What Is Your Company Doing About Plastic Waste?
During my recent travels to Vietnam, I was inspired by the innovative, plastic-free, and sustainable solutions for hotel drinking water. In my hotel room, drinking water was provided in glass bottles, and I was impressed to learn that it underwent seven different stages of distillation and filtration. This meticulous process not only ensured purity and health but also minimized microplastics and significantly reduced plastic waste.
This experience made me wonder—what are corporations doing to address plastic waste?
The Impact of Plastic Waste
In 2021, international reports revealed that the top 20 global companies were responsible for generating more than half of the world's single-use plastics. Many of these companies are petrochemical giants, supplying the polymers used in plastic production—an industry that also generates massive amounts of CO2, further harming our environment.
To put it into perspective, the greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production alone in 2021 were equivalent to the total emissions produced by the United Kingdom that same year. This is a staggering and deeply concerning statistic. It brings to mind the phrase, *'more money than sense,'* as these corporations prioritize short-term profits over the long-term health of our planet.
With so much at stake financially, altering the supply of plastic at its source is a challenge. However, by innovating within our own businesses, we can change consumer demand.
Plastic Packaging Can Hinder Growth
As the previous owner of a natural and organic skincare brand, I grappled with an ethical dilemma—our reliance on plastic packaging. The more we grew, the more plastic waste we produced. Sustainable alternatives such as bio-plastics, ocean plastics, and recycled plastics weren’t viable solutions either, as they do not fully biodegrade. Instead, they break down into harmful nano and microplastic pollution. Additionally, recycled plastic has a limited lifespan, as it loses its structure after multiple recycling cycles. We simply didn’t have a clear answer.
To stay true to our values of health and sustainability, we took a step back. I made the difficult decision to pull back, sell part of the company, and now, I am relaunching and rebranding as Ourlyfe. Our first product is a revolutionary hand-washing powder—an innovative, plastic-free alternative that allows you to cleanse your hands without contributing to plastic waste.
A Plastic-Free Solution: Introducing Ourlyfe Hand-Washing Powder
We collaborated with leading industrial designers to develop an elegant aluminium dispensing system that releases a fine cleansing powder into your hands—eliminating the need for traditional plastic liquid soap bottles. Our powder cleanser is 10 times more efficient than liquid alternatives, naturally antibacterial, and offers a stable shelf life. Unlike liquid washes, our refill process is entirely plastic-free, as refills come in biodegradable paper pouches.
This innovation is a first—a premium, functional, and sustainable alternative to traditional liquid hand wash. The more we grow, the less plastic waste enters our ecosystem, marking a significant shift in mindset and positioning Ourlyfe for meaningful growth and environmental impact.
I’m incredibly proud to share that our new product is not only plastic-free but also free from hormone-disrupting preservatives. Plus, it’s a joy to use, it's cleansing, calming, and kind to both your skin and the planet.
We’re still refining the packaging to ensure optimal functionality. If you would like to share our journey, sign up to our mailing list and receive updates on pre-orders.
Join our testing group today— let’s redefine sustainability together!
Image from OpenKey https://www.openkey.co/2019/07/28/plastic-problem-in-hospitality/
Liz Johnston