Zero Co Review – Sustainable Household Products That Generate Less Waste

Looking for eco-friendly cleaning products that work AND reduce the amount of single-use plastic in use? Check out our Zero Co review!

If you’re worried about how much single-use plastic your household throws out, but you’re not yet ready to go full crunchy-mamma with bar shampoo and vinegar toilet cleaner, then a great alternative is companies like Zero Co, who recycle and reuse plastic in a closed-loop system, keeping it out of landfill.

In this article, I share a little background about Zero Co and review some of the products I tested.

This article isn’t sponsored. 

I purchased all the products mentioned at full price. I didn’t try all of their products because…budget! Links are affiliate links; if you choose to purchase, I receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Who is Zero Co?

Zero Co is an Aussie business founded by Mike Smith and friends and was launched in 2020. 

This is the boring version, you can read the more exciting story on their website.

The business supplies household and body care products in refillable bottles made (mostly) from salvaged ocean and landfill plastic. The company aims to help tackle the global plastic problem.

By selling reusable bottles from reclaimed plastic that can be refilled over and over with refill pouches that you send back to be reused, they are reducing single-use plastic with a closed-loop business model.

It’s not just the bottles that are better for the environment compared to their single-use alternatives. The liquid products are made from plant-based formulas in Australia. 

The Zero Co-Mission

Zero Co’s mission is simple: to untrash the planet. 

They aim to stop 3 million water bottles worth of rubbish going to landfill and remove 5 million water bottles worth of trash from the ocean by the end of 2023.

They hold beach and ocean cleanups as part of their mission, including on K’Gari (Fraser) Island, Sydney Harbour, and the Java Sea, Jakarta. You can join one of their clean-ups by registering on their website.

Here’s a great video that talks about their mission and the process of turning salvaged plastic into new bottles:

We read about how much plastic waste is in our oceans, waterways, and all over the place. But it’s not until you do a clean-up that you start to really appreciate just how much. I did a tiny section of our local beach for Clean Up Australia Day, and it was shocking how much garbage we picked up in just that small area.

How Zero Co Works

Zero Co is an online store that offers a closed-loop refill system for household and personal care products. 

Their plastic bottles are made from ocean, beach and landfill waste, and the refill pouches are made from recycled plastic. Instead of trashing the bottles, you refill them over and over again with the refill pouches.

But the refill pouches don’t get trashed, either!

Send them back to the company in the reply-paid envelope supplied to be refilled over and over, reducing single-use plastic waste. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Purchase a refillable pouch and an optional bottle.
2. Empty the contents of the pouch into the bottle.
3. Place the empty pouch into the supplied postage-paid envelope.
4. Once you have 15 pouches, send the envelope back.
5. They refill and reuse the pouches, reducing single-use plastics. 

When you shop online, you can make one-time purchases OR choose a subscription, and your products get automatically delivered, so you don’t have to worry about running out.

We’ve had subscription toilet paper for years; it’s super convenient and was a big stress relief during the pandemic bog-roll shortages. But if you don’t want a subscription, you have the choice of making purchases whenever it suits you.

When making your first purchase, you can choose whether to purchase the refillable bottles. If you already have bottles or jars at home, you can skip the extra expense (the bottles come empty).

When you have 15 pouches, send them back in the supplied, pre-paid envelope for them to be refilled and reused (no obligation on you to reuse them).

Benefits of Using Zero Co

First, the benefits of using Zero Co for your cleaning supplies:

• You use less single-use plastic than buying regular supermarket cleaners
• The closed-loop system keeps plastic out of landfill
• A subscription (not the only option) is convenient – you never have to worry about running out of stuff.
• You’re supporting a company committed to reducing plastic in the ocean
• The products themselves are made from plant-based ingredients
• All your products come from one place, in one delivery, reducing life admin

One of the biggest benefits, I think, is this is an easy, low-barrier way to be more eco-friendly.

