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Plastic-Free Alternatives

Everyday life without the throwaway: bulk grocers like Bialógica in São Brás de Alportel, cork goods from Corkor, and natural soaps from Hippocampus. Small swaps that add up.

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Projects in this focus

Plastic-free alternatives in Portugal

Portugal has a long coastline and a large fishing and tourism industry, so the plastic problem arrives back on the beach in a very visible form. The alternatives listed here are mostly ordinary objects made from something else: cork, wood, glass, soap, cloth.

Corkor makes cork accessories in Barreiro and Hippocampus makes soap bars in Tavira. Maria Granel, Bialógica and Green2You sell food and household goods loose in Lisbon, São Brás de Alportel and Coimbra. Zero Waste Lab works on the systems behind it, and Hoooked and Blanky make textiles that avoid the synthetic route.

The refill shop is usually the easiest first step, because it removes packaging from things you buy anyway. See also zero waste living, natural personal care and recycling systems. Dated activities from these projects are listed in our events calendar.

Where these projects are