My experience buying zero waste products online

Depending on where you are, it might be hard to find some zero waste products near you. You opt for buying online, but... are these delivered in a sustainable package?

I’ve been a huge fan of buying online in the past. Books, DVDs, homeware, clothes, food… you name it. But due to climate change and my minimalist lifestyle, I barely buy stuff these days. And I only buy products online when I have no other option. Otherwise, I prefer to go to a store here in Madrid. Even if it ends up being a bit more expensive (for my wallet, not the planet).

As I know a lot of people still buy most things online, I’ve decided to do a test. Order zero waste or sustainable products, only to see if the package matched the brands’ values.

Of all the things I’ve bought, there was only one that I could easily find in a store here in Madrid. All the others weren’t available at a physical location and that’s the reason that brought me into this experiment, in the first place. Also, all the items were bought using a discount code or under a special campaign. And by the way, does this impact the way that the items are dispatched?

Let’s find out! 

Solito’s beauty products

These were actually the first items that I’ve bought for this experiment. I am not familiar with the brand, but it belongs to Kriim Natural Cosmetics - a beauty care brand from Barcelona, whose newsletter I’ve subscribed a couple of months ago.

Solito is their solid and zero waste beauty brand. And even though Solito’s products immediately caught my attention (solid products, sustainable and plastic free), I haven’t bought these right away. 

The reason is simple: I prefer to support local stores and small business owners. However, after being constantly impacted by their ads on social media and being offered a code with 20% in this particular brand… I’ve decided to give it a try.

What have I bought? A shampoo bar, two soap bars (rosehip and shea butter), an anti-frizz conditioner and a konjac sponge. Besides the 20% discount on each product, the shipping was also free (yay!). 

The items were dispatched from Barcelona soon after the order was placed and didn’t took long to arrive. I dare say that I was really excited to receive this package. First, because I wanted to check the products. Second, I was really curious about how these have been shipped. Especially as they reducing environmental impact is their main goal. 

So… what’s the verdict? The products arrived in a biodegradable package: envelope, recycled cardboard box and crumpled pieces of the same material to fill the box and protect the products.

There was zero plastic in this package. Not even in the products. All packaged in minimalist biodegradable paper boxes, entirely plastic-free and that can easily have a second life if you decide to use these to store small items.

I am quite pleased with the experience and if I happen to like the products (I am still testing), I’ll have no problem to order these again and, especially, to recommend these.

Did it passed the test? Absolutely! 10/10

LeFrik’s package Photo: The Sustainablist

Lefrik laptop sleeve

First of all, I am a huge fan of this brand. They turn used plastic bottles into backpacks and other accessories. Plus, it’s a Spanish brand. Still relatively small (if you compare it with giants like Inditex) and driven by a nobel cause, which I clearly prefer to support these days.

Even though I am quite happy with my Handy backpack, every now and then I miss having a sleeve to carry my laptop. Especially when I travel and can’t take two backpacks with me. Disclaimer: I am a journalist and a solo traveler, so minimalism is key.

Out of all the products in this experiment, this was actually the only one that I could have purchased at a local store. As Lefrik has a beautiful store in one of my favourite Madrid neighbourhoods (it’s Malasaña, in case you’re wondering).

As I’ve had a previous positive experience with this brand, I wanted to check how they packaged the items that were sold online. Were these plastic free? Could we tell that they cared about sustainability?

I’ve ordered a laptop sleeve made out of used plastic bottles. Besides being totally aligned with my personal values, it was also on sale (14€, instead of 34,90€) and I had a 10% discount to use on my first online purchase. On top of that, the shipping was free. What more can I ask?

Unlike Solito’s products, the Lefrik sleeve took a big longer to arrive (the order was placed on the very same day). But it didn’t disappoint me at all. Inside the cardboard box there was nothing but the product itself and a cute (sustainable) postcard explaining how their products are made. As a way of reinforcing their brand’s message and commitment with sustainability.

Was this package entirely plastic-free? Well… not exactly. The shipping details were placed inside a plastic envelope, instead of written down on the box or printed on a sticker. I am not going to criticise Lefrik for this, as it might be a requirement from their delivery company. However, I would like to recommend them to explore other options available in the market.

How will I score it? 8,5/10

Wook, the main Portuguese online bookstore, still has a long road ahead when it comes to sustainability. Photo: The Sustainablist

Zero waste books

I am a bookworm. I love books for as long as I can remember, but being a solo traveler and an expat living in a shoebox apartment, I usually go for the ebook version. It’s cheaper, it doesn’t take any space, no paper or shipping needed… plus I can carry hundreds of books with me every time.

The only exception is when the book that I (really) want to read is not available for Kindle. And that was exactly what happened. 

Two of my main zero waste references in Portugal (Ana Milhazes and Eunice Maia) had their books published and I really wanted to read (and support) their work. As I can’t find Portuguese books in Madrid (especially something so niche like these) and I have no idea when my next trip to Lisbon will take place, I’ve seen Wook’s 20% discount in every book (new releases included) as the perfect opportunity to lay my hands on these beauties.

I was quite curious to see how a giant like Wook (it’s the most relevant online bookstore in Portugal) would handle two zero waste books. Would they be thoughtful? Are they packaging their products in a sustainable way? If not, would they do an exception in this case? As I am ordering two books that promote a sustainable (and plastic-free) lifestyle.

Well, they weren’t. Yes, the books arrived on a cardboard box but… they were covered by a plastic pillow. Yes, exactly what you’ve just read. A PLASTIC PILLOW!

Wook, what am I supposed to do with this? And what about the printed invoice? Couldn’t you just attached it to one of the e-mails you’ve sent me during the whole process? What about asking your customers if they want to receive such document with their order? Or, more important, if they want plastic in it? 

I am quite disappointed and as I don’t want to repeat such experience, I am definitely going to wait until my next trip to Portugal (whenever that will be) to purchase books from Portuguese authors I love and that aren’t available for Kindle.

How can I score this? 3/10 

The books arrived perfectly (and are even better that what I’ve imagined), no dents. And the shipping was quite fast, plus the box was made of paper. But I can’t get over the plastic pillow and the invoice.

If you want to take a glimpse at the whole unboxing experience, I’ve shared it on Instagram Stories. 

And by the way… have you had a similar experience while shopping zero waste items online? Feel free to drop a comment and share your experience.