UK households use over 70 million cleaning sprays every year which generates more than 140 million pieces of plastic.
Why refill instead of recycle?
By embracing eco-friendly refill practices, we can greatly reduce the amount of plastic waste generated and prevent it from polluting our environment. We try to buy and use recyclable products whenever possible but less than 10% of plastic waste actually gets recycled. Therefore, reusing and refilling means that packaging remains in the system and can be used again and again transitioning away from our current disposable single-use culture. As well as reducing the amount of throwaway packaging, many home cleaning brands that offer refills concentrate on products with non-toxic and environmentally friendly ingredients. There are so many options available and factors such as price and convenience may stall you into making changes in your home. We have made it easy for you by discussing these alongside accessibility, ease of refilling, product range, the overall aesthetic and of course, whether the cleaning products ACTUALLY work from one of the most reputable and fastest growing refill companies.
Introducing The Bower Collective.
Launched in 2020 The Bower Collective is a B-Corp that sells a varied range of household and personal care products alongside kitchen accessories such as bamboo cutlery, compostable bin liners and recycled aluminium foil, delivered when you need them. The Bower Collective’s vision is to eliminate plastic waste and help you enjoy a more sustainable home. They have created the Bower Standard and curate products from leading sustainable brands that share their mission.
The brand is inspired by the Bowerbird – famous for reusing brightly coloured plastic scraps to decorate its nest, or Bower.
Traditional household cleaners contain harsh chemicals, but The Bower Collective products are made using ethically sourced, non-toxic ingredients from a sustainable supply chain and manufactured in the UK to minimise carbon impact. Milder, natural cleaning products can work just as well and are better for our health and the environment. The Bower Collective also aims for less landfill, more refill. They sell their natural, vegan and cruelty-free products in refillable, reusable and returnable packaging making them ahead of the game compared to mainstream brands.
As an additional green claim The Bower Collective partner with the Marine Conservation Society and CleanHub to remove plastic waste from the ocean.
The Bower Collective household products.
The Bower Collective has a huge range of products on their website. If you are just starting out and find choosing products daunting, you may just want to start with a single swap such as your laundry liquid and fabric conditioner. Usefully, The Bower Collective offers a selection of bundles to purchase with great offers such as save 20% and get FREE dispensers when you pick 4 of the most popular products. You can also save 30% with their Starter Kits such as the Kitchen Sink Starter Set. Buyers can make a one-off purchase or subscribe and save 20% on all future orders. All you have to do is choose in which intervals you want your products to arrive, anywhere between one and six months (I like that they offer this length of time, so you are not overbuying) and that’s it. You can forget about shopping and your items will arrive before you run out. When it gets closer to reordering, The Bower Collective will email reminders so you can adjust or skip your repeat orders before they are dispatched. And if things change, you can easily change your subscription, or cancel it. Subscriptions for goods such as laundry detergent and toilet roll are a great way of making sure you don’t run out of the essentials. It’s also a handy way of getting bulky items delivered straight to your door.
We were sent some of The Bower Collectives popular household products including a: Bower Limescale Remover Refill, Bower Bathroom Cleaner Pink Salt Refill, 2 x Reusable Glass Trigger Spray Dispensers, Bower Non-Bio Laundry Liquid Refill and a Reusable Plastic Laundry & Surface Cleaner Bottle.
Bower Limescale Remover Refill 1L RRP £6.99.
In total to date customers have saved 2,891kg of plastic waste by subscribing to this product.
If you live in a hard water area, like me, then a good limescale remover is a must. For me, the taps are the worst and most difficult to keep clean. Their best-selling naturally derived limescale remover is proven to be highly effective on taps, tiles, sinks etc. It is not suitable for enamel, marble, stone surfaces, or brass. It is ok to be used in a home with a septic tank. The naturally derived ingredients list is tiny which is always a good sign, and the liquid is ready to use to be decanted into a Reusable Glass Trigger Spray Dispenser. Ingredients of each product are listed on the Bower Collective website for transparency. Free from toxic chemicals such as parabens, bleach, synthetic fragrances and many more, formulations are as pure as they are effective. This product is not intended to foam but to be used as a liquid spray. Instructions for use are to shake and spray onto surface, leave for 15 seconds and wipe off with a clean damp cloth. For tough marks and grime, spray and leave for 2 minutes before wiping. It works really well. The liquid looks clear in the bottle and has only a really gentle fragrance which I like.
Bower Bathroom Cleaner Pink Salt Refill 1L RRP £4.99.
In total to date customers have saved 1,047kg of plastic waste by subscribing to this product.
