Zero Waste Shops in the United States and Guide to Shopping Unpackaged

Zero Waste Shops are opening up all over the USA

A majority of food at grocery stores today is wrapped in plastic packaging. Millions of people are waking up to the toll this is taking on our earth, our fellow species and our society as a whole. Some of those people have been inspired enough to open shops that are dedicated to offering food with no plastic packaging at all. These shops have hundreds of unpackaged foods to choose from – legumes, flours, dried fruits, nuts, teas, herbs, spices, coffees, pasta and more. They often also carry liquids such as oils, vinegar, wine, condiments and kombucha as well as machines to grind your own almond butter and peanut butter. Many offer nonfood items including personal hygiene items and cleaning products such as soap and laundry detergent. Also, they carry many tools to help people live zero waste whether at home, work, school or on the go. 

Zero waste shops may be a new concept, but the philosophy and actions behind them have long been in existence. Just decades ago, all food was unpackaged or packaged in biodegradable paper and fibers. But we aren’t living in the past and that has made the necessity for zero waste shops. The founders of these shops don’t do it just for the act of serving the unpackaged food. It is an act of resistance against a wasteful system and comes from a deep desire to change the system. Zero waste shops serve as much as a form of activism as they do a grocery store in themselves. They exist to educate people and show that another way is possible. They exist to create a story that the media can pick up to report on the problems with our destructive systems and help the viewers realize that another way is possible.

Another option: Food Co-ops

Food co-ops have existed for over five decades in the United States and thousands of them exist. With extensive bulk food sections and unpackaged produce, they carry much of what these zero waste shops carry as well as other items for daily life. Between food co-ops, supermarkets with bulk sections, farmers markets and buying clubs there are many options to buy package-free food.

Finding Package-Free Foods and Items

To find a store with package-free options check out the Bulk Finder App on ZeroWasteHome.com. This is the best tool that we know of to find bulk shopping options across the country.

You can use the Food Co-op Finder by Grocery Story or the Co-op Store Finder to find a food coop near you.

You can use the directory and map on localharvest.org or findafarmersmarket.com to find thousands of farmers’ markets across the USA.

Zero-Waste Shops Across the United States

Below we have made a list of all the Zero Waste Shops we could find in the United States as of mid 2024. We have done this to celebrate the movement, support them, and help you find one near you. If you’ve never been to a zero waste shop, be prepared for a real treat!

You may not find a Zero Waste Shop near you but keep them in mind for your next trips!

Alaska, Anchorage – Blue Market AK – @bluemarketak
Arkansas, Little Rock – The Green Corner Store – @greencornerstore
California, Berkeley – @fillgood.co
California, Costa Mesa and Anaheim – EcoNowCA – @eco.now.ca
California, Costa Mesa – Fill Up, Buttercup – @fillupbuttercup
California, Davis – Simple Ecology – @simple_ecology
California, Encinitas – @thenadashop
California, Lafayette – Resourcefill – @shopresourcefill
California, Long Beach (3 locations) – BYO Longbeach – @byolongbeach
California, Long Beach – @re_grocery
California, Los Angeles – @Sustain LA
California, Morgan Hill – The Fillerup Shop – @fillerup.shop
California, Nevada City – Gaia Soap Supply
California, Oakland – The Re-Up Refill Shop – @reup_refills
California, Oceanside – Sonora Refillery – @sonorarefillery
California, Oceanside – @shopreapandsow
California, Sacramento – Nudge Eco Store – @nudge.eco.store
California, Sacramento – @refillmadness
California, San Diego – Earthwell Refill – @earthwellrefill
California, San Jose – The Source Zero – @thesourcezerosj
California, Topanga Canyon – The Well Refill – @thewellrefill
California, Ventura – @therefillshoppe
Colorado, Aspen – Eco Roots – @ecoroots
Colorado, Aurora – Zero Market – @thezeromarket
Florida, Gainesville – Life Unplastic – @unplasticgnv
Florida, Jacksonville – @ecoeclectic
Florida, Tequesta – One World Zero Waste – @oneworldzerowaste
Florida, Winter Park – New General Store – @commongoodandco
Georgia, Savannah – Lite Foot Company – @litefootcompany
Idaho, Boise – Roots Zero Waste Market – @rootszerowastemarket
Illinois, Chicago – Eco & The Flamingo – @ecoandtheflamingo
Illinois, Chicago – @theunwasteshop
California, Ventura – @therefillshoppe
Iowa, Des Moines – The Collective – @thecollective.dsm
Louisiana, New Orleans – @vintagegreenreview
Maine, Portland – GoGo Refill – @gogorefill
Massachusetts, Cambridge – @Cleenland
Massachusetts , Newburyport – Green House Goods – @green.house.goods
Michigan, Kalamazoo – Bee Joyful Shop – @beejoyfulshop
Michigan, Lansing – Clean Refillery – @cleanrefillery
Missouri, St. Louis – @perennialstl
Nevada, Reno – The Waste Less Shop – @thewastelessshop
New Jersey, Asbury Park – @unwrapped.earth
New Jersey, Montclair – Good Bottle Refill Shop – @goodbottlerefillshop
New Jersey, Montclair – Dry Goods Refillery – @drygoodsrefillery
New York, Hastings-on-Hudson – @refillroomhastings
New York, New York City – Precycle – @precyclenyc
New York, New York City – @otherwild
New York, Port Jefferson – Simple Good – @shopsimplegood
North Carolina, Mars Hill – The Wild Violet – @thewildvioletwnc
Ohio, Poland – Sustaining Bliss – @sustainingbliss
Ohio, Lakewood – @refillgoodness
Oregon, Portland – @madesustained
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia – Good Buy Supply – @goodbuysupply
Rhode Island, Providence – @themattershoppe
Tennessee, Nashville – @thegoodfill
Utah, Salt Lake City – @hellobulkmarkets
Virginia, Harrisonburg – @bringyourown_llc
Virginia, Norfolk – Go Less Than – @golessthan
Vermont, Stowe – Farm Home Marketplace – @farmhomeco
Washington, Tacoma – Tacoma Soap Refillery – @thesoaprefillery
Washington, Washington DC – @masonandgreens
Wisconsin, Madison – Green Life Trading Co. – @greenlifetradingco

Australia: The Source Bulk Foods – @thesourcebulkfoods