The world produces over 400 million tons of plastic waste yearly,1 and a significant portion never fully disappears. Instead, it breaks down into microplastics, tiny fragments that contaminate our soil, oceans, and even our food and drinking water. Choosing plastic-free alternatives is one of the most potent ways to fight against this growing pollution crisis.
One easy way to start is with eco-friendly DIY swaps. By making your everyday essentials—from reusable bags to homemade soaps—you can eliminate countless sources of plastic waste and drastically reduce your contribution to microplastic pollution.
Remember, how you store and package your DIY swaps is just as important. Choose glass jars, fabric wraps, metal tins, or other plastic-free options to keep every part of your project truly sustainable.
Start making meaningful changes today with these 18 Eco-Friendly DIY swaps. Each one helps you reduce plastic waste, microplastic pollution, and toxins.
Eco-Friendly DIY Swaps: 18 Plastic-Free Ideas
Looking for easy ways to reduce plastic waste and live more sustainably? These eco-friendly DIY swaps are practical, plastic-free alternatives to everyday disposable items. Whether you’re replacing single-use plastics in your kitchen, bathroom, or baby gear, each idea helps reduce microplastic pollution and supports a healthier planet. Pick a few to get started — every swap makes a difference!
Plastic-Free Kitchen Swaps
1. Reusable Lunch Bags
Using durable fabrics like cotton or oilcloth, you can sew a reusable lunch bag that’s washable, sturdy, and built to last. It’s a simple way to cut down on plastic packaging and add a little personality to your daily routine — all while keeping things sustainable.
Tutorial: DIY Reusable Lunch Bags by Spoonflower
Impact:
Even though reusable options are more popular today, millions of disposable paper lunch bags are still used yearly, and the environmental impact adds up. Producing paper bags requires cutting down trees, using large amounts of water, and releasing greenhouse gases. Conversely, plastic can stick around for hundreds of years, polluting ecosystems long after a single lunch is over. Choosing a reusable lunch bag helps reduce waste, conserve resources, and lower your carbon footprint — one meal at a time.
2. Snack Bags
Replace disposable plastic snack bags with reusable fabric snack bags to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. This adorable DIY project involves sewing durable fabrics like laminated cotton to create sturdy, washable bags that can be used repeatedly. These bags not only reduce single-use plastic consumption but also add a personalized touch to your daily snacks, making them both eco-friendly and stylish.
Tutorial: DIY Reusable Snack Bags by The DIY Mommy
Impact:
Those single-use plastic snack bags? They’re sticking around way longer than your lunch break. Most are made from polyethylene, a plastic that can take hundreds of years to break down. Instead of disappearing, they hang around in the environment, harming wildlife and ecosystems. And it doesn’t end there: as they break apart, they turn into microplastics that can enter our food chain. Not exactly the kind of leftovers anyone wants.
⚠️ Check fabric: Some tutorials use “laminated cotton” or PUL, which contains plastic. For truly plastic-free: use untreated cotton or beeswax-coated cotton.
3. Cloth “Paper” Towels
Replace disposable paper towels with reusable “unpaper” towels to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. This DIY project involves sewing absorbent fabrics like cotton or flannel with terry cloth to create durable towels that can be washed and reused again and again. You can add snaps or buttons to roll onto a traditional paper towel holder or stack them neatly in a basket.
Tutorial: DIY Unpaper Towels by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Impact:
The U.S. uses around 13 billion pounds of paper towels yearly, contributing significantly to landfill waste and deforestation. Many paper towel brands also use plastic packaging, which can take hundreds of years to break down.2
4. Reusable Bowl Covers
Replace disposable plastic wrap and aluminum foil with reusable fabric bowl covers to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. This DIY project involves sewing cotton or other breathable fabrics with elastic to create durable covers that can be washed and reused. These covers protect leftovers, rising dough, or transporting dishes to gatherings. They reduce single-use plastic consumption and add a charming, personalized touch to your kitchen essentials.
Tutorial: DIY Reusable Bowl Covers by Idea’s Farm
Impact:
Plastic wrap contributes to the larger plastic pollution crisis, it’s difficult to recycle, and it’s made from potentially harmful chemicals. When it ends up in landfills or incinerators, both PVC and PVDC can release a highly toxic chemical called dioxin.3
5. Reusable Grocery Bags
Replace disposable plastic grocery bags with reusable fabric grocery bags to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. This DIY project involves sewing durable fabrics like canvas or cotton to create sturdy bags that can be washed and reused repeatedly.
