Did you know you could recycle those small plastic foil capsules that contact lenses come in? We posted an Instagram story about this recycling tip recently, and a friend asked us “What does that have to do with Rapt reusable gift wrap?” The answer is nothing and everything.

There is no direct connection. No one gives contact lenses as a gift, and we’re not being paid to promote a recycling program. But we found when we started Rapt - with the idea of eliminating wrapping paper waste at the holidays - that we started thinking of other ways to live more sustainably. We are by no means perfect (still working on #7) and have not achieved the peak of #zerowaste where we can fit a month’s worth of trash in a mason jar (goals!!) but we have found small and meaningful ways to reduce. These also happen to save money and time (in shopping errands) and ultimately the planet since, as a family, we are sending a lot less waste to landfills.

Here are a dozen swaps you can make:

1. Bring reusable bags when shopping

2. Bring and refill your water bottle instead of buying another plastic single-use bottle

3. Use rags instead of paper towels

4. Use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets

5. Use reusable, washable face cloths instead of single-use make up wipes

6. Use beeswax wrap or bowl covers instead of plastic cling wrap

7. Make your own cold brew instead of buying plastic bottles of coffee

8. Use silicone bags instead of single-use ziplocs

9. Try toothbrush bites in a small glass jar instead of paste in a plastic tube

10. Subscribe to the digital version of your newspapers and magazines

11. Use a reusable tea filter instead of individual tea bags

12. Use Rapt reusable fabric gift wrap instead of single-use wrapping paper!

    Thanks for making the world a little cleaner!