Happy Holidays from Plaine Products!
From our family to yours, thank you for joining us on this adventure in reducing single-use plastics across the country. We hope you have a marvelous holiday season and we're looking forward to making an even bigger impact in 2019!
Related Posts
Why We Changed Our Pumps: A Better Use for Plastic Waste
We’ve never loved that our pumps are made of plastic. Even though our pumps are designed to be reused again and again, just like our bottles, we’ve always known there was room to do better. So we kept learning. And changing. And now, we're taking another step forward: our new pumps are made with 39% Ocean Waste Plastic (OWP)—plastic waste collected from oceans and rivers. From Ocean Waste to a New Pump The plastic used to make our new pumps doesn't start out as packaging. It starts out as waste. Our supplier works with local collectors in Jakarta, Indonesia, to recover plastic from oceans and rivers. The material is weighed, documented, and sorted by plastic type before being shredded, washed, and processed into new raw material. The collection process is independently verified by Bureau Veritas, with each batch documented with information including its collection location, date, weight, and plastic type. The material is also tested by Intertek before it is released for manufacturing. That recovered material is then used to make new packaging—including our pumps. It's a different way of thinking about plastic: not as something we simply use and throw away, but as a material that can have another life. Why We Didn't Make This Change Sooner When we first launched Plaine Products, our pumps were black because black plastic was the industry standard. As we learned more about the materials commonly used to make black plastic, we realized we could make a better choice. So we switched to white pumps. But we didn't stop there. We continued asking questions about our packaging and looking for better options. That eventually led us to Ocean Waste Plastic. What Does 39% Actually Mean? We want to be specific about what we're claiming. Our new pumps contain 39% Ocean Waste Plastic, meaning the pumps are made with OWP raw material produced from plastic collected from oceans and rivers. The rest of the pump is made from other materials necessary to create a functional, durable pump. We're not going to call these pumps “plastic-free”—they aren't. And we're not going to suggest that changing our pumps solves the plastic problem. It doesn't. But using existing plastic waste as a material for something designed to be reused is, in our view, a better choice than simply relying entirely on new plastic. What Happens When the Pump Is Finally Done? Reuse comes first. Our pumps are designed to be used over and over with our refillable aluminum bottles. But eventually, every pump will reach the end of its useful life. When that happens, we have a recycling pathway through our partnership with Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub. That means we're thinking about the pump's life beyond the moment it arrives at your door—and working to keep that material in use for as long as possible. We Haven't Always Gotten Everything Right This is something we believe is important to say. Sustainability isn't about finding one perfect solution. It's about asking better questions, learning as we go, and changing when we find a better way. Even our supplier's journey reflects that. They openly acknowledge that early in the development of their Ocean Waste Plastic program, they discovered problems with their documentation. They rebuilt their collection and supply chain, added greater controls, and introduced independent verification. We appreciate that kind of transparency. Because we don't want to tell you that Plaine Products is perfect. We want to show you that we're paying attention. Our new pumps are still plastic. But now, 39% of the pump is made with Ocean Waste Plastic collected from oceans and rivers, with a documented and independently verified collection process behind it. It's not perfect. But it's progress we're really proud of. And we'll keep looking for what's next.
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On the Road: Refilleries in the Great Plains
Red River Refillery in Brewhalla in Fargo, ND Co-founders Lindsey & Ali were able to meet up with our friends at HiBar to visit Red River Refillery located inside Brewhalla, an open food and shop market that is on the ground floor of a hotel and event center and connected to the Drekker Brewery. There was so much energy in the whole space! It's a hot spot in Fargo, ND, and the food is divine! Plaine Products is also the provider of the hotel's shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and hand wash, so people get to experience the products and then come purchase at the Refillery, which makes for a wonderful partnership! Terra Shepherd in Sioux Falls, SD Terra Shepherd is not only a lovely and well-stocked refillery, it's also an amazing sustainable clothing store. The owner and founder, Sara, has curated clothes and products that make you feel so good about purchasing. Ali and Lindsey both left with new products and clothes! Located in downtown Sioux Falls, SD, Terra Shepherd is the beating heart of the low waste, conscious shopping movement, and a joy to behold! Both Sara and her teammates are obviously thoughtful and caring parts of the community and inspire others to join the reuse movement. Exist Green in Omaha, Nebraska Exist Green in Omaha offers personal care and pantry staples, spices, oils, snacks, and true-seasonal local produce, filled for you behind the counter. Owner Leigh Neary screens products through an environmental engineer’s lens to ensure the products at Exist Green are not just greener packaging on the same old model. It is plastic-free shopping built around whole, plant-based foods, and makers and formulators who know how to create effective products without petroleum-based ingredients. The Collective in Des Moines, Iowa The Collective, led by founder Jamie, is more than just a sustainable shop. At her wonderful refillery she has created a community while fighting for a more just world for ALL. They are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in and will not tolerate injustice against humans, animals, or our planet. You can tell the moment you walk in; it's a welcoming, safe space for all, full of joy.
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The Climate Initiative
Plaine Products is proud to add The Climate Initiative (TCI) to our list of nonprofit partners. The Climate Initiative (TCI) is a nonpartisan, solutions-oriented organization that educates, equips, and activates youth to pursue local, tangible solutions to the climate challenge. In the summer of 2026, they are launching a new plastics-based Learning Lab module that gives educators a ready-to-use, science-grounded resource on plastic pollution. Who Is TCI Through its core Learning Lab educational modules and direct to youth climate leadership programming, TCI reaches young people where they are, in classrooms and communities alike. TCI recognizes that young people are essential to addressing climate change because they build climate awareness among their parents, communities, and decision makers. Through intergenerational conversations and youth-led climate action, TCI creates more vibrant and resilient communities across the country and the world. Plastics Learning Lab TCI’s newest Learning Lab module, co-created with biological oceanographer and microplastics researcher Dr. Jenni Brandon, gives educators a ready-to-use, science-grounded resource on plastic pollution. It reframes microplastics from an ocean issue into a human health issue, helping students see the direct line from plastic waste to their own communities and bodies. The module fits into existing curriculum without a full overhaul, making it easy for teachers to bring this science into the classroom right away. 6th Annual Climate Educators Retreat Plaine Products is proud to be a part of TCI’s flagship event that brings experienced climate educators and pre-service teachers together for three days of hands-on professional development. All of the attendees will get refillable travel-size shampoo and conditioner, and our gallon-size hand wash will be available in the LEEDS Certified dormitories. Educators build climate knowledge, connect with colleagues from across the country, and leave with real curriculum and projects they can bring straight into their classrooms. The retreat takes place at The Ecology School’s living building campus in Saco, Maine, with farm-fresh meals and on-site dormitory lodging included. It always sells out, and this year it leads right into TCI’s Changemakers Evening for Action on July 28th. Changemakers Evening for Action Plaine Products is thrilled to be sponsoring The Changemakers Evening for Action, which closes out TCI’s annual Climate Educators Retreat Week and brings TCI’s whole community together to celebrate the educators doing extraordinary work with Learning Lab resources. Each year, TCI recognizes a small group of teachers with its Changemaker Award, honoring the work they’re doing to build climate resilience in their own classrooms and communities, often with limited time, limited budget, and a whole lot of heart. This event is a chance to put names and faces to the work happening in classrooms across the country, and to bring sponsors, donors, and supporters into the room with the people actually doing it. The evening is open beyond retreat attendees, too, so local supporters, partners, and friends of TCI are part of the celebration.
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