Have you considered swapping your disposable razors for a safety razor? Being born in the 90s I didn’t even know what a safety razor was until I googled and realized safety razors were a staple in homes until the 70s when plastic disposables became all the rage. They are slowly making a comeback in the zero waste community and for good reason.
HISTORY:
The first safety razor goes back to the 1700s to its inventor, a cutler by the name of Jean-Jacques Perret who added a wooden protective guard to a regular straight razor.
In 1901 King Camp Gillette invented the disposable double-edge blade we see today and was quickly popularized when he was commissioned to send his safety razors and blades to the American troops during World War I as part of their standard field kits.
In 1974, Bic introduced the first plastic disposable razor and is now the most common type of razor.
Since the 70s we’ve seen all types of marketing add-ons to the razor such as multiple blades, moisturizing strips, and bendy razor heads that glide with the contours of your body. To much success of the companies who marketed these trends, we’ve seen the cost of these add-ons rise significantly along with the rise of plastic waste produced.
Back in October of 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that America produced 2 billion disposable razors and blades in their Environmental Consumer's Handbook.
You can read the full handbook using the link here.
The EPA hasn’t reported an updated figure in the past 30 years however due to the population increase and our culture's dependence on convenience I’m willing to bet that number has only gotten much worse.
SOLUTION:
Get yourself a good ol’ fashion safety razor. There are many different suppliers of safety razors but being an Etsy seller myself I like to support other Etsy sellers whenever I can. I’ll link to the safety razor I got here.
The biggest cost is the initial investment of the safety razor however the average cost is between $20-$50 making this investment very affordable.
The only recurring cost is the replacement blades and depending on the brand and quantity will cost you between $0.10-$0.30 a blade. I typically replace my razor 1-2 times a month or an average of 18 times a year. This adds up to $1.80-$5.40 a year.
Even when I would clip coupons and match store sales I would purchase disposable razors for $.50-$1.50 per razor or $9.00-$27.00 a year.
The popular Venus Gillette razor cartridge refills are $20 for a pack of 4 or $5.00 per refill or $90 a year for 18 replacements. Ouch.
HOW TO RECYCLE:
Even though most curbside pickups will recycle scrap metal the sharp blades pose a safety risk to the employees who sort through the materials. It’s best to keep a metal container for your used sharps and recycle them with a participating recycling program that specifically handles hazardous materials.
The company Terracycle has teamed up with Gillette to provide a mail-in service to recycle all brands of razors, blades, and razor packaging. They also have drop-off locations.
Click here for more info about the program.
OTHER WELL KNOWN SAFETY RAZOR BRANDS TO CHECK OUT:
I’ll be sharing all my eco-friendly swaps in future posts and if you want to follow my transition into a more eco-conscious lifestyle be sure to follow me on Instagram which is the easiest way to keep in touch. See you there.
Take Care,
Jenn