The naturally derived bathroom cleaner is fragranced with essential oils, giving notes of crushed mint, warm lilies and sandalwood. It is a really gorgeous scent but not artificial or overpowering. My son has ASD and it is a scent that does not upset his senses. For use on glass, ceramics, perspex, chrome and most non-porous surfaces. It has a cloudy look in the bottle. The Bower Collective also sell a pink salt glass and mirror cleaner. It is also Vegan and suitable for the septic tank. In my view this cleans just as well as other brands such as Method but doesn’t strip stains quickly like a bleach to set expectations. Spray areas and leave for 30 seconds before rinsing with clean water. No need to wipe dry. The finish of my bathroom after cleaning was great – very shiny.
I like that the refill products are available in ample 1L pouches or for those that like to bulk buy, most are also available in a 5L box. You are left with empty plastic pouches once you’ve used the refills, which won’t appeal to some people, but The Bower Collective do include a card pre-paid envelope for customers to return these BowerPacks™ for reuse and recycling (ideally wait until you can send 4). These refills offer over 600 sprays. On average most households will restock every 3 months which makes them just as effective as any supermarket cleaners. BowerPack products are good for 2 years on the shelf, unopened. We found the refills very easy to decant, thanks to the fact that they come in a pouch with a spout, so none is wasted through spillage. There will be surplus in the pouch after you fill a Reusable Glass Trigger Spray Dispenser. Also pictured are some handy dispenser stickers to customise your spray bottles. I like they are not too big and are subtly designed.
Reusable Glass Trigger Spray Dispenser with Silicone Sleeve RRP £9.99.
In total to date customers have saved 214kg of plastic waste by subscribing to this product.
The Bower Collectives reusable glass trigger spray dispenser is a sleek and stylish addition to your sustainable home, with a silicone sleeve for added protection. They are sturdy but not too heavy. The perfect size for storage and holds 500ml. Dimensions: Height = 22cm, Width = 8cm. The silicone sleeve comes in 3 different colours (White, Granite and Storm Blue) and is really effective at stopping the spray bottles bumping surfaces. The trigger spray heads offer really powerful spray and you can twist the nozzle as a safety feature to stop any unwanted sprays. Bower dispensers are a core part of their reuse and refill system. Take care of your dispenser and it will last a lifetime. I like that the site sells replacement nozzles and silicone sleeves for really reasonable prices to encourage the longevity of the products. They also ensure any broken components are properly recycled.
Top tip – soak vinegar in tissue and wrap around the top of the silicone to remove limescale residue if this builds up on the bottle over time.
Bower Non-Bio Laundry Liquid Refill – Fresh Linen 1L RRP £5.99.
In total to date customers have saved 468kg of plastic waste by subscribing to this product.
A naturally derived non-bio fresh linen laundry liquid that has a natural, subtle fragrant smell that lasts throughout the day. It works well at low temperatures and removes stains well. It is suitable for hand washing and septic tanks. You pour into the machine drawer and use 30ml for a light load. The only downside for me going from powder to liquid I would need to buy a measuring cup. Again highlighting the impressive amount of product choice you can chose from a variety of liquids including lavender laundry liquid or fragrance free laundry liquid for sensitive skin. How many uses does it offer? Up to 30 washes. Most people restock every 2 months. This would be a definite switch for me.
Reusable Plastic Laundry & Surface Cleaner Bottle RRP £4.99.
In total to date customers have saved 661kg of plastic waste by subscribing to this product.
This reusable bottle is made with PET – a sustainable packaging solution with a lower carbon footprint than other plastics which requires less energy to produce than new plastics and can be reused. It can be recycled into new products and maintains its strength and quality. Dimensions are Height = 22cm, Width = 7.5cm, it held the whole refill of laundry liquid. It is a large bottle with an easy screw top. It is made of plastic with a recyclable metal lid, but I think glass of this size would be quite heavy. I like the logo on the bottle. Overall all of the products have been effective and simple to use.
What did we think?
Ordering directly on The Bower Collective’s website is easy and quick. Your order will typically be with you within 3-5 working days. Delivery is £3.99 or FREE for all orders over £40. My Bower Collective products were well packaged, with paper as filler. The tape was made of paper, as was the box packed in FSC cardboard, so all be easily recycled. The Bower Collective is rated excellent on Trustpilot, with a 4.8-star rating. They are also responsive to feedback. The products I sampled were all of high quality and the dispensers look great in my bathroom. Because natural cleaners are milder, sometimes you need to put in a bit more effort to get the same results as with chemical cleaners, but I was surprised and impressed about how shiny the cleaners made the bathroom. I am more mindful how much I am using with see through bottles and containers. I never used a limescale remover before and was amazed at how well this works.
I often get asked if eco-friendly products are more expensive. It’s a valid question. After all, most of us have to live within our means. The Bower collection is mid-range in terms of price, so is it more expensive than budget supermarket brands buy a pound or two – yes. Is it a better choice for the environment and your home – yes.
AD We were gifted the items for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and feelings our our own.