When your goal is to live a more natural lifestyle, you’ll need to find alternatives for certain products that you depend on, like garbage bags and food wrappers. This can also include opting for natural clothing, like shoes and shirts.
If you’re into living a natural life, here are 8 natural items you really can’t live without.
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1. Leather shoes
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Leather shoes have been around for centuries, ever since humans realized they could use animal skins for clothing. You really can’t get more natural than that. Leather shoes are durable and will last for many years with proper care.
High-quality men’s and women’s leather shoes are affordable, too. You won’t have to sacrifice too much of your hard-earned money to get a pair. You can find great options through Portland Leather Goods.
2. Metal straws
Reusable straws are a big deal in the eco-friendly world, but which ones are the best? Most of them look the same. They are, after all, just straws. However, metal straws are a bit different and have some unique benefits.
First of all, plastic reusable straws are made of plastic, which isn’t eco-friendly and is generally derived from petroleum. Unless you intentionally buy eco-friendly plastic straws made from a different material, plastic reusable straws aren’t natural.
Metal straws, on the other hand, are still machine-made, but they won’t pollute the earth and they’ll actually last much longer.
On the upside, on cold days, metal straws will retain the coolness of whatever you’re drinking, which can help to cool you down even more.
3. A bidet
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All right, a bidet isn’t a natural product by itself, but it facilitates the use of water, which is a natural product of the earth. By using a bidet, you can reduce or eliminate the use of toilet paper, which is an amazing feat alone. Toilet paper is not only wasteful and full of chemicals, but the production process is destructive to the environment.
When you add a bidet to your bathroom – free standing or attached to your toilet seat – you’re giving yourself the gift of getting clean as naturally as possible.
4. Beeswax food wraps
Plastic sandwich bags and those plastic bags that zip shut are convenient, but they’re terrible for the environment and for your food. Plastic is not only harmful to the earth, but it also leeches chemicals into your food. The natural alternative is to use reusable food wraps made from cloth and beeswax. Although, these wraps aren’t air-tight and only work for food you’re going to consume quickly.
These wraps are incredibly easy to make yourself if you’re into crafting. Using beeswax makes the cloth pliable so you can mold the cloth around the bowl or jar you’re storing in the fridge. The best part is you only have to wash them in cold water and hang them to dry before using them again.
5. Laundry detergent sheets
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Laundry soap containers are big and take up a lot of room in the garbage unless they’re crushed. Even so, that’s a lot of plastic waste. Imagine how much waste is created by everyone who uses laundry detergent.
If you’re looking for a way to avoid contributing so much waste just for doing laundry, the solution is to use detergent sheets. However, studies have shown that laundry sheets are only effective at cleaning minimal soil levels.
These sheets usually come in a small cardboard box and are sheets that dissolve into soap in the washer. One pack can contain the usual 60 loads worth, but there are a variety of sizes available to meet your specific needs. Best of all, if you buy the right brand, the packaging will be biodegradable or recyclable.
6. Reusable paper (cloth) towels
In addition to toilet paper, people use an enormous amount of paper towels, which is just as destructive to the environment and paper towels contain the same chemicals. There is an alternative to this and it’s made of cloth.
Reusable paper towels are not made from paper, but they still get the job done for the most part. There still might be things you’ll need to use a paper towel for, but these cloth towels can be an excellent substitute for most of your clean-up needs.
7. Natural toothpaste
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Conventional toothpaste is full of unfriendly ingredients like parabens, propylene glycol, fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, and diethanolamine. If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a natural version of toothpaste, you’re in luck because there are many types of natural toothpaste available.
Baking soda is the most popular alternative, but there are other options. If you don’t like the idea of brushing with plain baking soda, you can brush with coconut oil, ayurvedic toothpaste made with neem, activated charcoal, or several other household ingredients. You can make your own toothpaste by combining your favorite ingredients, or you can buy one already made by an existing company.
While you’re thinking about switching to a natural toothpaste, consider oil pulling with coconut oil. Many people attest to this practice stating that it made their teeth whiter and helped with everything from reducing gum inflammation to helping to repair a receding gum line.
8. Aleppo soap
If you’ve never used Aleppo soap, you’re missing out on a great, clean experience. Aleppo is a Castile soap most popular in France (in France, it’s called Savon d’Alep) and is used as a body wash and shampoo. It’s made from simple ingredients just like Castile soap from Spain: olive oil and lye.
What makes Aleppo special is the ingredient oil of bay laurel. This is a precious oil that works as a cleansing agent and is gentle even on people with severely sensitive skin.
Going natural is easy
Living a natural life is easy when you know about the natural alternatives to your usual everyday items. These items are just a few of the most popular natural products. Chances are, whatever you need to find a replacement for, there’s a natural version out there.
