Zero waste living in New York City has its own aesthetic: clean glass jars, handcrafted soap bars, and shelves stocked by people who genuinely care about what they sell.
Precycle, Bushwick
Precycle is the first package-free bulk grocery store in Brooklyn. It aims to empower customers to reduce their environmental impact by supplying products that are independently sourced from local farms and sustainable food systems. The model is simple: bring a clean container, fill it with what you need, and leave with zero plastic.
At the Prospect Heights location, you find dry goods, produce, and home goods in bulk, along with pre-filled containers for a convenient grab-and-go experience. All containers can be returned to the store for credit toward your next purchase. As a B Corporation certified business, Precycle adheres to the highest environmental and responsibility standards.
Maison Jar, Greenpoint
Maison Jar in Greenpoint is a one-stop shop for food, personal care, and home essentials without unnecessary packaging. Bring your own containers or purchase reusable ones in-store. They work closely with suppliers to provide carefully selected and responsibly sourced products, with an emphasis on local and organic options.
Maison Jar combats the climate crisis by partnering with responsible vendors. You find baking ingredients, legumes, teas, breads, produce, nuts, seeds, organic snacks, and much more on the shelves. They also offer in-person workshops for developing sustainable habits. For anyone who sees shopping as a form of care, this Greenpoint spot feels like the right place to begin.
Earth and Me, Astoria
Earth and Me in Astoria is the first Queens zero waste store, with eco-friendly delivery of all refillable items to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The owner opened the shop because she believes sustainability, quality, and affordability should not be mutually exclusive. That intention shows in every corner of the space.
The shop carries a variety of zero waste products and prioritizes items that are affordable and handmade. Earth and Me is also committed to giving back to the community by organizing circular programs and educational opportunities to promote a holistic sustainable lifestyle. Earth and Me has partnered with UP-STAND, a woman and minority-owned business dedicated to improving accessibility. The owner lists current accessibility features on her website and invites customers to call ahead for special accommodation requests.
An industry perspective on zero waste refill culture
The refill movement is not simply a retail trend. It represents a return to an older, more rational way of thinking about consumption. When customers bring the same container back for six years, they are making a quiet but powerful statement: that the object has value, that the product inside it has value, and that the transaction itself should mean something beyond a single use. The challenge for zero waste shops is to make that logic feel natural and beautiful, not sacrificial. Sustainability works best when it does not feel like a compromise. The stores that succeed are the ones that create an experience as considered as their product selection. That combination of craft, transparency, and community trust is what turns a first visit into a lasting habit.
Industry perspective, zero waste retail and sustainable consumer goods professionals in New York City
A Sustainable Village, Greenwich Village
A Sustainable Village is a zero waste refill shop in Greenwich Village. The mission is to support the community in small, sustainable changes. They highlight the importance of progress over perfection, recognizing that small steps are still steps.
This is the place for aromatic needs: soy candles, handcrafted soap bars, lavender cleaning spray, and more. Bring your own jars to stock up on liquid hand sanitizer, zero waste hand soap, and dish soap. A Sustainable Village also carries zero waste replacements for shampoo, lotion, deodorant, and household items like low-waste kitchen scrubbers and stain removers.
Common Good and Co, citywide refill stations
Common Good and Co is an NYC-based company that makes nontoxic, sustainable, refillable cleaning products for the home, laundry, and body. They have refill stations all across the city, where you can bring a reused container to fill up. Anywhere you find yourself in the city, you can shop this zero waste brand, from Greenwich Village to Cypress Hills.
Their Dish Soap Refill Box holds 2.5 gallons and uses 86% less plastic with fully biodegradable materials. Products include hand soap, laundry detergent, and spray cleaners, all with refill options. The network model means you do not need to travel far to reduce your plastic use. Common Good also offers services online. Shipping boxes are made from recycled content and printed with natural ink.
La Nature, Park Slope
La Nature in Park Slope is a refillery and low-waste living store that offers refillable, reusable household solutions. The owners want to make eco-friendly everyday products more accessible and encourage people to decrease their ecological footprint. The shop carries laundry and dishwasher detergents, dish soap, and more.
The first thing you notice at La Nature is that being a package-free store does not mean forgoing all types of packaging. It means avoiding single-use plastic and choosing materials that can be composted, recycled, or reused. The refill station stocks various shampoo, conditioner, and body wash scents for you to pump into your favorite container.
Zero waste shops: the best reason to carry a glass jar
New York City’s zero waste shops are more than a practical choice. They form a network of small, intentional spaces where the act of buying something becomes a considered gesture. Experts note that refilling and recycling programs are not a perfect solution, but when they replace single-use packaging and fit into everyday life, they can help reduce waste. Over 420,000 tons of plastic waste is produced every year in New York City, which means every refilled jar counts.
Visit any of these zero waste shops, bring a container you already own, and let the ritual of refilling become part of how you live in this city. Your borough has a spot on this list. Start there.
Discover more about zero waste
- NYC Department of Sanitation Zero Waste Plan
- How refill stores are changing the way people reduce waste, The Washington Times / Associated Press
- 9 Zero Waste Stores in NYC, Sustainable Jungle
