Five online stores that will help you achieve your goals to go green

We are all well familiar with the terms ‘Reuse, Reduce and Recycle’, but there is so much more we can do to ensure minimal waste and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. 

You may be thinking twice about purchasing an eco-friendly product to go green because of its price but with proper care, you can use them for years, saving your money in the long run.

With more Singaporeans aware of climate change and its impact, the majority are prepared to take action to fight it. 

This has influenced some to start their own businesses to provide us with our first steps to make an effort towards sustainable living. 

Here are five online stores that give you the power to make a change:

Bamboostrawgirl is founded by Melissa Lam, an English language teacher and an environmentalist and sustainability advocate in Singapore. Melissa sells more than just bamboo straws at her store, with sustainable daily use items such as bamboo dish scrubbing brush, beeswax wraps and deodorants featured too. 

A simple picture of her friends having a campfire next to a river, surrounded by single-use plastic, sparked a need in her to do something. 

With over 16,100 followers on Instagram, Melissa actively educates her followers on her products and the need to go green. 

One of her popular products is her crystal deodorant. It is made of potassium alum, a mineral salt. The crystal deodorant targets the bacteria on skin which is what causes body odour.

For $13.50, this block of deodorant can last you a year!

Rough Beauty is a bath and body brand that sells soaps and bath essentials that are handcrafted in their studio with botanical ingredients from around the world.

The palm oil in their soaps are sustainably sourced. Soaps that may not look ‘perfect’ are still sold at a lower price so that nothing has gone to waste.

These bar soaps are not only made of sustainable ingredients like palm oil, but are great for the skin. 

Rough Beauty also used to conduct workshops where the public can learn how to handcraft these soaps themselves. Unfortunately, workshops and events will be postponed until further notice.

mynakedbar was found when they started to be alarmed at how severe the human population has impacted the planet. Similar to Rough Beauty, mynakedbar sells bar soaps made of sustainable ingredients in minimal packaging.

What’s different is that mynakedbar has a larger variety of options for different kinds of skin. There are soaps which are specially formulated to be friendly for common skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

They also have soaps catered for new mothers who are breastfeeding with ingredients to soothe the skin, while keeping it natural for babies. 

Though it is slightly pricier, mynakedbar has had plenty of positive reviews from customers. 

Trove Of Gaia believes in supporting fair trade and respecting nature. They also support small artisan businesses and ensure zero-waste packaging for their products. 

Interestingly, some of their products like bamboo straws and cotton produce bags are handcrafted by a 17-year-old entrepreneur and his team in Bali. 

Other than reusable straws and kitchen items, Trove Of Gaia empowers women in the green movement by introducing eco-friendly feminine hygiene products.

This includes reusable menstrual pads, menstrual cups and even nursing breast pads. 

The bamboo terry material in the nursing pad allows the pad to soak up heavy flows for the whole day! 

Made of organic natural fibers, these nursing pads provide better air circulation, allowing a quick and smooth healing process.

Zhai is slightly different from the online stores mentioned above. Other than eco-friendly daily use items, Zhai promotes sustainability through fashion.

Zhai is transparent about where they get their sources. Their resources are taken in from responsible suppliers where a direct impact on reducing waste is made. 

Zhai has also made progress by removing all synthetics and eliminating all animal products in order to become as environmentally and socially conscious as possible. 

Being eco-friendly is more than just reducing waste. It is also where we are aware of the items we purchase and where they come from.

Supporting the green movement doesn’t mean getting rid of plastic bags and leading a completely zero waste lifestyle. Having environmentally friendly habits does not appear overnight.

Afterall, saving the Earth is a collective effort, where small actions from large groups of people make a huge impact.