What's A Refill Store...And How Can I Shop At One?
Santa MonicaYou’ve probably seen a refill shop or two come across TikTok, and we’re here tell you that they’re *actually* worth shopping at.
Refilleries (AKA refill shops) grew in popularity throughout COVID as people became more conscious of their environmental footprint. Even major beauty brands, such as amika, Charlotte Tilbury, Glow Recipe, and more adopted refills into their product lines, allowing customers to purchase their creams and shampoos without the bottles (and at a reduced price). We’re huge fans of anything sustainable, so we're certainly on board!
As the refill industry continues to boom, more and more virtual and brick and mortar stores pop up across the nation, which is pretty cool if you ask us. Clearly, refilleries are here to stay, so here’s everything you need to know about shopping sans-plastic.
Why should I buy refills instead of brand new products?
Beyond the environmental and ethical benefits of shopping sustainably, purchasing refills is actually cheaper than their packaged counterparts.
Take Glow Recipe, for instance. You’re looking to restock your Plum Plump Refillable Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer. You can either pay $39 for the original, packaged version, or you can pay $33 for the refill, which has the exact same amount of product. If you already have the jar from your last moisturizer, or happen to hoard pretty jars like we do, just pop in the new, refillable cream and BOOM! $6 saved.
It’s really that easy, and that accessible.Where can I find a refillery near me?
Image via Sarah Chai / PEXELS
Google is gonna be your best friend for this. Just search “refill shop” with your town or city’s name, and you’re bound to find one nearby.
Here are some shops that may be around the corner from you:
- People & Planet Refill in Albuquerque, NM
- Atlo in Atlanta, GA
- Luxe Refill in Austin, TX
- Roots Zero Waste Market in Boise, ID
- Cleenland in Boston, MA,
- Maison Jar in Brooklyn, NY
- Wake Refill in Charleston, SC
- Good Earth Essentials in Charlotte, NC
- Refill Goodness in Cleveland, OH
- The Eco Flamingo in Chicago, IL
- Simply Zero in Cincinnati, OH
- usefull in Dallas, TX
- Fullfillery in Washington DC
- Joy Fill in Denver, CO
- Pink Elephant Products in Detroit, MI
- Earth Refillery in Grand Rapids, MI
- Keep it Simple in Honolulu, HI
- Rooftop Fruit in Indianapolis, IA
- SOAP Refill Station in Kansas City, MO
- REFILL KAUAI in Kauai, HI
- re_grocery in Los Angeles, CA
- Green Life Trading Co. in Madison, WI
- A Sustainable Village in Manhattan, NY
- Verde Market in Miami, FL
- Tare Market Nokomis in Minneapolis, MN
- Sage Refill Market in Nashville, TN
- Vintage Green Review in New Orleans, LA
- Good Fills in Orlando, FL
- Good Buy Supply in Philadelphia, PA
- Desert Refillery in Phoenix, AZ
- The Refillery in Pittsburgh, PA
- Mama & Hapa’s in Portland, OR
- The Heal Room in Providence, RI
- Hello!Bulk Markets in Salt Lake City, UT
- Earthwell Refill in San Diego, CA
- Simple in San Francisco, CA
- Sun Moon Rain in Santa Monica, CA
- Dharma + Dwell in St. Louis, MO
- Lüfka in Tampa, FL
How do I buy refills at a refillery?
There are a couple of ways to easily buy your products at a refillery. We recommend bringing your own jars to use, but most refilleries typically have their own containers you can use as well.
When you get to the store, you’ll weigh your containers on one of the provided scales. You’ll then receive a ticket with the weight of your jar, and from there you can go around the store and fill up your containers with whatever products you need. Since most refilleries charge you based on the amount of product, it’s important to account for the extra weight from the jar.
Buying refills is better for ourselves, our planet and our future, so let’s all try to shop sustainably for a better home and a better bank account.
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Photo Courtesy of re_grocery