It’s hard to be an eco-warrior, especially on a budget, and when you’re busy working, raising a family, looking after aging parents, and everything else.

It can be hard making it to farmer’s markets, special zero-waste stores or locating environmentally friendly products in the supermarket without all the greenwashing.

Because Zero Co works hard to be transparent about its process and the ingredients in its products, and because products are delivered straight to your door, it makes being ‘green’ that little bit easier.

Downsides to Zero Co

Now for the downsides.

1. Zero Co products may cost more than regular supermarket products (see price comparisons below). If you’re on a tight budget, then the cost will be a deal breaker. 

We all want to do our bit for the environment, and we understand that a closed-loop system can add extra operating costs to a business’s bottom line.

But a tight budget is a tight budget, especially at this high-inflation time.

2. At the time of writing, there are no fragrance-free products. You probably won’t enjoy their products if you’re sensitive to fragrances like I am. I find them to have a very strong fragrance compared to other products.

3. Some people find refilling the bottles a bit of a pain. I found it straightforward, but doing refills and then remembering to post them back is another potential downside for some people.

4. Finally, there are other eco-friendly product alternatives that use less or no plastic. For example, I usually use bar soap to wash, which is entirely plastic-free. Trying their body wash meant adding more plastic to our household.

On the other hand, plastic-free products aren’t actively removing plastic from the ocean.

Are the Products Really Eco-Friendly?

Look, I’m no scientist and can’t give you a qualified, independent opinion. Instead, I can share the claims made on the Zero Co website.

When looking at the eco-friendliness of Zero Co’s products, we have to consider:

• The packaging
• The ingredients
• The shipping

We already know that Zero Co uses mostly salvaged or recyclable plastic to make its bottles and pouches, making them more eco-friendly than their 100% virgin plastic, single-use counterparts. Getting those pouches to be reusable was kinda a big deal, and you can read more about it on their blog.

What about the actual cleaning and personal care products?

According to Zero Co, their products are plant-based formulas that are grey-water safe, vegan, and cruelty-free.

What’s great about Zero Co is their transparency. Cleaning products aren’t required to disclose the ingredients like other products. But Zero Co lists all of the ingredients in all of their products in their FAQs.

Finally transport.

Zero Co claim to have negative carbon emissions associated with production and deliveries by investing in projects like reforestation. 

Now, there’s probably a fair bit of greenwashing BS when it comes to carbon offsetting, and there are some dubious ethics about offsetting and reforesting developing countries instead of our own. But to be fair, Zero Co acknowledge that it’s not a silver bullet but a first step towards more sustainable business practices.

But Do Zero Co Products Actually Work?

I tried a selection of Zero Co products (not their whole range) to get a feel for how they worked.

The products I tried were:

• Zero Co laundry liquid
• Zero Co dishwashing liquid (not pictured)
• Zero Co toilet cleaner
• Zero Co shower cleaner, and
• Zero Co body wash.

Overall, I found all the products I tried did what they were supposed to – cleaned the toilet, the dishes, the shower, my body etc.

They were just as effective as any other product we use and our DIY versions.

Laundry Liquid

We normally use laundry powder, either homemade or eco-friendly brands that come in a cardboard box. So the laundry liquid involved more plastic than normal for us.

The bottle comes with a well-designed, convenient pouring spout, and the cap is used as a measuring cup, just like standard brands of laundry liquid.

It does have a strong fragrance that lingers on your clothes after they are dry, but unlike the other products I tried, I actually liked the fragrance.

All our clothes came out clean and fresh smelling.

Would I purchase it again?

Yes. We didn’t have an allergic reaction, which is what has happened in the past with laundry liquids and powders, and I liked the scent.

Dishwashing Liquid

We normally use EcoStore or Undo this Mess dishwashing liquid, and the Zero Co brand works as effectively as either of those options. 

However, we personally couldn’t stand the smell of the dishwash – it smelt too much like perfume to me.

