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As a mother of four, I spend a lot of time wrestling with my family's environmental impact -- and doing everything I can to mitigate it.
My commitment to sustainability is reflected in everything we do: We walk or stroll most places, eat mostly plant-based foods, buy second-hand items or rent clothes.
I also opt for reusable everyday items instead of disposables.Overhauling my beauty cabinet and personal hygiene products has been my mission for years: I use Dame reusable applicators and Thinx period pants whenever possible, unpackaged shower and shampoo bars, and I haven't seen a single use yet Cottons or swabs for over a year - not since I discovered the wonderful Danish company LastObject.
LastObject's mission is to turn disposable, mundane, and everyday essentials like tissues, cotton pads, and Q-Tips into long-lasting products to cherish.
Yes, cherish.The lastswab may be a reusable Q-Tip (replaces up to 1,000 disposable cotton swabs), but it's also my somewhat fanatical obsession with it since I first saw it.Like, if I had to carry one item with me to a desert island, it would be this one.
Lastswab is such a simple and ingenious product.I own two now - the basic version and the beauty version - and I always seem to carry one of these with me when I work from home (they fit perfectly in my pocket).
Something about lastswab really reminds me of the "readymade" in art and how something completely "meh" can take on new meaning and relevance in the right context.
Cotton swabs are well known for their versatility: From cleaning computer keyboards and behind our ears to perfecting eyeliner, we love them and have our own special uses (crafts for kids! Nails! Random DIY projects!).Yes, many of us are still using them to remove earwax despite warnings from almost every doctor on the planet...
The ubiquity and utility of cotton buds doesn't make up for their harm to the planet: Defra estimates that 1.8 billion plastic stem cotton buds are used in the UK every year; they have been banned in the UK since October 2020.
Cotton swabs are produced at a rate of 1.5 billion per day, and when they end up in the ocean, as they do so often, they can wreak havoc on marine life.Bamboo swabs have become an alternative, but these swabs are still disposable and end up costing a lot in the long run.
I truly believe that lastswab has something for everyone, which is why I started giving it as a gift to all my friends.It's zero waste, less than $10, and comes in a colorful carrying case that slides open with practical features.Kind of not to love?
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Lastswab is the first product from Danish brand LastObject that combines smart, stylish design with durability so you never have to use disposable swabs again.
You can choose from a beauty version with a round tip and a pointed tip, designed to correct any mascara smudge or perfect your lipstick.It's available in nine coloured shells, each shade more enticing than the other.I have the purple one; it's so beautiful.
There's also the basic final swab, which I use to clean behind my child's ears, around the mouth, and between the little fingers.I'm a total fanatic (for myself, not the kids) and I also use it for all kinds of new cleans with soap and water.
It's durable, made from nylon rods, has a textured TPE tip that dries instantly, and stores in a convenient swivel case.
The LastObject team has just come up with a new material for this situation, replacing plant-based plastics with repurposed ocean plastic (OBP) to help clean up current pollution and prevent single-use waste.The problem with current plant-based plastic enclosures is that it has to be disposed of properly to biodegrade.
Lastswab is also very easy to clean with soap and water, and it is also safe to disinfect it with rubbing alcohol.Apparently you can even put it in the dishwasher, although I haven't tried it.
LastObject has a broader mission: In addition to eliminating single-use items like paper towels and cotton pads, the brand wants to clean up the ocean of plastic, and has partnered with Plastic Bank to try to do so.
For every product purchased in April 2021, the brand will remove 2 pounds of ocean plastic, with a goal of recycling 22,000 pounds overall.
I'm not the only one obsessed with my lastswab: critics tend to be blown away, and lastswab has just won a gold medal at the 2021 Berlin Design Awards.
That's not to say there aren't pesky people, like those who don't like the feel of silicone.To be honest, I've been using it for so long I can't remember what a traditional cotton swab feels like.Some have criticized the product for using plastic in its design; the brand notes that even if the swab ends up being improperly discarded, it does less than 0.1 percent of the damage of its single-use counterpart.
One last thing: if you like to do your nails, be careful not to use it with acetone as this can damage the silicone tip.
Lastswab has been a game changer for me as I'm always looking for new uses for it - for myself and my kids.In fact, in my anxiously locked state, it becomes a wonderful violin toy that distracts me thanks to its clever packaging.Lastswab makes me smile and I love giving it to my friends as a gift.It's reasonably priced, looks fantastic, and is a cool thing to do.Plus, no doubt everyone I know will find it of some use.
For more bathroom game-changers, check out this £5 moisturizer that ended our reviewer's battle with eczema
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Post time: 2月-16-2022