LowToxBox Ethical Gift Boxes: The Zero Waste Starter Kit

I stumbled across LowToxBox in January of this year while searching for ethical boxes to include in my ethical subscription resource catalog, and I loved their ethos straight away.  At the time I could not afford any extra treats, so it was not until recently that I finally made a purchase with this eco-minded business.

LowToxBox has since scrapped their monthly subscription service and has instead decided to go in a new direction, one that I was excited about as soon as they announced the plan.  Rather than a recurring month to month box, the company is instead offering a series of Ethical Gift Boxes alongside their usual shop offers, including

a Zero Waste Starter Kit
an Eco-Friendly Travel Essentials Box
a Vegan New Mum Gift Box
and a Mindfulness Gift Box

Each box is between £30 and £55 plus postage, and hits all the marks in terms of being sustainable, vegan-friendly, cruelty free, toxin-free, zero-waste, organic, and natural.  Plus, LowToxBox has commited to plant a tree for every box sold!

I was stuck between two boxes that I wanted: the zero-waste box and the eco-friendly travel essentials box.  In the end, I decided to go for the more practical purchase to begin with, and after a really easy checkout, I sat back to wait for my Zero Waste Starter Kit to arrive.


It wasn't too long of a wait, and when the box did arrive I was really pleased as my shop order (which consisted of several reusable straws and a sample of Awake Organics Aura deodorant!) had been combined with my box to save on packaging and postage.  I love when you can tell a company is truly committed to their message, and LowToxBox has proved that to me several times already.

In terms of packaging, it was minimal but effective which is exactly what I was hoping for.  There was a little bit of tissue paper and some paper 'worms' and that was really it.  No plastic in sight, thank goodness!  Even the few tags on the products (mainly the different bags) were made of card and attached with a bit of string.  This was honestly such a refreshing presentation, and I love that I don't have to feel guilty for ordering a treat.


The products that are included in the Zero Waste Starter Kit are the following:

1 Que water bottle
1 stainless steel curved straw (possibly from IAmReusable)
1 IAmReusable stainless steel 3-in-1 utensil
1 wire straw cleaner (possibly from IAmReusable)
1 LowToxBox tote
1 Re-Sack mesh produce bag
1 Re-Sack drawstring produce bag

I love the variety included here, and that there a few things I would not have otherwise bought that are part of this collection (the spork especially!).  That being said, there are two distinct 'on the go' areas that are covered here - shopping and eating out.

The water bottle, the utensil, the straw, and the straw cleaner are all ideal for when you are out and about and are trying your hardest to leave as little impact on the environment as possible.  You can bring these along in your purse to pull out at restaurants or food stalls that only offer plastic cutlery or plastic drinkware, or you can use them for pre-packed lunches at the office or on the road.  Whatever the occasion, you are covered!


I was really appreciative that the straw came with this little wire cleaner, and as odd as it sounds this is what swayed me to choose this box over the travel essentials option.  I have owned a reusable straw in the past, but I ended up having to let it go because the inside got really manky and I couldn't figure out how to properly clean it.  I looked around but couldn't find anything small enough that would fit inside.  I stopped using straws and would just walk around with an open cup, hoping no one would bump into me and through my drink all over me.  So now that I have this, I am fully converted and can finally start using a straw again!



My second favourite product has to be the collapsible water bottle from Que.  There were six colours to choose from, and I opted for the black with turquoise writing as I liked the combination.  I was not really sure what to expect from this, but I was really excited to receive it.  I do not like fully stainless steel flasks, as I hate the metallic taste the water ends up having, so have always opted for other materials.  I used a glass Camelbak for quite a while, but had a problem similar to my straw dilemma where I could never seem to properly clean the rubber bit and ended up not being able to take it out with me anymore as it ended up going lid-less.  This is perfect in terms of size and material (only the lid is stainless steel), and it reminds me of my Pokito which I adore.  I love that it is collapsible, and I think this is the first water bottle I have come across that works in this way.

