Zero waste means 'no waste'. The goal of the zero waste movement is to send as little waste as possible to landfills and incinerators, ideally aiming for a complete elimination of waste disposal. Therefore, we look for products that can be reused for a long time, or or recycled instead of thrown away. You then have a sustainable and closed cycle. The zero waste movement aims to create a circular economy where resources are used efficiently and waste is minimized. While achieving absolute zero waste may be challenging and even impossible, the principles of zero waste can lead to significant reductions in waste production, resource consumption, and environmental impact.
FAQs
What does zero-waste mean?
How can you life more zero-waste?
To live more zero-waste, prioritize reducing consumption by buying only what's essential. Choose reusable over disposable items, like bags, bottles, and containers. Compost food scraps and opt for products with minimal or eco-friendly packaging. Repair and repurpose before discarding. Embrace secondhand shopping and donate items you no longer need. Refuse single-use plastics and bring your own utensils. Educate yourself about local recycling and waste management options. Support businesses with sustainable practices. Small changes, like meal planning and using cloth instead of paper, collectively make a big impact in minimizing waste and preserving the environment.
You can find more info and tips on our blog and our socials such as Instagram or TikTok, or contact us for specific questions. You can also visit the site of the brand of the product you’re interested in.
How do you make sure the products are sustainable?
We try to source products from local makers as much as possible. This is better for our environment due to fewer greenhouse gasses wasted on transportation. Of course for some materials and ingredients this is not possible since these cannot be locally sourced. We also look for manufacturers that directly or indirectly support good causes and are small, independent businesses. In regards to products, we look for highly recyclable materials, ingredients, certifications, production process, reusability, and working conditions.
How do you implement sustainability in your delivery process?
We use the smallest possible recyclable delivery boxes, paper tape instead of plastic tape, and recycle packing material where we can. For recycling cardboard you can keep the paper tape on it.
Is everything plastic-free?
Our goal is to have as many different eco-friendly alternatives for single-use plastic products as possible, for each area of life. We try to get as many products as we can 100% plastic-free, but occasionally this isn’t possible, like with toothbrush bristles or cosmetics that legally require a plastic seal. Offering a better alternative is more important to us than eliminating all plastic, because every bit helps. When a product is not 100% plastic-free, we search for products that can be reused or have refill options so less plastic will be wasted. We guarantee that we always look for the most sustainable option with every kind of product.
Orders
How can I pay for my order?
At the checkout we offer the option for Express Payment with PayPal, Shop Pay and Google Pay.
We accept payments with:
- Creditcard
- iDeal
- PayPal
- Bancontact
- Apple & Google Pay
I forgot to add something to my order, what should I do?
Please contact us about this issue and we’ll add it to your order so you won’t have to pay double for shipping.
Who pays international customs fees?
Customs fees are the customers’ responsibility since we don’t have any control over these fees. We suggest looking up the customs fees and rules in your country up before ordering, so you won’t have any surprise costs. Within the EU countriesthere are no extra customs fees.
Shipping
What courier do you use to send packages?
We use Post NL for shipping our package inside the Netherlands and most countries in the EU.
How many days does it take to get my delivery?
We process and ship packages between 1-3 days after your order confirmation. Delivery usually takes about 1-3 business days after your order is shipped.Once your package is shipped and scanned, you will receive a track and trace code from DHL about the status of your shipment.
How much does shipping cost?
In the Netherlands, shipping costs €4,95. When you spend over €65,- it's free. For international shipping click here.
For more information on shipping, check our shipping page.
I put in the wrong address, what do I do?
- Before your order has been shipped: If we have not shipped your order yet, send us an email at with your order number and the correct address and we will change it for you before shipping.
- After your order has been shipped: If we have already shipped your order, there is nothing we can do since it's out of our control. Your order will be automatically returned to us by DHL and then we can ship your order again, after which the customer is responsible for additional shipping fees. If you decide to cancel your order, we do have to deduct the return fee or €7,50 from your total refund amount.
However, we are asking you, the customer, to understand that we are a small business and every time we have to re-ship we end up losing money on the order. Not just losing profit, but losing money. We would like our customers to review and please be understanding of the following policy:
If you have made an error in entering your address, we will need to send you an invoice to cover the complete cost of re-shipping your order once it has been returned-to-sender. If this is not your preference, the other option would be to refund your order, minus our cost of the returned shipping.
This policy is not our preference, nor is it our first choice. However, the simplest solution to this problem is to carefully enter and review your address as you are placing your order. If you realize there is a problem with your address, please contact us as soon as possible, and we would be happy to fix it!
What if a package is lost or damaged?
The Plastic Free Co. is not liable for any packages that have been lost, damaged, or marked "Delivered" by the postal service since this is out of our control.
However. if you want your package to be insured up to €500 you can select the delivery + insurance option at the checkout which cost an extra €2,50. Then if anything happens we are able to send you a new package. Without insurance we cannot help you with any lost or damaged packages.
However, per request we are able to start and investigation to determine the whereabouts of your package and potentially find a solution for you. If your package hasn't arrived past the scheduled delivery date, please first contact DHL. If this is not helpful, you can contact us and we can start an investigation.
Please make sure to notify us within 14 business days so that we can start an investigation and process the refund/credit for a lost or damaged package. If your order is marked as delivered and you don't have an insured delivery, then we cannot help you unfortunately.
Do you accept returns or exchanges?
We do have a return policy of 14 days which makes it possible to return and exchange products.
We do not accept every product due to hygiene. Please read more about returning and exchanging on our return policy page.