In the past year, Biome's community made thousands of choices to help create a safer, healthier environment on our planet!
So, what were the Top 10 solutions our customers loved the most?
There's no particular order as they all went crazy, but the number one sustainable solution may surprise you!
We hope you're inspired to act with some of these ideas you may not have known about.
10. Ulu Hye Nut Mylk base instead of Tetra Pak mylks
Costs less, saves waste, has no additives, and no carting of heavy liquids.
We're so in love with Ulu Hye mylk bases, you'll be wondering why you didn't switch earlier:
- Removes the plastic waste of UHT and plastic bottle packaged mylks!
- Instead of paying for water, simply add water at home.
- Fresh, delicious milk, without the additives.
- Make just what you need, when you need.
- Reusable, recyclable glass jar.
- Costs less per litre than a Tetra Pak litre at the supermarket! Whaat?
Find the Ulu Hye range here >
9. Solidtecknics forever pans
Never again throw away a scratched Teflon pan that's lost it's non-stick!
Designed and MADE in Australia from solid iron, Solidteknics pans have a natural non-stick seasoning, not a synthetic toxic coating, so the pan will last for generations! Simply redo the seasoning at any time to refresh the "non-stickness".
Even better, Solidteknics pans now come pre-seasoned! Quenched seasoning involves heating to a precise temperature before dunking in chilled rice bran oil (one of the best oils for seasoning). The oil is instantly transformed into a strong, non-toxic cooking surface.
- Suitable from induction cooktops to campfires.
- No emissions of PFOAs and other toxins from Teflon
- Multi-generational
8. Firelighters without petrochemicals
Summer BBQs or warming winter fires, firelighters make your job a little easier, but many products do so at a cost to our planet and people.
Most firelighters are made using the fossil fuels kerosene, paraffin or paraffin wax, which carry a huge CO2 cost and contribute to global warming.
Some firelighters such as hexamine firelighters also give off emissions that have a detrimental effect on human health.
Vegetable oils are a solution to avoid the need for fossil fuels and toxins, but they generally contain palm oil so are not an eco-friendly solution either!
If You Care Firelighters are made from FSC wood and non-GMO palm oil-free vegetable oil. Of course, we particularly love the Australian-made version in Wrappa vegan firelighters.
7. Veggie Saver bags to save waste and money
With the rising cost of groceries, there's no budget for wasting fresh produce.
From her father to teenage children, Biome founder, Tracey, and her family love Veggie Saver bags!
"I was recently reminded of how incredible these bags are. We'd run out of room in our Veggie Saver bags, so I used a plastic bag to contain some cucumbers and peppers. In just a few days, the produce in the plastic bag had brown spots and deterioration; while the greens in the cloth bags were looking better than when I put them in!
My father is a volunteer farm-sitter on remote properties to help farmers needing a break, so he needs to take supplies to last several weeks. Veggie Saver is the solution in the fridge, dampened daily, with potatoes and onions in bags in the cupboard."
Designed by the original founder of The Swag bags, find Veggie Saver here
Biome's organic cotton multi use bag will also work, but will need to be dampened more often as it is not as thick.
6. Grow your own plastic free greens with Micropod
The price of lettuce was a big topic in 2022, but did you know you can grow your own for less than the cost in the supermarket?
Not to mention, growing produce at home also reduces carbon emissions, plastic packaging waste, and pesticide use.
At $2.30 each, Micropod seed mats are cheaper than supermarket microgreens* (plus there's no plastic tub waste). Once you purchase a long-lasting Micropod kit, all you need is to replenish your supply of seed mats.
The seed mats are packed full of natural nutrients to make indoor growing easy. Made in Australia and NZ from paper pulp and coconut fibres, once used, just place in your garden to compost.
SEED MATS ARE CURRENTLY 20% OFF AT BIOME
*Here's a snapshot of what Coles is advertising!
5. Waterless, palm oil free shampoo powder that works like liquid
Did you know that with liquid shampoo you're mostly paying for water?
Shipping around heavy water is costly, wastes plastic containers, and creates greenhouse gas emissions. Water-based formulas also need irritating chemicals to preserve the product.
Enter small Australian business Goodeau with a fantastic solution, a waterless, powder-based shampoo.
Salon quality and palm oil free, this concentrated powder performs like liquid shampoo, only it's better for your hair and the planet!
Shake some powder on your hand, add water and rub hands together to foam it up. Watch a video here
- Perfect for travel
- Packaged in an unbreakable, lightweight aluminium bottle.
- Free from SLS, other sulphates, synthetic fragrances and preservatives.
Unlike 99.9% of all liquid shampoos, there is no palm oil at all in Goodeau. That is a huge credit to Goodeau creator, Candice, who went to lengths to ensure this. We need to support these small entrepreneurs who are choosing better ways, rather than relying on the easy, cheaper route that the big brands take.
6. Absorb moisture and deter pests naturally
It seems moisture, mustiness and mould won't leave us alone these days!
Australian made Linii Huon Pine absorbs moisture and smells around the home naturally. Place in wardrobes, pantry, sports bags or anywhere you wish to keep moisture and smells at bay. Linii will also deter insects, like silverfish, moths and fleas.
This product is made from the off-cuts when rare, fallen huon pine is carved into beautiful objects.
When wet and humid, the pine shavings absorb up to one third their weight in moisture, and then expel that moisture as the air dries.
Over on our Instagram we also had a huge response to our idea to make your moisture absorbers from silica gel packs!
3. Clean Green Trio: oxygen bleach, clove oil and castile soap
Our stores are always abuzz with customers looking for ways to clean, disinfect, and avoid mould without resorting to the overwhelming fumes from chlorine, ammonia, and synthetic fragrance in most cleaners.
Getting back to basics with natural solutions is all we need, and can cost a lot less too.
The three most popular?
Oxygen Bleach
Harmful chemicals like chlorine bleach have become commonplace in our homes as we are fed the dream of effortlessly clean and sanitised surfaces! But, oxygen bleach is a safer alternative with many benefits over the corrosive, unhealthy choice. Learn more here
Clove Oil
Unlike bleach that just turns mould white so you can't see it, clove oil kills the mould spores. Find clove oil and all our solutions to remove mould here
Pure Castile Soap
A powerhouse of usefulness! Biome's gentle and non-drying castile is perfect for hands and body, and a multi-purpose cleaner.
You've heard of the 101 uses for Dr Bronner's, well Biome's castile is made from 100% Australian-gown olive oil, rather than the mix of plant oils you find in USA-made Dr Bronners. Find Biome's castile here
2. Dishwasher powder that doesn't cost the Earth
1. Make do & mend
It's no secret that the dilemma of Biome is that we are a business that survives only by selling products, while at the same time encouraging our community to not buy products they do not need!
For all of our 18 years, that's the challenge we have juggled.
If Biome can not sustain itself, we will not be able to continue the trailblazing work that we have consistently delivered since 2003—from being the first to introduce the concept of a "reusable water bottle" to shampoo bars, reusable coffee cups, Bokashi composting, beeswax wraps, reusable straws, beeswax wraps, menstrual cups, wire pegs...
These solutions may seem commonplace now, but I can promise you that when Biome first started educating about these choices, they were almost unheard of.
So, while we do need you to purchase some products from us please, we will always champion the message:
Before you buy something new, first see if you can make do, mend, or buy second-hand.
We're here to help you make a difference in 2023!
Biome founder, Tracey
