Sustainable and Affordable: Preserve Products

The world has gotten to an age we are all thinking more consciously about the types of food we eat, what ingredients are in our cosmetics and skincare, and even how our clothes are manufactured. There is an increased interest in sustainability and waste, but how often do you think about the impact products like your toothbrushes and razors have on the environment?

I know that for me, finding sustainably-made household products was confusing and frustrating because I couldn’t just go to any store and find something that satisfied my expectations. Like anything else there was more research and brand-scouting to be done. That’s what lead me to products from Preserve. Preserve is the leading maker of sustainable, affordable, performance-driven 100% recycled household products and is also a Certified B Corp business. With everything from bath products like toothbrushes and razors, to kitchen supplies like food storage, bowls, and cutlery, Preserve has your household covered.

Not only are Preserve products made from recycled yogurt cups, used Preserve products can be dropped-off at stores like Whole Foods or sent back to the company via mail to be recycled and manufactured into new products. We all brush our teeth and shave our legs regularly (well, a majority of us do…) so can you imagine the amount of waste generated every time we use and throw away just those 2 types of products? It scares me a bit. And if you purchase Preserve products, they take away that extra step of producing more waste by helping you recycle and create more products. Learn more about the brand’s Gimme 5 recycling program.

We all know plastics have revolutionized the way we live, but do you know about all the different kinds of plastics? Plastics are categorized by number to differentiate by type and that doesn’t even tell the average consumer which ones are safer to use nor which ones are recyclable. Check out the handy visual below showing the different types of plastics and learn more here. Preserve only uses recycled #5 plastic, polypropylene and carefully sources recycled plastic from products that were never treated with nor were introduced to chemicals. The plastics Preserve uses are also BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.

The great thing about Preserve is that many of their affordable products are easily found at Whole Foods, at similar health/wellness stores, or online. The brand also does some great sales and promotions every so often. I picked up a few products I was interested in trying and bought some for my family:

Toothbrush in Travel Case, $3.30 each: Not only do these toothbrushes come in a variety of funky colors, the handles are made from recycled yogurt cups (100% recycled #5 plastic) while the bristles are new nylon. I chose to purchase the Preserve toothbrushes that include a handy, reusable travel case since I’m always on the go, but you can also find the same product without all the extra packaging and choose from Ultra Soft, Soft, or Medium bristle type. For the uber organized, you can also choose subscription services where Preserve will deliver new toothbrushes to your door every month, every 2 months, or every 3 months at a bulk discount. Cool, no?

As for my thoughts on this toothbrush, I will say it gets the job done. The product has a smaller and thinner brush head than I am used and a thick group of bristles. I don’t really find the bristles to be anything special, but the varying length in bristle size seems to help get into hard to reach tooth areas. Since the toothbrush grip is made from 100% recycled plastic, it doesn’t have all the extra padding or gum brushing materials that I am accustomed to on conventional toothbrushes. It’s a simple toothbrush for simple brushers. Maybe I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed but like I said, at the end of the day this product helps me brush my teeth effectively. For $3.30, this toothbrush is not bad and it doesn’t hurt that my conscious feels a bit better knowing I’m contributing to less waste in the world. $3.30 at Preserve.

Triple Razor System: Since I don’t shave too often especially in the winter, I’ve always used disposable razors bought from the drugstore because they were cheap, (sort of) effective, and convenient. I was drawn to the Preserve razors due to allure of the reusable razor heads and bright, recycled packaging. Each razor comes with 2 extra razor heads, a travel case, and you can buy a full set of 4 replacement blades for $8.50, that’s the initial cost of the full razor itself!

If you’re not a serial shaver like me, these razors are great. I wouldn’t say they give the closest shave but it’s best thing I’ve found so far in regards to an affordable, reusable razor made from sustainable materials and that’s safer for the environment. The razor handle is recyclable, once again by mailing back to Preserve or by dropping off at a retail store.  I like that this product is easy to travel with, lightweight, and easy to find at stores near me. The razor blades could be sharper and of better quality, but they are quite comparable to the generic disposable drugstore razors I was previously using. You can also choose from a monthly subscription delivery plan for the replacement blades.

The titanium-coated razor heads are triple bladed and feature a Vitamin E and aloe lubrication strip. This provides a gentle, moisturizing slip while shaving and the lather is quite fulfilling. I will say Preserve doesn’t make it extremely clear what the full formulation of the lubrication consists of, but they are very transparent about the makeup of the blade heads (read here). I normally shave with an oil or soap so I don’t think the lubrication strips are necessary but could be a nice benefit for others.

I will continue to use Preserve’s razors (and by that I mean I’m only continuing to purchase the replacement blades,) but I look forward to seeing if there are better shaving options out there in the same affordable, durable class. $8.50 for each razor system, $8.50 for set of 4 replacement blades at Preserve.

I think if you’re on the hunt for affordable, stylish, sustainable household products that get the job done, you’d be silly not to try out Preserve products. They might not be of luxury quality, but they are long-lasting and just as effective as products that are double the price and those that might be harder to find in a physical store. Shop Preserve online here.

Have you tried any products from Preserve? Do you have any favorite sustainable toothbrushes or razors? Let me know 🙂