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You might not realise it, but humans produce a huge amount of waste due to their bathroom routines. In the United States alone, over 2 billion disposable plastic razors are thrown out annually, contributing to alarming amounts of landfill waste and plastic pollution in our oceans. By switching to using a safety razor, tonnes of plastic waste can be eliminated from your grooming regimen.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that we produce 1 million pounds of plastic waste from disposable shavers every year, enough to wrap around the earth from one end to another 6 times over. The bulk of the plastic coating these multi-blade cartridge razors are non-recyclable and non-biodegradable, which ends up polluting our land and seas.
What can we do to reduce the environmental impact of our bathroom routine? Ditch the disposable razor and choose a safety one instead. Metal safety razors are reusable and have been dubbed “lifetime” razors. Typically made out of steel or a chromed zinc alloy, some have claimed that the same safety razor can be used for over 100 years.
The tried-and-true tool isn’t just better for the environment, it’s a boon for your skin, too. Shaving with a safety razor – which has only one blade – exposes the skin to one blade each time you go over. This reduces skin irritation, shaving bumps and ingrown hairs, all common issues associated with using electric or disposable multi-blade cartridge razors.
Zero-waste safety razors offer a bang for your buck as well. Instead of having to spend endlessly on a supply of razor blades, a continually reusable safety razor eliminates the need to top up.
While some companies are currently developing new ways to tackle plastic waste from disposable razors, such as Global Strategic Alliance’s (GSA HK) innovative bamboo disposable razor concept, the safety razor remains the original zero-waste tool to achieve an eco-friendly shaving regimen.
“Sustainable, beautiful and functional First of all I loved that the shipment was 100% non plastic. The razor itself is beautiful and high quality. So happy to throw away my Gillette disposable! Every woman should own a Baraya razor. Soap felt awesome too by the way.” Kind review from Maiken M. 💚 #zerowaste #minimalism #goingzerowaste #plasticfree #ecofriendly #gogreen #sustainable #sustainableliving #mindfulliving #safetyrazor #zerowastebeauty #naturalbeauty #cleanbeauty #veganbeauty #greenbeauty #beauty #buylesschoosewell #consciousconsumer #zerodechet #nowaste #trashisfortossers #ecobrand #consciousliving #sustainableliving #cleanliving #lowimpactmovement #ditchtheplastic #sustainablebeauty #madetomatter #madetolast
A post shared by b a r e a y a • (@bareaya.life) on Jul 1, 2019 at 6:16am PDT
Not only are their designs oh-so-gorgeous (we’ll take the rose gold please), Bareaya razors have been designed especially for ladies, with a longer handle and the head angle made for a closer shave. We love!
Another great option, which is very gentleman-friendly is the Double-Edge Safety Razor by Albatross, available at Live Zero HK.
Lead image courtesy of Bareaya.
Sally Ho is Green Queen's resident writer and lead reporter. Passionate about the environment, social issues and health, she is always looking into the latest climate stories in Hong Kong and beyond. A long-time vegan, she also hopes to promote healthy and plant-based lifestyle choices in Asia. Sally has a background in Politics and International Relations from her studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
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