If your recycling bin seems to fill up faster than your pantry, you’re not alone. From shampoo bottles and cleaning supplies to food packaging and household staples, it’s easy to accumulate more waste than we’d like. Fortunately, a growing number of refill shops around the Denver metro area are making it easier to reduce single-use plastics without sacrificing convenience. Bring your own containers, stock up on everyday essentials, and leave with less waste…and often, a little less guilt, too.

Looking to make your shopping routine a bit more sustainable? Here are a few local refill shops that 5280 recommends to help cut down on packaging while stocking up on the essentials:

• Aspire Colorado (Golden): This shop specializes in low-waste household and personal care products, including refillable cleaning supplies, shampoo bars, deodorants, and reusable alternatives to everyday disposables. Many of the products are made in-house using organic and biodegradable ingredients, making it a great entry point for anyone looking to adopt more sustainable habits. 
• Homefill Co. (Olde Town Arvada): Homefill offers a wide selection of refillable household products, from soaps and lotions to cooking oils and spices. The shop also carries eco-friendly accessories such as compostable trash bags and reusable kitchen items. Refill containers in-store or take advantage of Homefill’s convenient refill service. 
• Joy Fill (West Highland): One of Denver’s most popular refill destinations, Joy Fill carries an impressive assortment of products sourced from small businesses throughout Colorado and beyond. In addition to refills for personal care and household goods, the store offers pet treats, recycling programs, and a jar exchange system that helps keep reusable containers circulating.
• New Moon Refillery (Belmar, Lakewood): New Moon combines refillable home and body products with thoughtfully curated sustainable goods. Shoppers can browse everything from skincare and cleaning products to reusable household items while supporting a business focused on reducing waste throughout the supply chain. The company also offers local delivery options. 
• Nude Foods Market (Berkeley + Boulder): Taking the refill concept beyond soaps and cleaners, Nude Foods Market focuses on groceries, produce, beverages, and household staples packaged in reusable containers. The market’s innovative return-and-reuse system helps eliminate a significant amount of single-use packaging while making sustainable shopping remarkably simple. 
• Off the Bottle Refill Shop (Capitol Hill): This Capitol Hill favorite offers refillable soaps, shampoos, cleaning products, spices, teas, and more. The emphasis is on vegan, cruelty-free products, and customers are encouraged to bring in virtually any clean container to refill. It’s a practical way to reduce waste while discovering environmentally conscious alternatives.
• Zero Market (Stanley Marketplace, Aurora): A pioneer in Denver’s refill movement, Zero Market has been helping shoppers reduce waste for years. The store stocks a wide variety of refillable personal care, cleaning, pantry, and wellness products and regularly hosts educational workshops on topics like composting and sustainable living.

Small changes can add up over time, and swapping disposable packaging for reusable containers is one simple way to reduce your environmental footprint. Whether you’re ready to overhaul your household routine or just want to refill a bottle of hand soap instead of tossing it, these local shops make it easy to be a little greener.