Tutorial: DIY Reusable Grocery Bag by DIY Craftsy
Impact:
Americans use 365 plastic bags per person annually, contributing significantly to environmental pollution.4 Most curbside recycling programs cannot recycle plastic grocery bags because they jam machinery at recycling facilities, meaning the vast majority end up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment. Plastic bags can also take over 1,000 years to decompose, slowly breaking into harmful microplastics over time.5 Switching to reusable grocery bags is a simple way to reduce waste and avoid contributing to long-term plastic pollution.
6. Reusable Dish Scrubber
Replace disposable plastic dish sponges with a reusable dish scrubber to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. This DIY project involves crocheting natural fibers like jute or sisal to create a durable scrubber that can be washed and reused again and again. These scrubbers not only reduce single-use plastic consumption but also add a personalized touch to your kitchen essentials.
Tutorial: DIY Reusable Dish Scrubber by Paper & Stitch
Impact:
Plastic sponges are a hidden source of microplastic pollution — and the numbers aren’t pretty. Melamine foam sponges, in particular, can shed around 6.5 million microplastic fibers for every gram as they wear down. Altogether, it’s estimated that about 4.9 trillion microplastic fibers are released into the environment every month from these sponges alone.
While natural sponges break down in just a few months to a couple of years, synthetic ones made from polyurethane or plastic-based foam can last for hundreds of years.6 They resist microbial breakdown, meaning they sit in landfills—and in the environment—for a very long time.
7. Homemade Dishwasher Tablets
To reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle, replace conventional dishwasher detergents, often packaged in plastic and containing synthetic chemicals, with a natural, zero-waste alternative. This DIY project combines simple, non-toxic ingredients like baking soda, citric acid, and dish soap to create effective dishwasher tablets that can be stored in reusable containers. Making dishwasher tablets reduces plastic waste and avoids exposing your household to potentially harmful substances in many commercial products.
Tutorial: DIY 3-Ingredient Homemade Dish Tablets by Mom 4 Real
Impact:
Each year, about 20 billion plastic detergent pods are flushed into U.S. waterways. These pods are coated in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a petroleum-based plastic that dissolves in water but doesn’t fully biodegrade. As a result, they contribute to microplastic pollution. Studies estimate that around 75% of plastic particles from detergent pods persist in the environment, eventually contaminating oceans, rivers, and soil.7
Sustainable Bathroom Swaps
8. Natural Deodorant Without Baking Soda
Replace conventional deodorants with a natural, zero-waste alternative. These deodorants are often packaged in plastic and contain baking soda that can irritate sensitive skin. This DIY recipe combines nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, and arrowroot powder to create a gentle, effective deodorant for all skin types. Stored in reusable containers, this homemade deodorant minimizes environmental impact and allows customization with your preferred essential oils.
Tutorial: DIY Natural Deodorant Without Baking Soda by Homemade on Our Homestead
Impact:
Traditional deodorant containers are typically made from non-biodegradable plastics like polypropylene (PP), which can persist in the environment for centuries. Due to their mixed materials and small size, these containers are often challenging to recycle, leading to a significant accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and oceans.
9. Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
Ditch the single-use makeup wipes and switch to reusable makeup remover pads—it’s an easy way to reduce waste and make your routine a little greener. With just a few simple materials, like cotton or bamboo terry cloth, you can sew your own set of soft, durable pads to wash and reuse.
Tutorial: DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pads by Easy Things to Sew
Impact:
The U.S. disposes of approximately 20 million pounds of single-use wipes daily, many (including baby wipes and disinfecting wipes) of which are makeup remover wipes that contain plastic fibers and can decompose up to 100 years.8
10. Natural Lip Balm
To reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle, replace conventional lip balms, often packaged in plastic and containing synthetic ingredients, with a natural, zero-waste alternative. This DIY project involves combining nourishing ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, and essential oils to create a lip balm that’s gentle on the skin and free from harmful additives.
Tutorial: DIY Natural Lip Balm by Homestead and Chill
Impact:
Over one billion plastic lip balm tubes are tossed out yearly, adding to the global plastic pollution crisis.9 Traditional lip balms often rely on petroleum-based ingredients and are packaged in plastic tubes that can take 400–500 years to break down. That’s a lot of waste for a product usually finished in just a few weeks, posing a long-term environmental threat.
11. Natural Milk & Honey Soap
These little soaps are seriously so cute—and a great way to cut back on plastic waste. Instead of buying conventional liquid soaps that come in plastic bottles and often contain synthetic ingredients, you can make your own natural, zero-waste bars at home. This DIY soap uses simple, nourishing ingredients like goat’s milk soap base and raw honey to create a gentle, moisturizing soap that’s perfect for all skin types.
