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We love July. As school is over, we start going away on holidays and get to enjoy the beautiful summer nights. July is so special that we want to bring you a special challenge. Our #PlasticisNasty campaign is a way for us to connect the Plastic Free July initiative. There is no better time to start creating a new habit now that we are relaxed. But the idea is that this change becomes a life-long one and we implement it in our daily routine when we are back from the holidays.

What is Plastic Free July?

Plastic Free July is a global initiative that inspires millions of people to contribute to the solution of plastic pollution, allowing us to work together to have cleaner streets, oceans, and communities.  In Goshopia we are launching the #PlasticIsNasty and every day during the whole month of July you will get tips to reduce plastic in our Instastories. Kind of like a challenge, and you are part of it too! Share the tips on your Instagram and send us pictures of you implementing them.

As you very well know, we have a personal battle with plastic. Our emailers are biodegradable and whenever we need to use plastic to ship our beautiful wares it is reused. We are the only retailers offering the Cora Ball and the Guppy Bag in the Middle East trying to stop microplastics to go down the drain to our oceans.

Not all plastics are equal. Some might be easy to recycle where you are, most are destined to reach the landfill and stay there for centuries. Our focus is on single-use plastics. They just don’t make sense. Straws? Bags? Cotton buds? Bottles? Cling Film? You use them for some minutes and yet they will not decompose in your lifetime. So, we have one question for you…

Will you participate in Plastic Free July by refusing to use single-use plastics?

Goshopia’s team 💕

The Fashion industry’s contribution to the plastic problem

We currently buy more clothes than ever before. Fast fashion relies on massive raw plastic production; as per research, 63 percent of the materials used for garments in 2015 were coming from plastic, with less than 3 percent being recycled material. Furthermore, more than half of fast-fashion clothing items are discarded within a year. Plastic additives like antioxidants, colors, and fire retardants are added to the raw microfibers during the manufacturing process, which is hazardous for workers and eventually for us.

All those synthetic fibers when under friction release fibers aka microplastics. When we are washing our clothes or when we are tumble drying them lots of those tiny microplastics are released into the water.  As the washing machine and the waste management systems can not filter them as they are very small, they end up traveling down the drain to our rivers or oceans. Fish and marine creatures get confused by their size and think the microplastics are food. They eat them and suffer hormone & digestive disruptions that end up killing them.

Fashion retailers have been reluctant to adopt recycled materials into their clothes,  the price being the key factor. Recycled fibers are not a perfect solution as they are weaker and tend to break more easily and shed more microfibers. The Cora Ball and the Guppy bag help catch those microplastics when washing our clothes so that we stop them before they reach the water bodies. But there is a lot of things we can do to stop plastic pollution. And so we have created a list – with one tip per day- as part of our #plasticisnasty campaign.

Let’s celebrate Plastic Free July!

With our 31 tips to avoid plastic because #PlasticIsNasty!

  1. Bring your own cloth bags to do the groceries.
  2. Don’t buy beverages bottles in plastic. Glass or cans are better. If you buy them in plastic, make sure you recycle them. Check Zeloop recycling program!
  3. Don’t get to-go coffee or drinks. Bring your own mug or ask for a ceramic, reusable cup.
  4. Go to the farmer’s market to purchase fresh fruits and veggies that are not packed.
  5. Try to buy in bulk and store your food in glass containers. If you purchase something bottled in glass, clean it and reuse it!
  6. Compost your food waste. It helps reduce your use of plastic trash bags and reduce CO2 emissions.
  7. Line small -not wet- trash bins with paper bags.
  8. Dont use disposable face masks. They are made out of plastic too! Check these gorgeous fabric masks instead!

How is the first week going so far?

  1. Don’t use plastic straws. Use paper ones or not use straws at all!
  2. Replace Ziploc with Stashers and Cling for Beewax wraps.
  3. Flu? Use cloth handkerchiefs, instead of paper ones.
  4. Better use baby bottles made of glass.
  5. Use stainless steel cups and bottles.
  6. Use cloth-based toys for your pets and kids. Think of selling or donating them once your child is not using them anymore.
  7. Buy cloth diapers.

Half month is gone already! Way to go!

  1. Use menstrual cups or period underwear.
  2. Use reusable containers for takeaway- and to shop in bulk.
  3. Lunchtime? Don’t use plastic cutlery or disposable plates. Use bamboo or proper ones!
  4. Use toothpaste in bars or pills.
  5. Avoid plastic hangers. There are other alternatives in wood or even cardboard. Same with chopping boards- avoid plastic!
  6. Do not use disposable razors. Use blade refills.
  7. Try to avoid frozen foods as they come in plastic. Fresh and local foods are so much better.

And the last tips of the month!!!

  1. Swap the plastic bottled shampoo and conditioner and use them in bars instead.
  2. Use a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic one.
  3. Avoid cotton swabs or buy the ones that have bamboo or paper sticks.
  4. Use the Cora Ball or the Guppy Bag to stop microplastic pollution.
  5. Use lotions that come in plastic-free containers. If not possible, check if they are recycled and recyclable.
  6. When you make an online purchase, request zero plastic shipping or accept that the plastic used is reused or recycled.
  7. Use Shower curtains that are PVC-free. Avoid Vynil as it can not be recycled.
  8. Pick recycled furniture for your home.
  9. Mend your shoes and your clothes until really truly ready to go.
  10. Wear clothes made from eco-friendly materials… as ours! 😉

If you noticed, all the tips go around the need to Shop Consciously to reduce Plastic in the different areas of your life. So be creative and tell us what other tips and tricks you use to avoid using plastic. We will be adding them to this article!

Happy Plastic Free July!


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