We’re sure all the online shopping everyone has been doing during the pandemic doesn’t help either. While some people might have the mindset of this being ‘no big deal’ or ‘just recycle lah’, zero-waste stores make it easy for you to do your part for the planet.
Zero-waste stores may still be a relatively new concept in the country, but the premise is simple: bring your own cloth or reusable containers to bring home food or household supplies.
These sustainable shops sell a range of items including hair products, grains, cereal, and coconut oil. There are tonnes of zero-waste stores across the Klang Valley such as the Null Zero Waste Factory in KL and Nude the Zero Waste Store in PJ.
Do your bit and you’ll find that a little goes a long way! Besides doing your part for the environment, here are several reasons to change up your shopping habits:
Save Money
With prices for products soaring nationwide, it’s a good idea to save wherever you can. Stock up on things like cloth pads and steel straws that are reusable and can be washed multiple times so you don’t have to keep repurchasing!
For instance, a 24cm Waterproof Light Day Cloth Pad is sold for RM19.90 at the Seedy Zero Waste Store and can be used for 18 months to 2 years if washed and cared for properly.
Facebook: Seedy Zero Waste Store
Address: 9-1 (Ground Floor), Jalan Anggerik Vanilla 31/93, Kota Kemuning 40460 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Cut Down on Food Wastage
At regular supermarkets, food such as pasta and spices come in boxes and bottles although you may only need small amounts for a specific recipe.
This is also great for single people who struggle with having to eat the same thing multiple times. At these stores, buy the exact amount you need to cook as you can choose the weight you need and fill it up for yourself in your container. For example, at the Go Bulk store, dry noodles and pasta is sold in bulk at RM2.00 to RM3.80 for 100g. Their range includes organic whole wheat penne and purple sweet potato ramen.
Facebook: Go Bulk Store
Address: E2-04-03, Tamarind Square, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyber 10, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor
Cutting Down on Toxic Products
Unless you’re scrutinising every label of every product you purchase, there’s a good chance that something you buy at ordinary supermarkets such as cleaning products contain toxic ingredients that could be harmful to your body.
Cleaning products may contain ingredients like ammonia which cause physical symptoms like respiratory problems. Eek, who knew???
At these stores, they have everything from dish washing liquid to body wash and dental floss made from natural ingredients so you don’t have to worry. This also applies to the food they sell like their fresh yoghurt with no added sugars or added preservatives.
You can check out Nude the Zero Waste Store’s full list to see the type items they carry.
Facebook: Nude the Zero Waste Store
Address: 11A, Jalan 19/29, Seksyen 19 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Healthier Lifestyle
Sure we love our burgers and nuggets, but do we really want to know what goes inside the mystery meat? Here you’ll probably find fresher and unpackaged options like nuts or fresh fruit from the farmers market.
A Bit Less Bulk Store sells raw walnuts imported from Chile, organic popcorn kernels, and dried cranberries from the USA. So chances are if you’ve shopped here, you’ll be too lazy to head elsewhere to buy a packet of greasy potato chips. Confirm slim one!
Facebook: A Bit Less Bulk Store
Address: 17, Jalan Ambong 3, Kepong Baru 52100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Image source: @gobulkstore, @seedy_zero_waste_store, @ a_bit_less, @nudezerowaste