Tutorial: DIY Milk & Honey Soap by Happiness is Homemade
Impact:
Traditional liquid soaps usually come in plastic bottles from petroleum-based materials like PET or HDPE. While technically recyclable, many still end up in landfills, which can take hundreds of years to break down, adding to the growing plastic waste problem.10
12. Natural Toothpaste
To reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle, replace conventional toothpaste, often packaged in plastic and containing synthetic ingredients, with a natural, zero-waste alternative. This DIY toothpaste combines simple, non-toxic ingredients like coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oils to create an effective toothpaste.
Tutorial: DIY Natural Toothpaste by Mountain Rose Herbs
Impact:
Globally, 1.5 billion toothpaste tubes are discarded each year.11 Most of these tubes are made from a combination of plastic and aluminum, making them difficult to recycle. These tubes can take up to 500 years to decompose in landfills, contributing significantly to long-term environmental pollution.
13. DIY Melt-and-Pour Shampoo Bars
To reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle, replace conventional liquid shampoos, often packaged in plastic and containing synthetic chemicals, with a natural, zero-waste alternative. This DIY project uses a melt-and-pour soap base and nourishing essential oils to create solid shampoo bars tailored to various hair types. These bars minimize plastic waste and allow for customization to suit individual hair care needs.
Tutorial: DIY Melt and Pour Shampoo Bar Recipes for Every Hair Type by Hello Glow
Impact:
Traditional shampoo bottles are a major contributor to plastic pollution, with an estimated 552 million discarded yearly12 — enough to circle the Earth more than three times if lined up end to end. Many of these bottles end up in landfills or oceans, where they can take up to 450 years to decompose.
⚠️ Check soap base: Some melt-and-pour soap bases contain synthetic surfactants (plastic derivatives). Choose a truly natural soap base (like organic vegetable glycerin base without synthetic detergents).
Eco-Friendly DIYs for the Home
14. DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
Want to cut down on waste and avoid harsh chemicals at home? Swap conventional all-purpose cleaners for a simple DIY alternative, usually packaged in plastic bottles and filled with synthetic ingredients. With just distilled white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils, you can mix up an effective cleaner and store it in a reusable container, reducing plastic waste and keeping unnecessary chemicals out of your home.
Tutorial: DIY All-Purpose Cleaner by Home Cleaning For You
Impact:
Many traditional cleaning products aren’t just packaged in plastic bottles—they can also contain hundreds of different chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), surfactants, disinfectants, and preservatives. Some products pack in dozens of individual ingredients, while others stick to just a few. The American Cleaning Institute even has a Cleaning Chemistry Catalog that breaks down what’s inside many of these everyday products.
Groups like the American Lung Association have also raised concerns about the impact of cleaning supplies on indoor air quality, pointing to harmful chemicals that can linger in the air we breathe. By making your all-purpose cleaner with natural ingredients and storing it in reusable containers, you can reduce chemical exposure at home and reduce plastic waste.
15. Natural Laundry Detergent
Looking for an easy way to cut plastic waste and ditch questionable chemicals? Try swapping conventional laundry detergents—usually packed in plastic and loaded with synthetic ingredients—for a simple, DIY alternative. This homemade detergent uses just a few natural basics, like washing soda, baking soda, and castile soap.
Tutorial: DIY Natural Laundry Detergent by Thriving Sustainably
Impact:
Conventional laundry detergents often contain phosphates, which can trigger harmful algal blooms that deplete oxygen levels and endanger aquatic life. Plastic packaging from these products also contributes to long-term environmental pollution. Research also shows that microfiber shedding during laundry can increase by 193% when using heavy doses of powder detergent compared to liquid detergent, further contributing to microplastic pollution.13
Plastic-Free Swaps for Babies
16. Reusable Cloth Diapers
Replace disposable diapers with reusable cloth diapers to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. This DIY project involves sewing absorbent fabrics like cotton, bamboo, or hemp into fitted diapers, prefolds, or all-in-one styles that can be washed and reused. You can customize the size, absorbency, and closures to suit your baby’s needs.
Tutorial: DIY Cloth Diaper Patterns for Babies by Sew Guide
Impact:
Disposable diapers are made with plastic-based materials like polyethylene and polypropylene, which don’t break down easily. In landfills, they can take up to 500 years to decompose, slowly breaking apart into smaller pieces and adding to the growing problem of microplastic pollution.14
⚠️ Check waterproof layers: Some cloth diapers use PUL (plastic laminate). Fully cloth options (cotton, hemp, wool covers) are plastic-free.
17. Reusable Baby Wipes
Replace disposable baby wipes with reusable cloth wipes to reduce waste and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. These wipes involve sewing soft, absorbent fabrics like organic fleece or cotton flannel into squares that can be moistened with a gentle cleansing solution.
