Two materials. One verdict.
Side-by-side comparisons of the materials behind everyday products. Each piece weighs plastic per use, lifespan, end-of-life, and the honest trade-offs, then calls the winner.
Kitchen · StorageSilicone vs Plastic
Silicone wins on lifespan, heat tolerance, and lifetime plastic saved.
4,200g plastic saved / lifetime
Bathroom · Oral careBamboo vs Plastic Toothbrush
Bamboo wins, the handle returns to soil while a plastic stick persists for centuries.
1,700g plastic saved / lifetime
Hair · DailyShampoo Bar vs Bottle
The bar wins, one palm-sized solid replaces two to three plastic bottles.
3,400g plastic saved / lifetime
Period careMenstrual Cup vs Tampons
The cup wins, one silicone cup replaces an estimated 2,400 tampons over its life.
5,500g plastic saved / lifetime
On the go · HydrationReusable vs Disposable Bottle
Reusable wins, one stainless bottle ends a decade of PET.
7,300g plastic saved / lifetime
Kitchen · StorageBeeswax Wrap vs Cling Film
Beeswax wins on lifespan and end-of-life, cling film is single-use polyethylene.
1,900g plastic saved / lifetime
LaundryLaundry Sheets vs Liquid Detergent
Sheets win on packaging, but read the surfactant list.
2,400g plastic saved / lifetime
Bathroom · ShavingSafety Razor vs Disposable
Safety razor wins, one metal handle replaces a lifetime of plastic sticks.
2,800g plastic saved / lifetime
Kitchen · DrinksPods vs Ground
Ground coffee in a reusable filter wins. Pods add a permanent piece of packaging to every single cup.
5,400g plastic saved / lifetime
Kitchen · DrinksTea Bags vs Loose Leaf
Most standard tea bags are heat-sealed with polypropylene. Loose leaf removes both the plastic and the particles it sheds into the cup.
260g plastic saved / lifetime
Bathroom · CleaningWipes vs Cloth
No wipe is safely flushable. A washable cloth does the same job without adding plastic fibre to sewers and rivers.
3,600g plastic saved / lifetime
Baby · DailyDisposable vs Reusable Nappies
Reusables win clearly on waste and cost. On carbon the gap depends entirely on how you wash and dry them.
96,000g plastic saved / lifetime
Bathroom · SkincareCotton Pads vs Reusable
Reusable rounds pay for themselves in weeks and remove the plastic pack along with the pads.
480g plastic saved / lifetime
Drinks · DailyFilter Jug vs Bottled
A filter jug wins by a wide margin, even after counting every cartridge you will ever throw away.
8,700g plastic saved / lifetime
Kitchen · CleaningDish Bar vs Bottle
A solid dish block does the same work as several bottles, without shipping water in plastic.
1,500g plastic saved / lifetime
Kitchen · CleaningSponge vs Scrubber
Plastic sponges shed fibres straight down the drain as you scrub. A plant fibre brush does the job without that.
640g plastic saved / lifetime
Bathroom · DailyRefill vs Plastic Stick
A refillable or paper-tube deodorant removes a plastic applicator you throw away four to six times a year.
900g plastic saved / lifetime
On the go · EatingCutlery Kit vs Plastic
A pocket cutlery kit pays for itself in weeks and removes one of the most-littered plastics there is.
2,100g plastic saved / lifetime