Are you ready to take the next step in your plastic-free journey? Because refill and reuse options are evolving! Here are some next-level ways to cut plastic and packaging from your life.

Not only will these tips take your plastic-free journey up a notch, but they're also seriously no-brainer swaps that will save you money too.

1. Make second-hand your default.

Start here! No matter what you're buying, one of the best ways to cut plastic, packaging, waste and excess is to choose secondhand items.

Ok so I'm not telling you to go and buy secondhand underwear and menstrual cups, but pretty much everything else is there and ready for a new home on the secondhand market!

Think about the last time you bought a brand new piece of furniture or an electrical item. Did it come in a cardboard box, padded at the corners with plastic or dreaded styrofoam to ensure it arrived to you in pristine condition?

By choosing secondhand we are not only choosing to use what already exists, thus reducing our demand on new things and precious resources, but we are also reducing the demand for single-use plastic and packaging.

No, secondhand things don't usually come with a warranty, but they always have charm, are much cheaper, and usually have plenty of life left in them.

I don't think I need to mention fashion here (though I will!) - but by choosing pre-loved clothing and accessories you'll avoid individually-wrapped garments, plastic swing tags and synthetic-fibre cords, plastic coat hangers, plastic stuffing, plastic spare-button bags and protective bits and bobs.

2. Choose natural fabrics AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Step one: always read the label on clothing and textiles, whether you're buying it secondhand or new! Flip that baby inside out and upside down and check out what it's made from before making your decision.

We all know polyester is a fabric made using plastic. But so many other fabrics contain plastic-based materials which shed in the wash and run down our drains, don't get caught by our waste water treatment facilities, end up in our oceans and in our food chain then in our bodies - phewf!

Plastic-based fabrics also won't break down at the end of their life so will languish in landfills, leeching gross toxins into the ground for decades - or longer.

I encourage everyone to keep wearing what they have (it’s the most sustainable wardrobe!) and invest in a microfibre laundry bag to prevent those tiny plastics ending up in the waterways and our food chain. I use the Guppyfriend Washing Bag from Biome and it’s great! You can scoop out the microfibres and place them in the bin after a wash.

Here's a guide to the synthetic materials to keep an eye out for - and ultimately avoid:

• Polyester - look out for blends in almost any type of garment. Can also look and feel like silk.

• Nylon - common in stockings, underwear, and toothbrush bristles!

• Acrylic - soft and resembles wool.

• Elastane - often added to underwear, swimwear, socks, activewear.

• Spandex - also known as Lycra, a stretchy material.

• Rayon - made from cellulose (wood pulp) but usually requires extensive processing.

• Acetate - common in curtains and furniture fabrics. 

How should we choose synthetics?

If you're buying synthetic materials, support brands using recycled fabrics - they will proudly tell you so, and include it on the care tag.

Synthetic materials are seriously handy in the right context. It's getting easier by the day to find companies using recycled synthetic fabrics like ECONYL® (regenerated nylon) for things like:

• Swimwear

• Activewear

• Underwear

• Waterproof/ rainwear

• Shoes/ boots

RELATED READING: Check out this article by Good On You: Ins and Outs of Recycled Plastic Clothing - a great guide on when to choose synthetic fibres and how to care for them, including investing in a laundry washing bag to stop microplastic pollution.

3. Take your refill to the next level

Here are some things I bet you didn't think you could refill!

BEER & WINE

Go straight to the source! Many breweries will welcome your BYO growler for a refill, and some wineries' cellar doors will pour straight into your own bottles too. Choose bottles with a stopper attached to the top.

DENTAL FLOSS

Invest in a refillable floss jar! I have a little glass vial with a screw-on metal top that includes a hole for the floss and a snipping tool. Then you can buy the refills loose (mine came in a little compostable cardboard two-pack) and simply screw the top off and replace when needed.

Check out this cutie The ECO Floss by New Zealand company The ECO Brush, which I got in Australia from Biome.

MAKE UP

Choose brands that offer refill options, which is usually after you've purchased the initial container or compact. Things like foundation and bronzer are easy.

I have purchased power foundation and liquid concealer from Dirty Hippie Cosmetics and they shipped entirely plastic free (using newspaper with post consumer recycled paper tape and box), putting the products into little light-weight aluminium screw-top containers which I can clean and mail back for refill, or reuse for other DIYs!

Dirty Hippie Cosmetics also offer natural mascara in glass bottles with aluminium screw tops which can be returned to them - plus you get money off your next order for every empty you return. Hooray for reuse and companies taking responsibility for their packaging!

I get some key make-up items from clean beauty store Clean Beauty Market, including a pressed powder foundation that just comes in a metal dish that I pop into my existing compact.

I also choose the Hynt clean beauty concealer in a reusable glass jar (with plastic screw lid). These are not completely package or plastic free, but they sure cut out a lot!

NATUROPATHIC SUPPLEMENTS

Some naturopaths will gladly take back and reuse the glass jars and bottles that your tonics and powders are dispensed in. Another great option for recycling is the organisation Naturopaths Without Borders - contact them to see if you can ship your bottles for reuse.

REFILLS TO YOUR DOOR

Don't live near a bulk food or grocery store? No worries! There are zero-waste and refill companies popping up all the time that will deliver straight to your place.

I buy refilled cleaning and beauty products from a local Brisbane business Vessel Nundah - from bicarb to laundry liquid, even hand sanitiser!

I’ve also started buying Asian pantry items from Melbourne-based Naked Asian Grocer which is awesome! Think seaweed, all kinds of noodles, dried mushrooms, miso power and so many other things that are always plastic-wrapped!

4. Support brands that support plastic free

This is a great tip and another example of one of the best things we can do: vote with our wallets.

More businesses - particularly the small to medium ones like the examples in this article - are choosing non-plastic packaging, have reduced their packaging, gone package-free or have chosen to ship sans-plastic.

If you're buying something online, have a look on their website and consider getting in touch before placing the order to see how it will arrive to you. I've requested no plastic with minimal packaging (with a pretty please!), and it worked!

Header image and disclaimer: Travelling in my light-weight, wear-anywhere Tasi Travels Wilder Wrap Dress, made in Australia using natural Modal fabric. This was gifted to me as part of Biome's Slow Fashion range, and both are brands I am more than happy to support! If you purchase using the links for Biome I may receive a small commission to help support Shift.