Tutorial: DIY Homemade Baby Wipes by DIY Craftsy
Impact:
Disposable baby wipes are a significant source of environmental pollution. Many are made with plastic fibers like polypropylene or polyester, which aren’t biodegradable and can take years, sometimes even decades, to break down in landfills. When flushed or improperly discarded, wipes can clog sewer systems and contribute to microplastic pollution, harming marine life.15
Even beyond the plastic problem, some disposable wipes contain potentially harmful chemicals that aren’t great for sensitive skin. Ingredients like synthetic fragrances, preservatives, and surfactants can cause irritation, trigger allergic reactions, and may raise long-term health concerns.
18. Reusable Baby Bibs
Swap out disposable or plastic-lined baby bibs for reusable ones to reduce waste and make everyday life more sustainable. With just a bit of sewing and some soft, absorbent fabrics like hemp jersey, terry cloth, or cotton, you can create durable bibs that are easy to wash and reuse — perfect for all of life’s little messes.
Tutorial: How to Sew Very Absorbent Homemade Bibs by The Willow Market
Impact:
Disposable bibs contribute to environmental pollution, with many containing plastic components that can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills. By switching to reusable cloth bibs, you reduce plastic waste and minimize exposure to potential skin irritants, promoting a healthier environment for your baby and the planet.
This Has Been About Eco-Friendly DIY Swaps
Every choice we make has an impact, and creating plastic-free alternatives is a powerful way to combat plastic pollution and the growing microplastics crisis. These eco-friendly DIY swaps aren’t just simple changes; they’re practical steps that help protect our environment, health, and future generations.
So why not start today?
Pick one swap, gather your materials (bonus points for glass jars and reusable containers!), and take that first step toward a more sustainable, plastic-free life.
Which swap are you most excited to try? I’d love to hear — share your favorite in the comments!
References
- Ritchie, H., Samborska, V., & Roser, M. (2023). Plastic pollution. Our World in Data. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution ↩︎
- Jordan, A. (2023). The issue with tissue: How Americans are flushing forests down the toilet (5th ed.). Natural Resources Defense Council. https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/issue-with-tissue-5th-report.pdf ↩︎
- Gibbens, S. (2019, July 12). The sticky problem of plastic wrap. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/story-of-plastic-sticky-problem-of-plastic-wrap ↩︎
- Center for Biological Diversity. (n.d.). 10 facts about single-use plastic bags. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/plastic_bag_facts.html ↩︎
- Decomposition Time. (2023, August 5). Plastic bag. https://decompositiontime.com/plastic-bag/ ↩︎
- Decomposition Time. (2023, September 11). How long does it take for sponges to decompose? https://decompositiontime.com/sponges/ ↩︎
- Blueland. (2024, February 8). The Pods are Plastic Bill. Blueland. https://www.blueland.com/articles/pods-are-plastic-bill ↩︎
- Burns, C. (2021, July 26). An eco-friendly replacement for cotton rounds. Women’s Health. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/g37026523/best-reusable-cotton-rounds/ ↩︎
- MaeMae Natural Products. (2023, April 6). The environmental impact of conventional lip balm. MaeMae Natural Products. https://maemae.ca/blogs/blog/the-environmental-impact-of-conventional-lip-balm ↩︎
- Nag, T. (2024, July 17). The environmental impact of liquid hand soap packaging. Sanixway. https://sanixway.com/environmental-impact-of-liquid-hand-soap-packaging/ ↩︎
- McMonagle, B. (2021, April 24). Oral care companies finally tackle packaging waste. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/beamcmonagle/2021/04/24/oral-care-companies-finally-tackle-packaging-waste/ ↩︎
- Chang, K. (2020, August 25). Why you should ditch plastic bottles and switch to bar soaps and solid skincare. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiechang/2020/08/25/why-you-should-ditch-plastic-bottles-and-switch-to-bar-soaps-and-solid-skincare/ ↩︎
- Anvitha, S. (2022). Laundry detergents: A potential resource of pollution and overutilisation. London Journals Press. https://journalspress.com/laundry-detergents-a-potential-resource-of-pollution-and-overutilisation/ ↩︎
- DecompositionTime. (n.d.). How long does it take for a diaper to decompose? Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://decompositiontime.com/diaper/ ↩︎
- Hadley, T., Hickey, K., Lix, K., Sharma, S., Berretta, T., & Navessin, T. (2023). Flushed but not forgotten: The rising costs and opportunities of disposable wet wipes. BioResources, 18(1), 2271–2287. https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/flushed-but-not-forgotten-the-rising-costs-and-opportunities-of-disposable-wet-wipes/ ↩︎
