8 Best Eco-Friendly Hand Sanitizers for Zero Waste Germ Killing

The meticulous effort to stay germ-free through proper hand hygiene is now a significant part of our lives, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hand sanitizers are now the in-thing. Unfortunately, many brands create these sanitizers in plastic bottles with little care for our planet.

Going for an eco-friendly option protects the environment and ensures the health of your skin. Sustainable companies pay attention to details such as safe ingredients, zero-waste packaging, and refill options. In this article, we’ve highlighted ten eco-friendly hand sanitizer product picks. 

What Makes The Cut: A 3-Point Checklist

Before diving into the list of hand sanitizers, we’ve created a checklist for you to serve as a guide whenever you go shopping. It highlights what to look out for to determine if a brand or item passes the environmental-friendly test. 

Recyclable bottles

Containers are one of the leading causes of environmental pollution. Single-use plastic, for instance, is a popular material for containers. Studies show that between 1950 and 2018, there were 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic produced worldwide. Only 9% of this figure was recycled². Consequently, plastic waste continues to pose a significant environmental problem. 

Brands that use materials like aluminum bottles and glass for their containers prove that intentional packaging is undoubtedly possible. Unlike the ubiquitous plastic bottles, we can recycle these materials, reducing landfill waste. So, when you next pick out a bottle of sanitizer, pay attention to the container.

Refill options

Offering refills is fast becoming popular among skin brands. You can see this even within the eco-conscious makeup industry. Refilling presents a creative and sustainable way to prevent container waste while keeping loyal customers. The refill option allows you to either send your sanitizer back for a refill or request refill pouches. This way, you’re sanitizing sustainably. Should you find yourself unsure about refill services, you can reach out to the brand’s customer service in question.

Ingredients list

Choosing a natural hand sanitizer does not mean compromising the effect of killing germs and viruses. You want to ensure what you’re buying contains at least 60% alcohol. This is the recommendation given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Mass-produced sanitizers can contain carbomer, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic preservatives. Carbomer is a thickening agent; however, it contains liquid plastic. The FDA released a rule to curb toxic chemical use¹ in over-the-counter items to prevent substandard and harmful components. Concerning fragrance and moisturization, natural hand solutions will contain ingredients like essential oils, aloe vera, and vitamin E.

Eco-Friendly Hand Sanitizer Product Picks

Below are some of our picks. These are friendly on the skin, tough on germs, and kind to the environment. 

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1. Eco Tomorrow Vegan Hand Sanitizer Spray

Eco Tomorrow is a cruelty-free brand that uses green technology to provide sustainable and natural goods. The brand develops its offerings using safe and efficient processes. Currently, Eco Tomorrow offers a range of hand sanitizers to support the green movement. Unlike many conventional sanitizers, this brand uses natural and safe ingredients for germ-free and moisturized hands. 

The brand’s sanitizer collection contains a range of natural oils. The options include eucalyptus and lemon, lemongrass and mint, and lavender and tea tree. Along with these natural oils, each spray bottle also contains 70% alcohol to fight germs. For its packages, Eco Tomorrow uses recyclable sugarcane plastics. The brand claims that each 120ml bottle will last up to 1000 sprays. You can use this for your hands and surfaces.

Shop Eco Tomorrow online.

2. Paume Hand Sanitizer

The origin of Paume is tied to the founder’s personal story. Amy Welsman’s entry into motherhood heightened her awareness of germs. As a result, she and her husband began to purchase sanitizer products in bulk for their home. Due to the unappealing scents, disposable plastics, and harsh components of many of these products, she became inspired. Today, people recognize Paume as a staple name amongst skin-friendly luxurious sanitizer products.

This brand stands out because it offers product variations based on need. For instance, Paume has hand sanitizer sets for travelers, in-home use, and personal essentials kits. The essentials kit is an excellent addition to your home. It includes a pump, refill bag, and travel bottle.

Paume uses materials that are recyclable, biodegradable, multiuse, or refillable. This promotes sustainability and reduces disposable plastics. Paume recycles and repurposes one plastic unit from the environment for every unit it sells. So, purchasing from this brand also means indirectly removing plastics from the waterways and landfills.

