Meaford’s newest downtown business promises to deliver an assortment of Canadian-made, environmentally-friendly personal and home care products that are free of toxins.
The Meaford Refillery opens on May 1 at 47 Sykes Street North (the former Simply Unique building). Owner Jacquie Rushlow has been transforming the space into what she describes as a welcoming place where customers can refill their own recycled containers with personal and home care products.
“The Meaford Refillery will be a plastic-free mission,” she said. “We encourage you to re-use all your old plastic containers rather than throwing them away and buying new ones every time you need more product.
“We will carry everything you need to keep you and your home clean – all natural, plant-based, cruelty-free, biodegradable, and microplastic-free.
“We will also be supplying eco-friendly items like beeswax wraps, bamboo dish and bottle brushes, bamboo hairbrushes, compostable sponges, bamboo toothbrushes, biodegradable sunglasses, lip and cheek tints, mascara, reusable facial rounds, unpaper towel, bamboo biodegradable toilet paper, reusable ear swabs, plastic free dental floss… the list goes on and on!”
“It’s important to know that we believe in holding suppliers accountable for their plastic waste. We will only stock suppliers that have met our requirements to take back their empty containers that we receive our bulk products in and refill them for us! When you refill, we refill.
“Please know, only nine per cent all plastics worldwide are actually recycled. Hence the need for a refillery to REDUCE plastic consumption, REUSE by refilling, and RECYCLE as a last resort.”
Rushlow’s personal goal is to introduce a refillery like The Meaford Refillery and its sister business, The Creemore Refillery (opened in March 2020), in every single community nationwide. It’s her personal mission to reduce the dependence on single-use plastic.
“We believe that in order to rid the world of single-use plastic, we need to systematically change the way we consume plastic and the best way to do that is at the community level. We encourage communities to take their future into their own hands.
“We have plans to bring a refillery like this into every single community nationwide.”
The Meaford Refillery grand opening on May 1 will be by appointment only. Go to www.themeafordrefillery.ca to book a time. Regular store hours will be Tuesday to Saturday, 11-6 p.m; Sundays, 11-3 p.m; and closed Mondays.
“We are considered an essential service as we provide safety supplies to keep you and your home clean,” Rushlow said. “Customers can come inside our store and safely refill, or they can email their order to us at info@themeafordrefillery.ca and we will gladly fill it while they wait outside. Or, they can shop online at www.themeafordrefillery.ca.”
