Plastic Free is a Year-round Initiative

Now that we’ve wrapped up Plastic Free July and entered the month of August, we want to remind you that plastic free initiatives don’t just stop on July 31st.

Reducing plastic usage is a year-round, global movement in hopes of making the world a better place. 

Living plastic free looks different for everyone, and we’re here to help make the journey as easy and accessible as possible.

Read more about how you can live plastic free year round with the help of the contents of your Vellabox packages!

Bonus: Stick around until the end for refillery locations near you and other resources to live a plastic free lifestyle.

Less Waste Packaging

Every minute a truck load of garbage is discarded in the oceans and around 80% of plastic accounts for that according to a United Nations report.

We work to minimize our plastic waste with:

• Recyclable boxes
• High quality, biodegradable packing material
• Canvas bags
• Glass candle jars (checkout our video below on how to clean out your candle jar)

We pack our candles in mini canvas drawstring bags, which carry around 5x as much as plastic bags.

They’re also decomposable, so they don’t linger in our landfills or oceans for years.

How to Reuse your Candle Jar

Once you’ve burned your entire candle, don’t throw it away! 

Did you know that your same candle jar can be the home of your next supply of dishwasher detergent, oil, lotion or vanity storage?

To get started, clean out the remains of your candle in one of three ways. Watch this video to learn more!

Freezer Method

• Leave candle in freezer for at least 2 hours
• Remove candle from freezer, and use a spoon to remove remaining wax
• The cold even helps to easily peel off the label

Boil Method

• Heat up a cup of water for 1-2 minutes (based on your microwave)
• Pour hot water over remaining candle wax
• Let wax rise to the top before straining the water and dumping all wax remains into the trash

Scrape Out Method

• Use a sturdy utensil to remove remaining wax from candle jar
• Use soap and water to scrub out any leftover particles
• Voila!

Refillery Locations

Now fun the part.

Next, head to a local refillery to repurpose your jar.

Check out the list for refilleries across the nation. Leave of us a comment on which refillery you’ll be heading to next!

Koko the Shop

Columbus, OH

Also located in Cinicinnati plus Lexington and Louisville, KY

Refill Goodness

Cleveland, OH

Fill More Waste Less

Gabby is the founder of Fill More Waste Less!

Cincinnati, OH

Re-Up Refill Shop

San Francisco / Bay area

Other US Locations

• Canton, OH: Empty Bin Zero Waste
• Cincinnati, OH: Simply Zero
• Chicago, IL: Zefiro
• Chicago, IL: Eco & the Flamingo
• NYC: Earth and Me
• Brooklyn, NY: Precycle
• New Jersey: Good Bottle Refill
• Berkeley, CA: Fill Good
• San Fernando Valley, CA: Prostainable
• Los Angeles, CA: Mobile Refillery
• San Diego, CA: Sonora
• Boston, MA: Uvida Shop
• Madison, WI: Green Life Trading
• Denver, CO: Joyfill

Refillery Locations in Canada

• Ontario: Creemore Refillery
• Ontario: Refillery District
• Toronto: Saponetti
• Toronto: Urban Bulk & Refill
• BC: Local Refillery
• BC: Wefill
• Alberta: Apothecary

Did we miss your favorite refillery? Comment below!

Other Ways to Live Plastic Free

• Switch from liquid soap to bar soap
• Try reusable cloth diapers and menstrual products (such as reusable pads, period pants and menstrual cups)
• Choose paper-wrapped toilet paper rolls
• Swap your plastic bottles for aluminum spray bottles
• Shop at your local farmer’s market to shop plastic free produce, or
• Consider growing your own herbs from cuttings in the kitchen, on a balcony or a vegetable patch

Tag us @vellabox and share your plastic free hacks on your Instagram story!