goodbye single-use plastics

In case you haven’t heard, the Canadian government announced plans to ban several single-use plastic items, with initial regulations taking effect as early as 2021. With growing awareness—especially online—around the impact of plastic waste, this shift at a national level felt both significant and overdue.

Why Did the Government Decide to Ban Single-Use Plastics?

Over the past decade, pressure on the Canadian government has steadily increased. Other countries had already introduced bans on items like plastic bags, straws, and cutlery, prompting Canadians to question why similar action was taking longer here.

Beyond public demand, a number of factors contributed to this decision: global policy shifts, increased visibility of plastic pollution, and the reality of Canada’s recycling system. It’s estimated that by 2030, Canadians could throw away $11 billion worth of plastic materials each year—much of it used only once.

Why are Single-Use Plastics So Bad?

Plastic has played an important role in innovation, from medical tools to food preservation. The issue isn’t plastic as a whole—it’s how often it’s designed for convenience rather than longevity.

Single-use plastics—items like straws, bags, cutlery, and stir sticks—are typically used for minutes but persist in the environment for decades, even centuries. While some of these materials are technically recyclable, in practice, very little of them actually gets processed and reused.

Instead, much of it ends up in landfills or escapes into natural environments. Over time, these materials break down into smaller and smaller fragments known as microplastics.

These particles are now being found everywhere—from oceans and shorelines to sea salt, drinking water, and even the air. Studies have recorded microplastics traveling long distances through the atmosphere, highlighting just how widespread the issue has become.

The Reality of Recycling

Many of us rely on recycling as a solution, but the system is far from perfect. In Canada, less than 10% of plastic waste is successfully recycled. For years, much of this waste was exported to other countries, where it was often mismanaged or rejected altogether.

As global policies have shifted, Canada—like many nations—is being forced to confront its own waste more directly.

Moving Forward

We see this ban as a meaningful step in the right direction. It brings attention to the materials we use every day and encourages both individuals and companies to rethink what “convenience” really means.

Reducing plastic use—whether single-use or otherwise—isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness, small shifts, and choosing better where we can.

For us, that looks like designing products that are made to last, used with intention, and integrated into everyday rituals rather than disposable habits.

Because the things we use daily should support both our routines and the world around us.