Spotted: Most people are trying to reduce their consumption of plastics, but this is not always easy to do. For example, most people throw away or recycle empty containers of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc. – only to re-purchase the exact same products. A French startup hopes to change this habit with containers that can be refilled with new products. What makes their system different from other refillable containers is that all the products are solid – making them much easier to ship and fill.

The company, named 900.care after the average number of seconds spent in the bathroom at one time, launched in 2020 with a fundraising campaign on French crowdfunding site Ulule. The founders exceeded their pre-sale target by 13,000 per cent and knew they were on to something. By the middle of 2021 the brand was being sold in 135 Monoprix stores and the company had raised €10,000,000 in capital, allowing it to increase production and drop prices by 40 per cent.

There are three colourful containers – one each for shower gel, toothpaste and deodorant. Each can be refilled with solid products from 900.care – a shower gel in the form of a ball, toothpaste in the form of pastilles, and a stick deodorant. The shower gel and toothpaste are designed to foam up on contact with water. Making the refillables in a solid form saves on waste in both production and shipping.

Although the containers are made of plastic, 900.care says this is actually an eco-friendly choice. The plastic used is recycled and recyclable, it is sturdy enough to last a long time and light enough to keep emissions from transportation low. It also jibes with the company’s message of keeping things simple. Co-founder Thomas Arnaudo has pointed out that, “at 900.care our approach isn’t self-righteous. Our emphasis is on fun, happy, playful content that speaks to everyone, especially families. Our brand is meant for the general public, it’s not at all status oriented. In fact, our logo isn’t even visible on our products, it’s hidden.”

While 900.care’s approach may be unique, the company is not alone in feeling that refillable products are an important part of the move towards sustainability. We have seen various versions of this, including a vegan refillable deodorant and a toothpaste dispenser that can be refilled with compostable capsules. Like 900.care’s offerings, these products are also available on subscription. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff