We make plastic cleaning bottles. That’s right, you read that correctly. Before you take a screenshot and pass this news on to the Daily Mail, hear us out – because we’re pretty sure you’ll get it. 

Homethings was created when we realised that the typical bottle of household cleaner was 90% water and just 10% the stuff that cleans. The big dogs of the cleaning world were (and still are) also selling it in a single-use plastic bottle, meaning every time you finished your bottle of cleaning product, you’d chuck it out and buy a new one. 

This linear process of buy > use > bin is broken and is trashing the planet. Single-use plastic is polluting our oceans and only 9% of all plastic ever produced has properly been recycled. So why exactly are we, Homethings, the brand here to clean up the cleaning industry, writing to tell you that we are excited about releasing our first ever plastic bottle? 

It’s time for a deep dive. Goggles on. 

1. It’s about data:
   
   Progress is all about learning and changing with the results (you can quote us on that in your next Ted Talk). Whilst we think we’ve done a pretty good job changing the cleaning game already, we are constantly looking inwards at what we can do better. So, we did some work with The London Waste and Recycling Board to do a full circular economy diagnostic on our entire supply chain and processes. This looks at a full ‘Lifecycle Analysis’ of the supply chain and the materials that we used working on a ‘cradle to cradle’ basis – nothing to do with babies, it means from material extraction to end of life.
   
   One of the key recommendations from this report was to use ‘100% Post Consumer Recycled Plastic’ as an alternative option to our virgin glass bottles, as they have a much lower carbon footprint. Shocking, right? How plastic can actually be better than glass. In fact, our new PCR kits have a whopping 58% reduction in emissions compared to our glass kits, meaning it has a much smaller carbon footprint. Pretty cool.
   
   Not only that, but our 100% recycled plastic bottles can be used again and again and again. Just think, everytime you refill your Homethings bottle with one of our non-toxic tabs you’re making a 96% carbon reduction compared to a conventional cleaning spray. Plus, our PCR bottles are manufactured in the UK and certified as ‘post consumer’ meaning that it has genuinely been something else in a past life – we’ll leave that part to your imagination. You might be cleaning with a ketchup bottle for all you know.  

1. It’s about accessibility:
   
   We’ve always believed that true sustainability is only achieved when it is achievable for everyone, and to make the impact in the world that we aim for here at Homethings, our products need to be inclusive. Our new PCR kits offer than in two ways;
   
   Affordability – our borosilicate glass bottles are high quality but this comes at a higher cost, and even though we’ve tried to make it as affordable as possible, we understand that this price point is not a vibe for everyone. By introducing a 100% post consumer recycled plastic kit into our mix, we’re able to offer the same (great) Homethings experience but with a much more affordable price. More Homethings in the world = less single-use plastic in the world.
   
   Accessibility – you talk, we listen and where we can, we make changes. We use thick, high quality borosilicate glass in our existing kits to ensure they are durable to last a lifetime and also shatter-resistant but this means that they’re relatively heavy (especially when filled). For people with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or mobility issues, this is just a straight ‘no’ and so we hope that by offering our much lighter PCR kit, we can make refillable cleaning inclusive for everyone. 

1. It’s about child-friendly:
   
   Whilst we’ve done what we can to make sure our glass kits are shatter resistant and protected with silicone sleeves, glass is still glass, and if you drop it, the law of science dictates it’s going to smash. Over the last 8 months of being a real-life business (fun) we’ve had people with small children, pets or butter fingers request that we create different bottles that would allow them to clean with Homethings without worrying about the possibility of broken glass in their home. Our PCR kits are a fab alternative and a great option for those who need something a bit more ‘life-proof’. 

That’s it, let’s come up for air, goggles off. Are you convinced yet that our PCR kit is going to shake things up once again? Because we certainly do and we can’t wait to hear what you think! Drop us a line, anytime, over at hello@gethomethings.com