a three minute read that offer's a makers perspective

Our LOW TO ZERO WASTE refilling program launches mid-March 2022. Here is a link to the new site for more detail: https://durossandlangelrefill.com

I'm going to hit you with a few numbers that were very helpful to all of us when attempting a clearer understanding of our personal consumption of plastics.

A lot of folks have been expressing their desire to do away with single use plastics. We agree and feel the need to enlarge the conversation and see what's really happening. Best info takes us to 2018, where plastics generation was 35.7 million tons in the United States, 14.5 million  of which came from the packaging of food. Almost all of the food plastic was non-recyclable. 

The EPA used data from the American Chemistry Council, the National Association for PET Container Resources, and the Association of Plastic Recyclers to measure the recycling of plastic. While overall the amount of recycled plastics is relatively small—three million tons for a 8.7 percent recycling rate in 2018—the recycling of some specific types of plastic containers is more significant.

The recycling rate of PET bottles and jars was 29.1 percent, and the rate for HDPE natural bottles was 29.3 percent in the year 2018. The number for PET and HDPE recycled should be much higher yet so many people still do not recycle.

Products commonly made from recycled PET include new PET bottles and jars, carpet, clothing (*all the stretch materials from yoga pants to those jeans you're wearing), industrial strapping, ropes, most automotive parts, fiberfill for winter jackets and sleeping bags, construction materials, and protective packaging to name a few. HDPE plastics can find new life in plumbing pipes, plastic lumber and flooring, children's toys and a vast range of other products. Fun Fact: did you know that it takes 23 recycled D+L bottles to make one pair of yoga pants?

This is why we use PET and HDPE. It also has the added benefit of lasting decades in our homes if properly clean, sanitized and refilled.

The new website addresses all of our thoughts on directly refilling bottles and why we feel our system best address the legal and ethical responsibilities we hold. We understand that some retailers will refill your bottles, and while we have a retail store, we are registered manufacturers of bath, body and spa products under the category of cosmetics. As such, we have a much higher standard toward efficacy, safety and sanitary practices. We will continue to source new materials in an ever evolving market and strive to improve what we can offer to make this a better planet.

We have the vision. Sometimes it's simply a matter of the market catching up. 

the world changed overnight.

Since early spring, many people have been coming back into the store to shop. For the most part it's been a great success, especially for those aware of the new configuration. Every now and then however, someone is really really unhappy about the way things are set up. We get it. We do. We just have a limited amount of energy when bulwarking disappointed shoppers. Especially when it gets busy.

Like most of you, we have found that getting through the last couple of years with our sanity in tact has been all about adaptation. Making the best of what we can. As the majority of our business is done by online shoppers (US, Canada and UK) and though custom blending, our priorities had to be re-ordered. We are part of a growing trend toward finding new ways to do business.

Think of the updated store configuration the way you would with your favorite bakery. All the things you love are right in front of you, and the sales associate is there to give you a one-on-one experience with loads of scent pods available for you to sample the aromas.

Once we move to a new location in January 2023 (only a few blocks away.. we will announce when ready), we will add more browsing space and a place to hang out with your dog or stroller while we do what we do. Until then, we hope you will make the best of what we have to offer, and like us, work to be patient and kind when things get crazy busy.

Thanks for rolling with the changes, and for making 2021 our best year ever!

Steve, Sarah + Alli

If only, right? No such luck. At least for today.

Instead I'm going to give you a quick 3 minute read on shortages and why you might want to consider shopping your favorite little boutiques this season so that they can still be around next season.

Lately we have all been schooled on how supply chain issues can gum up the works. Like most businesses, spring and summer of 2020 was a bit of a dust up for D+L. Raw materials were scarce, our lab production was down for weeks, and shortages of everything forced us to make due with what was available.

As we progressed into 2021, we decided to prepare for the worst. We loaded up on raw materials, packaging supplies, and we standardized our plastics consumption into two lanes. Lane one: choose plastics that would be highly valued by recyclers, to be repurposed by the industry and not land-filled. Lane Two: find three sizes that make the most sense as a manufacturer, and take into account the cost and use as a consumer. We ordered our holiday shopping and gift bags back in February. Candle glasses were silkscreened by the thousands. Ribbons, tissue, boxes, packing tape.. most of us don't think about the special little things until they're in short supply. Among the goals for 2021 was to state that this holiday season we will have plenty of everything. We will continue to give back within our community and strive to be greener, but we are taking nothing for granted.

Last year gave us a glimpse of what havoc shortages can bring so in a sense we were lucky to anticipate this year. Nothing goes to waste in our workshop. But not every small business is quite so lucky. For many retailers who need the holidays to fund their year, survival isn't possible without our support. We encourage you to shop small again this season. To support the little stores in your towns and neighborhoods as so many of you already do. Please share what you love about them on your social media feeds and by word of mouth.

Too much of what we love about Philly is already in scarce supply.