Smell is so subjective, so I took it to our school tuckshop, where it got a real workout and washed all dishes effectively. The six other mums who tried it loved the smell, so I guess it’s just me.

Would I purchase it again?

No, the fragrance was too strong for me.

Toilet Cleaner

If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, you’ll know I normally clean my toilet using vinegar and bicarb soda. 

So I wondered whether the Zero Co toilet cleaner would not only work but work as well as my cheap and natural version.

Also, I hoped an easy squeezy bottle would encourage others in our house to clean the toilet more often without nagging (it didn’t work).

This toilet cleaner had a powerful fragrance, especially the first time we used it, although the scent dissipated with time, not only in the toilet but in the bottle.

Would I purchase it again?

Probably not. Similarly, the smell didn’t thrill me, and I find my usual toilet cleaning method just as effective but a lot cheaper.

Shower Cleaner

I gave the shower cleaner a go because cleaning the shower is my least favourite (most disliked?) household chore, and why not see if I can make it easier?!

The shower cleaner was as effective as other cleaners in removing soap scum from the glass with a bit of scrubbing. 

And the smell? A bit over-powering, but that could just be my sensitive nose.

If you’ve ever used the CLR Bathroom Cleaner, the Zero Co cleaner smells similar. 

Would I purchase it again?

Maybe. The jury is still out on this one.

Body Wash

As mentioned above, I normally use bar soap, which is plastic-free. 

However, I thought I’d give the body wash a go to see if the novelty of body wash in a pump pack would encourage my kids to actually wash in the shower.

I tried the Mandarin, Finger Lime, and Chamomile scented body wash and found it effective at cleaning and the fragrance to be pleasant and not too overpowering.

The texture is different to bar soap (yes, I prefer the drying component of soap – I feel less like a slimy eel after using bar soap), but also pleasant once I got used to it.

Would I purchase it again? 

Yes, I enjoyed using this product, and while bar soap is much cheaper and uses less plastic, I liked how the body wash left my skin feeling soft.

What about the Cost and Availability?

Below I’ve done a comparison table for just two of the Zero Co products I tried.

All price comparisons are of full-price products from Woolworths Online in my local area, accessed March 2023. However, products often go on sale in supermarkets, further increasing any savings in comparison.

You can save a small amount on Zero Co products by using Cashback sites like Cash Rewards or shopping when they have sales.

Dishwashing Detergent Per Litre Cost

Zero Co Dishwashing Liquid	$11.00 + delivery ($9.90 on subscription)
EcoStore	$9.00/ltr
Earth Choice (Cheaper Version)	$2.40/ltr
Earth Choice (Fancy Bottle)	$6.40/ltr
Undo This Mess (Fancier Bottle)	$9.00/ltr
Morning Fresh Clean & Green Ultra Concentrate	$6.50/ltr
Fairy	$11.90/ltr
Shine	$1.50/ltr

Body Wash Per Litre Cost

Zero Co Body Wash	$15 + delivery ($13 on subscription)
Palmolive Body Wash	$13 /ltr
Dove Body Wash	$17/ltr
GlowLab	$20/ltr
Sukin	$19/ltr
EcoStore	$15/ltr
A’Kin	$38/ltr

While it’s written on the website when you order, I missed the bit where the bottle comes empty. So just a heads up on that one, if you’re like me and miss that fact. 

Availability

Zero Co ships Australia-wide but, at the moment, only in Australia. 

Some stores stock Zero Co products. Our closest retail stockist is the local IGA down the road. 

You can find out if there are any stores near you by using their store locator.

Overall Verdict

My overall verdict of Zero Co is good, with a small caveat.

I found all the products I tried to be effective and their mission inspiring. Good.

But I wish there were some fragrance-free options. Caveat.

I really don’t want to say anything bad about a company trying to do good for the environment because I really want them to succeed and other businesses to follow their example to reduce single-use plastics.

I will probably try the shampoo and conditioner next because they are two products where we use single-use plastics, and if they are ok on our hair, they will be a good alternative.