Your Guide to Zero Waste Stores in San Diego
Want to decrease your impact on the planet and not sure where to start? Check out our resource guide to help you find your nearest zero waste store in San Diego, plus additional resources dedicated to creating a greener - and more sustainable - San Diego!
Going zero waste may seem like a daunting task at first but once you immerse yourself into the community, ideas and support keep on flowing! You can start by reducing and replacing one item a week with a more sustainable option. If you find yourself wanting to do more, join a composting business or build one in your backyard.
What is zero waste?
Zero Waste is a global movement focusing on a set of guiding principles that strive towards eliminating waste. The Zero Waste International Alliance says it is “ the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”
What to bring to a zero waste store in San Diego
Depending on what you need and where you are going, you may need to bring your own reusable bags, jars, tupperwares, and boxes. Some zero waste shops will have these handy for an extra price. You can also get creative by saving the jar from yesterday's pasta sauce or reusing your empty shampoo and detergent containers.
Want more tips? Listen to our How to Go Zero Waste podcast episode with Fredricka Syren from Zero Waste Family.
Zero Waste Stores in San Diego
Destination Baby Co.
Leave your bulky baby gear at home! Destination Baby rents out cribs, high chairs, car seats, bouncers to folks traveling to the San Diego County area. Pick up locally or Destination Baby can deliver and set up your gear for you.
Earthwell Refill
A family owned business, Earthwell Refill offers selfcare items, household cleaners, and more! In addition to their refill products, they offer a carefully selected assortment of unique retail items fromlocal vendors such as candles, bracelets, earrings, leather goods, and art.
Earthwell Refill, 4114 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116
Kai's Refills
April 2025 Update: This women-owned business is in need of immediate support to continue to operate.
Located in East County, Kai's Refills support eco-friendly swaps in your daily life for your family, health, natural products, and the planet.
Kai's Refills, 7590 El Cajon Blvd, Suite E, La Mesa, CA 91942
The Good Loop
Eco-friendly clothing swap and circular fashion experiences throughout San Diego, including the annual Good Festival at Westfield UTC, April 24-27.
Instagram: @the_good_loop
Origins Grocer (formerly The Mighty Bin)
Origins Grocer provides a convenient way to shop for package-free and toxin-free grocery items with fresh produce, bulk grocery items and household goods. This one-stop shop is also is an official plastic film recycling and compost drop-off site, and also offers a CSA box partnership with Foodshed CSA. Tune in to our podcast episode on Zero-Waste Grocery Shopping with the former owner of The Mighty Bin.
Origins Grocer, 2855 El Cajon Blvd Suite 4, San Diego, CA 92104
Positive Phee
Positive Phee hosts circular fashion experiences and sustainable fashion shows in San Diego. Best known for her unique “Sip & Style” community events where women pay a flat “Phee” to fill a bag with carefully curated “like new” clothing and enjoy a drink of choice. These events offer an affordable and truly sustainable way to enjoy fashion in a unique, fun and social setting.
Website: positivephee.com
Refinement House
Women-owned Refinement House is an online retailer offering sustainable, eco-friendly products for home + body. You can also stop by their booth at the Little Italy Mercato on Saturdays and the Hillcrest Farmers' Market on Sundays.
Website: RefinementHouse.com
Shine Natural Market (formerly Local Scoop)
Shine Natural Market offers package-free grocery, household and body care products. The store carries fresh produce, bulk goods, household cleaners and supplies, plus skin care needs, refill stations and so much more!
Shine Natural Market, 937 S Coast Hwy 101 Suite C-110, Encinitas, CA 92024
Sonora Refillery
Offering plastic free alternatives to bath, body, and home products, the Sonora Refillery Inspires creativity and balance by customizing the products you come in contact with. All of their products are made in the USA, are sulfate free, and paraben free.
Sonora Refillery, 1012 S Coast Hwy Suite A, Oceanside, CA 92054
Scisters Salon
The Scisters Salon is San Diego's first zero waste salon that offers beauty products in bulk and various other supplies for living a zero waste, intentional lifestyle. Partnered with Green Circle to divert the beauty waste that is produced, the hair clippings from the salon now help clean up oil spills, the foil and color tubes are melted down to make new products, and leftover color is turned into clean energy.
7957 University Ave, La Mesa, CA 91942
Sunshine Market + Refillery
Sunshine Market & Refillery is your friendly neighborhood (zero-waste) grocery store founded with one goal in mind: to reduce waste. Its mission to provide the community with a sustainable source for grocery products and everyday essentials.
Sunshine Market & Refillery, 3529 Cannon Rd Suite 2D, Oceanside, CA, 92056
Too Good to Go
Too Good to Go is a mobile app that lists daily surplus items from local San Diego grocery stores + restaurants. Customers can then buy these items at 1/3 of the usual retail cost, starting at $4 for a Surprise Bag. Partnering businesses include Blackmarket Bakery, MRKT Space, Local Scoop, Pannikin, Pappalecco and Nomad Donuts. Read the full article about Too Good To Go to learn more.
Your local grocery store
Check out your local health food store like Sprouts, Lazy Acres, Jimbo's, Whole Foods, Seaside Market and OB Peoples for minimally packaged produce and refill stations for grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and more!
Your local farmers' market
Check out your local farmers' market for fruits, vegetables, and other delicious goods for some zero waste alternatives. Usually the fresh produce is free from plastic packaging and you may also find baked goods you can store in your own containers. Browse our Guide to Farmers' Markets in San Diego to find a market near you.
Local Resources + Groups
SD Fix It Clinic
The SD Fix It Clinic is a do-it-together disassembly workshop that is offered at local libraries and/or Makerspaces. This is a place where trades people around the community come together to share their skills with their fellow neighbors on how to troubleshoot and repair their appliances, clothes, electronics and so much more!
I Love a Clean San Diego
This local nonprofit often hosts free webinars on sustainability, recycling, waste reduction and zero-waste lifestyle solutions.
Buy Nothing Project
The Buy Nothing Project is a worldwide gift economy network that offers a platform for community members to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude. This is the perfect place for you to donate those items you do not use anymore or to receive a hand-me-down of that one thing you've been needing.
San Diego County Freecycle Group
Similar to the Buy Nothing Project, San Diego County Freecycle Group is a place for community members to donate items they no longer need or to find items they are in need of. This group is for all members around San Diego county and is another great platform to support the global zero waste movement.
Give Zero Waste a Try!
Every year 139.6 million tons of waste is placed into our landfills and each of us has the key to transforming this habit into something greener. With your support of these rising zero waste businesses, convenience and sustainability begin to hold hands. Share your progress and inspire others through your change, and don't forget the ripple that you as an individual can make. Support these local zero waste stores in San Diego!
Looking for More Healthy Living Resources?
Explore our Events Calendar for upcoming yoga events, meditation classes and wellness workshops around San Diego. Or browse these sustainability podcast episodes + articles for more inspiration:
- The Best Gardening Classes in San Diego
- Farmers' Markets in San Diego
- Podcast: The Green Guide to San Diego
- Podcast: San Diego Sustainable Fashion with Positive Phee
- Podcast: Sustainability is Sexy
- Podcast: Sustainable Swaps for Healthy Living
- Podcast: How to Build a Zero-Waste Business with Scisters Salon
- Podcast: How to Go Zero-Waste
- Podcast: Zero-Waste Grocery Shopping Tips
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