Shop Paume online

3. Taylor’s Natural BALM! Baby Sanitizer

Another way to maintain germ-free hands is to use this sanitizer formula. The brand dedicated its collection to supporting holistic self-care. Taylor's Natural does just that if you’re looking for an affordable, all-natural self-care brand. The brand offers zero-waste, sustainable, and animal-friendly goods. 

The BALM! Baby sanitizer contains 62% ethanol. It comes in either aluminum or an amber glass bottle. Also, you can choose whether you want your sanitizer to contain moisturizing properties or not. Wherever you’re going, this travel-size bottle fits easily in your purse or bag. As part of its sustainable practices, the brand also offers refill options.

Shop Taylor’s Natural

4. Zona Fortify Thee Hand Sanitizer

This is a solution created to make you “stand confident during these trying times.” Zona Trading Post formulates their ‘fortify thee’ hand sanitizer with an antiviral essential oil blend. But not to worry, each glass bottle is also 80% alcohol-based. 

The Zona store also offers large 16 oz refill glass bottles. The content of each refill bottle is about 8 of the regular-sized small bottles, making it an excellent alternative to buying multiple small bottles. Zona offers two different scent options: citrus and tea tree, and rosemary and sage. The products include natural oils great for sensitive skin, including vitamin E and distilled water in their ingredients.

Shop Zona Fortify Thee online.

5. By Humankind Moisturising Hand Sanitizer

Formulated with 65% ethyl alcohol and a moisturizing formula, this sanitizer is another top pick. The brand behind it, By Humankind, is dedicated to curbing single-use plastic in everyday personal care items. The brand avoids formulas that have toxic effects on human health.

The By Humankind sanitizer comes in a pocket-sized recyclable aluminum bottle, a planet-friendly alternative to plastic bottles. It targets germs and has a moisturizing formula. It also contains hyaluronic acid, witch hazel, and water. 

Shop By Humankind

6. EO Organic Hand Sanitizer Spray

EO prides itself on making products that are gluten-free, cruelty-free, and free of harmful chemicals. It is a certified B Corp and a leading organic bath and body care solutions producer, which means that the company meets high social and environmental performance standards. Sarah Griffin-Black and Brad Black founded EO. This leading company started with the co-founders hand pouring and blending oils in their garage. 

They make every sanitizer with alcohol derived from non-genetically modified sugarcane. Not to worry; it meets the CDC standard for fighting germs. This particular organic French lavender sanitizer comes in a pack of 6. It contains vegetable glycerin and aloe vera for their moisturizing properties. 

Shop EO Organic Hand Sanitizer on Amazon

7. Flawless Non-Rinse Cleansing Hand Gel

No water nearby for handwashing? This formula targets bacteria, fungi, and viruses for clean hands. Unlike many other sanitizer bottles, this one comes in a jar. As part of its unique features, each jar you order comes with a wooden spatula to scoop the gel contents. Also, you have the option to choose from 30ml or 60ml options. Each jar is made from aluminum and recycled glass. The gel formula contains high alcohol content and 75% concentration. 

Each bottle of their eco-friendly hand sanitizer contains aloe vera to provide moisturizing properties to prevent your skin from getting dry. It also contains essential oil components such as rosemary, tea tree, and lavender. Its germ-fighting features, aloe, and oils leave your skin feeling clean, soft, and fresh.

Shop Flawless online

8. Beauty Kitchen Organic Vegan Hand Sanitizer

Beauty Kitchen’s organic vegan sanitizer supports a sustainable and natural lifestyle. The brand offers a range of sanitizer sets for different uses. The sets include workplace collections, refillable starter packs, and refill bottles. So, if you’re looking to buy kits for specific purposes, Beauty Kitchen makes the shopping process smooth and easy.

We recommend the refill starter pack for individual use or if you have a small family. This comes with one 50ml spray bottle and a 300ml refill sanitizer bottle. Beauty Kitchen uses either aluminum or glass for its 50ml bottles. Either way, you can rest assured that you’re not contributing to waste and pollution.

For its germ-fighting properties, each bottle contains 62% ethanol to keep your hands clean. Aloe vera and glycerin target dry skin when moisturizing your hands. It is also free of microplastics.

Shop Beauty Kitchen online

Conclusion

Eco-friendly and zero-waste brands let us know we can make sustainable choices even for the smallest purchases. The list of eco-friendly hand sanitizers above provides many options. From handwashing to sanitizing, you can have clean and germ-free hands while protecting the environment.