In the UK the average person throws away 207 plastic bottles every year. The vast majority of these end up in landfill, taking up valuable land space. Others will make their way into the water system via litter, where they leech toxic chemicals into our drinking water, and become a danger to animals and their habitats.
Of course water bottles aren’t the only source of plastic waste, but if you’re looking for a place to start with reducing your personal plastic waste, then getting yourself a reusable water bottle is a great place to start. Plus, with the Refill campaign now expanding all over the country, it’s easy to find a place to fill your bottle up on the go.
So without further ado, here are our 5 favourite alternatives to plastic water bottles:
1. Yuhme’s sugar cane water bottle
Yuhme have developed a reusable water bottle made from sustainably grown sugarcane, a renewable material which captures CO2 as it grows, meaning that the bottle is CO2 negative in production. On top of that they’re also designed and made in Sweden on a zero waste production plant, and the company give 6 months of clean water to someone in the Central African Republic for every bottle sold.
Plus, the designs are beautiful, and you can even get a 10% discount when you sign up as a Well-spent member.
2. Elephant Box’s stainless steel water bottle
Elephant Box created their stainless steel water bottle to provide a plastic-free alternative. Stainless steel is also a 60% recycled material and can be recycled again, plus it’s non-toxic and 100% food grade, so it’s completely safe for us and for the planet. You can also get stainless steel cups to go with it.
They also donate 10p of the cost from every bottle to Refill, the campaign which is working to make it easier to refill your bottle with tap water on the go.
Sign up as a Well-spent member to get a code for 5% off your purchase.
3. BU Water’s bamboo filtered water bottle
This bottle has has a bamboo filter in it, to strip the chemicals out of your tap water and provide you with a pure water. Bamboo is a sustainable material because it’s the fastest growing plant on the planet, and because it’s a natural material the filter can be composted once you’re finished - or bury it in your garden to provide nutrients for your plants.
4. 24 bottles stainless steel water bottles
Another stainless steel option is 24 bottles: carefully designed, high-quality, easy-to-carry stainless steel bottles with a design focus on form and function. Every bottle has the number -0.08 printed on them, representing the quantity of CO2 you can save every time you refill your bottle instead of buying a disposable bottle of water.
They’re also a carbon neutral company, offsetting their transport and production by planting their forest of cacao, orange, coffee, avocado and mango trees.
5. bkr glass bottles
Bkr combines beauty and sustainability with their fashionable glass water bottles, an alternative to disposable plastic bottles and the key to keeping your skin hydrated. They’re 100% recyclable, made from glass and with silicone sleeves.
The company also invests a portion of the money from each sale to initiatives which are fighting to end the global water crisis, such as the Obakki Foundation in Africa.
