The 5 Best Zero Waste Razors for 2024

Zero waste razors are perfect for getting a great shave and helping the planet at the same time. These sustainable razors are designed to eliminate manufacturing waste. By switching away from throwaway plastic razors, you’ll get a higher quality reusable razor and reduce your carbon footprint. 

Reducing plastic waste is crucial for protecting ocean wildlife in particular. Millions of plastic razors get thrown away every year, contributing to the billions of pounds of trash produced all over the world. We’ve put together a list of the top 5 zero waste razors to help our readers get started switching to a more sustainable shaving routine. 

1. Albatross

The Albatross safety razor is considered the first truly zero waste razor on the market. They were also the first razor company to have a zero waste safety razor blade trade back program. This allows customers to send in their used razor blades, from any brand, to be recycled and turned into new blades. 

Albatross offers a few different zero waste safety razors. They are affordably priced with the base model costing about $25 USD. All of Albatross’s safety razors feature a sleek, gender-neutral design. Their metal razors have a polished, rust-proof finish, as well. The original zero waste 3-piece safety razor is a great place to start and even includes 10 replacement blades. 

2. Rockwell 6C

Rockwell is known for being a great safety razor brand. Not only do they make high-quality shaving gear, their razors are also zero waste. The Rockwell 6C is an affordable, yet luxury starter safety razor that’s perfect for beginners. It’s available in three different gender neutral colors, all with a textured, rustproof metal body. 

One unique feature of Rockwell brand razors is the customizability. Rockwell’s razors have six different settings customers can choose from using different plates and blade sizes. This means you can adjust your razor to fit your exact shaving needs. For instance, the size 1 setting prevents nicks and cuts as much as possible. Size 5 is good for shaving longer hair such as a long beard or arm or leg hair. 

3. EcoRoots

EcoRoots is a top-rated sustainable shaving brand with affordable pricing to match. The EcoRoots safety razor is about $40 USD and available in two glossy gender neutral colors. This zero waste razor is especially good for customers who have sensitive skin. Users report experiencing no razor burn with this safety razor, even after using it for multiple years. 

Not only does EcoRoots make zero waste razors, it is also a women-owned small business. All of their products come in recycled, compostable or recyclable packaging. EcoRoots guarantees no animal testing is used in their product development, as well. 

4. Well Kept

Well Kept is a women-founded small business based in Canada and specializing in sustainable shaving goods. The Well Kept safety razor has a functional, minimalistic design built with high-quality materials. This zero waste razor is a bit more expensive than others on this list, starting at about $53 USD. You can also spend a little more for a starter set with 20 replacement blades priced at $81 USD. 

This razor is worth the price, though. It’s made from solid brass, giving it the weight you need to get a clean, safe shave with a safety razor. The handle has a matte, textured finish to improve grip for shaving with wet hands. It even ships in fully recyclable packaging. Like Albatross, Well Kept also runs a blade recollection program so you can easily and safely recycle your used razor blades. 

5. Leaf Razor

The Leaf Razor is a fan favorite in the sustainable shaving market. It has a hefty price tag at $84, but there’s a unique package included. The Leaf Razor isn’t a safety razor, for one thing. Leaf completely redesigned their razor so it functions more like a typical cartridge razor, but without the plastic. 

You replace the individual blades just like on a safety razor. The metal body itself can be reused countless times. You can even use standard safety razor replacement blades. Like a cartridge razor, the Leaf Razor has a pivoting head and can hold multiple blades (up to three). So, if you want a zero waste razor but don’t want to use a safety razor, the Leaf Razor is the way to go. 

Why Are Most Zero Waste Razors Safety Razors?

Zero waste razors are designed and manufactured in such a way that no resources go to waste in the production process. For instance, a zero waste manufacturer wouldn’t use single-use materials to make their products. Zero waste goals directly impact the design of a product. 

Achieving zero waste status with razors requires changing the product’s design to remove as many disposable elements as possible. The cartridge-style razor design is not a good fit for a zero waste product since it requires throwing away entire razor heads every few shaves. 

Safety razors have been around for over a hundred years, so they’re not a new design. They just happen to be great for sustainable shaving. Safety razors have a single disposable part: the blade. Luckily, these blades are usually recyclable. However, you can’t just toss your used razor blades in the recycling bin. You’ll have to personally take them to a local recycling center due to the safety concerning surrounding disposable blades. 

Aside from the blade, though, every other element of the safety razor design is fully reusable and lasts for years. This makes safety razors ideal for zero waste manufacturing. Safety razors are a little different from cartridge razors, though, so make sure you understand how to use them before you try shaving with one. 

Shopping for Sustainable Razors

Zero waste razors are a high quality, sustainable alternative to disposable plastic cartridge razors. With more and more people showing interest in these awesome shaving products, there are more options available today. The zero waste razors on this list are among the very best you can buy in 2023. The next time you shave, consider using a zero waste razor – it will cut your hair and your carbon footprint at the same time.