Style curator Yelena Bebich shares why going plastic-free this July is not only good for the planet — it’s a smarter, more stylish way to live.
Going plastic-free used to mean lugging your groceries home in a fraying jute bag, brushing your teeth with a stick of charcoal, and sipping from a paper straw that disintegrated before you’d finished your smoothie. It was earnest, admirable, and honestly… kind of hard. But thankfully, things have changed.
Today, avoiding plastic doesn’t mean sacrificing style, comfort or convenience, especially here in Aotearoa, where conscious design is not just cool, it’s covetable.
This Plastic Free July, we’re celebrating just how easy and stylish it’s become to make low-waste choices, thanks to a growing lineup of local brands blending sustainability with seriously good style.
Fashion That Feels Good
Let’s start with your wardrobe. Kowtow continues to lead the way with its use of organic cotton, plant-based dyes and plastic-free packaging. Kowtow offers a free repair service for all garments purchased directly from their stores or website.
They also offer a take-back and resale program. Customers can return pre-loved Kowtow items, which are then cleaned, mended if needed, and sold through Kowtow Relove.
And because Kowtow’s garments are made from 100% natural and certified organic cotton (with no synthetic fibres or plastic trims), they are designed to be fully biodegradable at end-of-life.
ReCreate Clothing blends thoughtful design with powerful social impact. Each garment is crafted using natural fibres like organic cotton and linen, with a strong commitment to slow, small-batch production. Beyond aesthetics, the brand exists to empower, offering training and employment opportunities to women from refugee backgrounds in Wellington. The result is clothing that’s not only beautiful and biodegradable but carries a story of dignity, community, and conscious change.
Plastic-Free Beauty That Works
Brands like Aleph Beauty are showing us that sustainable beauty can be high-performance and luxe. Their multitasking makeup pots come in recyclable glass and aluminium packaging… and also promise zero microplastic inside their range.
Dust & Glow offers concentrated shampoo and body powders that activate with water. No plastic bottles in sight.
Need a deodorant that works and looks cute on the shelf? Slo Naturals offer a range of natural deodorants in scents from Rose & Vanilla to Pineapple & Coconut.
Plastic-Free Home
For beautiful, low-impact living, The Waste Free Home is a curated goldmine of plastic-free solutions. Think bamboo brushes, refillable sprays, solid dish soap and linen everything. They make it easy to elevate your everyday routines without creating waste.
Looking to refresh your space? Madder & Rouge and Baina offer home textiles like linen cushions and organic cotton towels in earthy, elegant hues. No polyester or synthetic blends in sight. Even your pantry can get a glow-up thanks to GoodFor, a wholefoods refillery that encourages you to BYO jars and skip the single-use bags.
Start Where You Are
Going plastic-free doesn’t have to be a radical overhaul. Every small step makes a difference. Thanks to a wave of thoughtful local brands, those steps have never looked better.
This Plastic Free July, think of it less as restriction and more as a style evolution. Less landfill. More intention. And a home (and wardrobe) filled with pieces that feel as good as they look.
