Store I Love: Muji
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to stay at the City Club Hotel in NYC when it just opened. This was one of hotelier Jeff Klein’s first properties that celebrated the idea of less-is-more, the idea a hotel could be a pied-a-terre of sorts and not feel like a giant, old convention center many mega-hotels feel like today. One of the amenities I remembered staying there was the liberal use of Hermes bath products in the bathroom. Organic, no. Luxurious, sure is. This was one of the few times I remember stocking my suitcase with all the little bottles to take them home. I think I may have even waited for the housekeeper to leave her cart unattended so I could swipe a few extra bottles.
Here’s an example of the Hermes shampoo bottle. Simply, lovely dark green color, square-ish shape. What’s not to love?
Okay, here’s where I’m going with this: Last Saturday, I stopped by my favorite store Muji in Soho and saw these refillable dark green, square bottlesfor sale. $3 bucks. I decided these would become my new handwash bottles in the kitchen and bathrooms throughout the house, all filled with my favorite Method handwash soap.
I mean, the similiarities in look are pretty scary, right?
What’s so green about this? If you have a local co-op store that has a refill bar, here’s a nice and elegant way to reuse a bottle for either handsoap, dishsoap or (if they have it in bulk) body wash. Instead of clear plastic bottles that get scratchy and look too utilitarian, here’s a nice $3 alternative that brings a little eco-luxury into your everyday life.
Love.
A co-op with a refill bar…that’s an awesome idea! I wish we had something like that around here.
I love the square bottle you found!
I love the Muji stores too – when I lived in London in 1998-1999, I loved visiting the stores – there were several locations in town but often went to the one in Kensington. The design and simplicity of their products are so appealing – I have two plastic suitcases that I use to this day to organize some of my art supplies.
I like refillable pumps too. I have them by most of my sinks and one in my shower for shampoo and conditioner. I love it when companies like Method offer a big refill size of their product because I can recycle the bottle and hard plastic cap, but if the product comes with a plastic pump that becomes landfill fodder. I don’t try to feed the landfill anymore than I have to.