Food & Culture
These Seattle Shops Help Locals Get Closer to a Zero-Waste Lifestyle
In a culture that has access to excess, a few Seattle shops are raising the bar on what it means to be sustainable by encouraging customers to embrace—or at least aspire to—waste-free living. Here’s what they offer
By Lauren Alexander September 11, 2019
This article originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of Seattle Magazine.
This article appears in print in the September 2019 issue. Click here to subscribe.
Scoop Marketplace
Capitol Hill
WHAT YOU’LL FIND: Bulk food staples, such as spices, grains, beans and other dry goods; coffee and tea; products for household and personal care; jars, plant-based wax wraps and other reusable alternatives.
WHAT’S UNIQUE: Cotton handkerchiefs are back and being sold in the store, including a line created by Jori, an 11-year-old British Columbian boy who began his pocket rag business at the age of 9. Also, essential oils in bulk are a rare find.
Eco Collective
Ballard
WHAT YOU’LL FIND: Refillable bulk personal care and home products; reusable bags, food containers and home/office supplies, such as replacement pen ink/cartridges; plant-based candles; eco-friendly wellness and beauty options; pet products, including toys and shampoo bars.
WHAT’S UNIQUE: An array of classes and workshops are offered, such as soap making, vegan cooking and clothing repair. A yearly $75 membership gets you a free class or workshop and use of an in-store sewing machine, a $10 coupon for every $100 spent and a free spot on a sage-foraging trip in eastern Washington.
Public Goods and Services
West Seattle
WHAT YOU’LL FIND: Refillable bulk items for personal and household care; alternatives to single-use plastics, such as food/drink storage containers, produce bags and beeswax wraps; a wide selection of wooden brushes and tools for house cleaning and self-care.
WHAT’S UNIQUE: You can drop off your containers with an order and return later when they’ll be filled and ready for checkout. Can’t find what you’re looking for? The shop offers a service that will custom order and pick up hard-to-find reusable alternatives from other local businesses.
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