The Que bottle is 100% BPA and plastic free, and can contain both hot and cold liquid since it is made from food grade silicone.  When compact, the container can hold 12oz (~340ml), and when fully extended it can hold 20oz (568ml).  While not the largest water bottle on the market, it is definitely the most flexible, and probably the lightest weight one I have used.

I have to say, this is super convenient for popping in your handbag or backpack, and it passed my personal spill test (I gave it to my partner for a day to see if he would end up with a sopping wet bag.. he didn't!).  The only odd quirk this bottle has is that it wiggles a bit if it is fully extended and completely filled with liquid.  It threatened to topple over, but to be honest this didn't bother me too much since it is leak-proof.



The tote and two produce bags are perfect for your daily shop at the supermarket or local green grocer, and they are easily folded to fit snugly in your bag at all times so you can't forget them.

Both baggies from Re-Sack are made with organic cotton, and the brand's website listing also states they are made with fair wages.  These two products are great, as they mean can skip the single use plastic wraps shops push on you and just pop your fruits and veggies straight into the little sack. The smaller bag is 30cm x 20cm and the larger is 38cm x 30cm.  Also, both can be put straight into the refrigerator as they are made from a breathable material, meaning your produce won't go moldy from trapped moisture.

The tote is sturdy (though also made from natural cotton), meaning you can carry everything back in the bag without having to worry if it will break.  Plus, you can represent the ideals of LowToxBox (and yourself!) while bringing everything home.  I love the design, and will definitely be introducing this into my regularly used tote rotation.

Overall I was really happy with my first Ethical Gift Box from LowToxBox, and thought it was a great mix of products.  The Zero Waste Starter Kit is worth about £42.89 altogether, so I am more than happy with both the price of the box and the quality of the contents.

I cannot wait to see what other kits they bring out in the coming year.  I wish them all the best, and will definitely be buying from them again in the (near) future!

17 comments

  1. I'm going on holiday next month so might have to check out the travel essentials box! I'm really glad you said that the packaging was good, that is something that often annoys me when ordering online, so definitely a big plus!

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  2. I absolutely love this idea of the ethical gift boxes! The bottles are my favourite!

    Love, Amie ❤
    The Curvaceous Vegan

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  3. I think this is such a good idea for a gift box - I really want to reduce how much waste we have, it gets out of control. This sounds like a good place to start

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  4. I love that there are boxes for eco friendly and vegan people! I fall into both those categories! So cool we can get fun mail without all the excess plastic and packaging!

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  5. This is a great little starter kit. I am thinking of buying some reusable straws. I personally do not use them but I know my neice and nephew do in the summer.
    I am going to check out the travel kit as I am on holiday in a few months. They all look great!

    Helen
    Tea in the Tub

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  6. I personally love this and want to get one for myself. I'm all about living an eco-friendly lifestyle and helping our beautiful planet. Thank you so much for sharing! 🌸✨

    With love, Alisha Valerie x

    | BLOG | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM |

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  7. The collapsable water bottle would be super handy to have, as it would be a great way of cutting down plastic. I've not heard of these types of boxes before but it is clever to see how much we are changing and starting to think about ways of protecting the environment.

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  8. This is a fantastic idea - I am going to look into these gift boxes, thank you . Kaz

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  9. I love the sound of the Zero Waste Kit. I really want to get my kids some re-useable straws.

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  10. I have a couple people who would love to learn about such ethical gifts this would make there day. I will introduce them for sure

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  11. This is great, hardly any waste, ethical, vegan and overall so naturally great. I’d love this gift set, and would also make a great present for someone.

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  12. It is lovely that they have catered for more ethical based consumers and brought this box out. The products look great too!

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  13. Oh these subscription boxes sound absolutely amazing! I'd love to try them all! I really love the look of the Zero Waste box, I may have to get one for myself x

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