect for travel.
The Clean Attempt, follow The Clean Attempt on Instagram to find the next pop-up and pick up sweet tips on low-waste living
5. Zhai Eco Collection
Having an outstanding track record of sustainability, Zhai Eco Collection provides a plethora of zero-waste lifestyle products. Check out the collapsible coffee cups, lunch boxes and bowl covers that make convenience their priority. Other items like air purifiers and stainless steel straws and mugs are definite must-buys.
Fave buy: We love the adorable food wraps that make storing leftovers easy-peasy!
Zhai Eco Collection, available online and at The Green Collective pop-up store
6. Trove of Gaia
You might know Trove of Gaia’s founder, June Fong, as beauty blogger JuneduJour. But we’re particularly loving the work she does with her foray into sustainable lifestyle essentials. There are reusable straws, of course, but have you ever seen one in pink glass? Go ahead and browse the online store for goodies like lunch and snack bags, handmade soaps, and reusable make-up remover pads.
Fave buy: The super lightweight three-piece reusable cutlery kit that comes in its own box to keep things neat. Bonus points for pastel colours! Plus, the cutlery and chopsticks are made from wheat, so you can take them on a plane with you.
Trove of Gaia, visit the showroom at #08-12, 158 Kallang Way, Singapore 349245
7. Your Sustainable Store
We’re all for living a zero-waste life in Singapore. But truth be told, it can put a damper on our wallets. So imagine how excited we were after stumbling upon Your Sustainable Store! Founded by Dawn Chen, this online retail space has an amazing curation of brands from around the globe such as Ever Eco, Jangneus, No Tox Life, The Clean Attempt and Beego Handmade in the mix. Get your stylish (yet affordable) bamboo cutlery and brushes, beeswax wrap, reusable produce bags and sustainable beauty buys right here.
Fave buy: Are you a takeaway king or queen? Ditch the tacky red plastic bag and get your meal in a waterproof food bag with the most adorable prints.
Your Sustainable Store, available online
8. Bamboo Straw Girl
One of the first to bring reusable bamboo straws to Singapore, Melissa Lam of Bamboo Straw Girl now stocks this eco-essential in every size and length. Check out her online store or visit The Green Collective to find her bamboo and stainless steel thermos and cutlery kits. She also makes produce bags out of beeswax and cotton fabric, which we use to load up on pasta and noodles at zero-waste grocery stores. Snap them up ‘cos they sell out quickly!
Fave buy: We especially love the stainless steel thermos as it’s swanky and durable for cold smoothies or hot tea.
Bamboo Straw Girl, also available at The Green Collective
9. The Green Collective
We’re over the moon ‘cos The Green Collective has an amazing permanent space at Funan. We can’t resist going in every time we pass by! Pick up zero-waste essentials including cutlery kits, colourful masks (perfect, given the current Covid climate) and divine handmade manuka soaps. While you’re there, check out the range of sustainable fashion and accessories, too.
Fave buy: What can we say? We’re regulars! We find something we love every time we visit.
The Green Collective, #02-18, Funan, 107 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179105
With this list of cool, sustainable alternatives, there’s no reason not to go green!
