Zero waste shops are popping up all across the country and will be the trend as we move towards a more sustainable way of living.
As the burden of waste products has caused the landfills to reach their breaking point and pollute our waterways, we have finally realized we need to do something to reduce waste. Much of the waste that is littering our planet is caused by plastic products. Water bottles, bags, straws, food, and product packaging are the biggest culprits.
Zero waste shops in Amsterdam are doing their part to provide goods to consumers in an eco-friendly, sustainable way that is easy to access and affordable. Do your part towards reducing waste by patronizing these up-and-coming local shops.
What can you find in the Zero Waste shops?
One of the things zero-waste shops in Amsterdam offer are unpackaged products that are sold in bulk. Customers bring their own reusable containers to the shops and fill them with sustainable, organic products that come from around the world or are locally sourced.
When you go to these shops, always remember to bring your containers and bags. It doesn't matter if they are made of glass, aluminum, plastic, cotton. Whatever bag or container you already have at home is always the most sustainable choice.
Little Plant Pantry, for example, is a plastic-free shop where you can go with your containers or use their paper bags to buy organic ingredients without packaging. They also have delicious vegan food in glass containers. At the shop Delicious food, you can also find a good amount of organic bulk food to buy with your container or with paper bags. Both shops are in Jordaan.
Local farmer's markets are a big part of the zero-waste community of Amsterdam. In these markets, local farmers bring their fresh products one day a week. Bring your reusable containers and bags and stock up on fruits, veggies, herbs, honey, flowers, fish, and fresh-made pastry and bakery.
Two great organic markets that work every Saturday are ZuiderMarkt in Zuid and NoorderMarkt in Jordaan. They have excellent food quality and variety.
Some shops provide products from a specific niche, like bulk coffee beans, tea, and olive oil. You can find coffee and tea in bulk at Simon Levelt. It has a few shops spread around Amsterdam. Other nice shop is Olie Winkel, in Jordaan. It has a great variety of olive oil in bulk and other delicious items.
Organic health and beauty products, like soap, shampoo, lotion, and deodorant, are available at Six and Sons, a concept store where you can find unique sustainable brands in Jordaan. The two first shops mentioned before also have products for home and beauty.
What else can you find Zero Waste?
A nice app to be zero waste on food is Too Good to Go. This app lets you buy and collect fresh and delicious food that goes to waste at cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops, and manufacturers - at a great price - so it gets eaten instead of wasted. You won’t know exactly what’s in your order until you pick it up - it’s all part of the surprise.
When compostable products have reached the end of their usability, or you would like to use your organic waste to improve the soil quality, there's a community 'worm hotel' where you can bring your waste for composting. That is ideal for people who don't have space for a compost bin or time for gardening. It is called Buurt Compost. If you live in Amsterdam, you can find one close to you here.
The end of a product is never really the end in the zero-waste environment. The best situation would be to have home compostable waste (like paper, bamboo, organic waste), which biodegrades on the soil and return to nature, or, recyclable products and packaging, like those made of aluminium and glass. Both materials are completely recyclable and can be recycled over and over again, with no loss of the material's quality.
Are you ready for a zero-waste life in Amsterdam?