Sustainable Living with Sitti: Our Favourite Biodegradable Products

Sustainable living is about being mindful of the long-term impact of our short-term decisions. It not only refers to what we’re putting into our bodies, but also reducing our environmental footprints to maintain a clean, sustainable existence. As consumers demand more green alternatives, the way we look at plastic has radically changed - here’s why. 

Plastic does not decompose, and once it reaches into our soils, rivers and oceans, it’s almost impossible to clean up. Over two-thirds of the plastic in our oceans ends up on the sea floor, creating an ever-growing wasteland beneath the waves. Not to mention, plastic leaches out toxic chemicals contaminating our drinking water, impacting our wildlife and destroying ecosystems.

If you’re not already familiar with the term biodegradable, you will be now. Biodegradable products are a great alternative to plastic that is often single-use and disposed of right after. Products or materials that can be naturally broken down and decomposed back into a natural environment are classified as biodegradable. To reduce our ecological footprint, implementing small lifestyle changes will contribute to the greater good of our planet. We’ve compiled a list of our favourite biodegradable products to help you get started on “cleaning” your home and reducing your plastic waste.

1. Sitti’s bath and body loofah sponges and scrubbers are 100% natural and derived from the loofah plant, native to Asia and Southeast Asia. Its mesh-like texture is rough enough to exfoliate and scrub, but gentle enough to use on your skin. Whenever it’s time for a replacement, just toss them into your backyard or alongside your other compostable materials - they are completely biodegradable. Click here to check out our loofahs!.

2. Sitti’s Olive Oil Soap Flakes are safe, hypoallergenic and biodegradable as well. Made up of just three ingredients, Sitti’s soap flakes can be used for a variety of purposes including as a cleanser for your face and body parts, laundry detergent, dish detergent, or as a cleaning agent in your home. The product comes in a glass jar so you can recycle it or reuse the jar once you’re done. Click here to take a look at our olive oil soap flakes!

3. Did you know most tea bags are made of plastic? A study done by McGill University in Montreal found that a single brewed tea bag could contain 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastic particles. Try replacing your tea bags with loose leaf teas instead, and if you’re looking for a great place to start, Sitti produces Jordanian Dried Sage Herbal Tea and Jordanian Thyme Herbal Tea loose leaf teas. These aromatic herbs have medicinal benefits and are an excellent source of minerals and nutrients. Or why not toss some of the dried tea leaves into your stews and soups, get creative with the natural ingredients for added flavour. Click here to check out our loose teas!

4. Do not forget to take your reusable shopping bags to avoid using plastic bags. Sitti also sells beautifully crafted tote bags sewn by Syrian refugees living in the Zaatari Refugee camp and embroidered by Palestinian women living in Jerash Refugee Camp. These environmentally friendly bags are a great substitute to plastic bags, and come in beautiful patterns and colours. Click here to take a look at our tote bag options!

5. Use biodegradable garbage bags for food scraps and organic waste. They are widely available in major stores including dollar stores, or you can find them online. Biodegradable trash bags are 100% compostable, made of eco-friendly materials, non-toxic and safe. They naturally decompose along with your other compost materials.  

Sitti is proud to provide safe, biodegradable and eco-friendly products to introduce into your home. In fact, it is predicted that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than actual fish. Imagine an ecosystem with more plastic garbage in existence than actual marine life! Plastic also contains chemicals that are linked with a myriad of diseases, cancers and other developmental disorders.

They are not only toxic to humans, but kill over 300,000 marine animals and 400,000 sea birds every year from ingestion, suffocation and entanglement from plastic pollution

Let us all play our part in incorporating more biodegradable products into our daily lives, and make plastic a remnant of the past.

Click here to check out the product page on our website where you can find a variety of products to help you move forward with your sustainable living journey!