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A new store in the Des Moines area has emerged, selling sustainable, vegan and cruelty-free items in hopes to make a difference for a more eco-friendly environment. The store labels itself The Collective and is located downtown in AP Lofts.

In an article titled What is the Meaning of Sustainable Materials, John Papiewski, a physics lab manager said, “Sustainability, whether in materials, energy or practices, means a limited negative impact on natural resources and people; they avoid depleting or degrading the environment. Because they create few stresses on the environment, society can safely rely on them well into the future.”

Store owner Jamie Nicolino began selling sustainable, environmentally friendly products through pop-up shops. Nicolino said she began the journey of opening her own store by cleaning up her life in January 2018 and coming to the realization that she needed to simplify. She started to minimize everything that she had and now utilizes items that can be used for longer periods of time or reused.  

“I started dissecting piece by piece my life and everything that I put into my body and then looked at my impact going out into the world,” Nicolino said.  

Des Moines has never had a store solely dedicated to only durable, reusable products. Since there wasn’t a location where she could shop locally, Nicolino would shop online for everything that she needed to live a sustainable lifestyle.  

Her new ways resulted in her shop located in the heart of Des Moines. Her shop has given her freedom to sell a greater variety of items, compared to the pop-up shops that she has done in the past.  

“I want to create a safe space for people to ask questions, wherever their journey might lead them, and that is really where The Collective came from,” Nicolino said.  

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Papiewski said that wood, bamboo and other plant-based materials are naturally sustainable along with, aluminum, copper and other metals that recycle indefinitely. Common sustainable building materials include cork, steel and recycled plastics. Nicolino has many products in her store that are made out of these natural materials.  

The Collective sells many products such as refillable shampoos, mason jars, reusable bags, reusable to-go boxes, powdered toothpaste, bamboo toothbrushes and a wood dishwashing brush with a replaceable head.  

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Reduction and reuse are the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the environment and save money.” 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said, that in 2015, individuals in the U.S. produced almost 35 million tons of plastic waste, 26 million tons of this plastic waste went to the landfill and nine million didn’t.  

Alexis Thompson, a customer at The Collective, said that she enjoys the refillable products that the store has to offer. 

Nicolino’s favorite products that she sells include charcoal and mint tooth-powder that comes in a reusable container, natural deodorant by Buddha Organics and the Dot menstrual cup. She said that these products don’t have any toxic ingredients and are simplified to be healthier for the body as well as for the environment.

“It’s something that we put into our mouths every day.  There’s a lot of things in toothpaste that don’t really need to be there. I’ve never had a cleaner mouth since using tooth powder,” Nicolino said.

Nicolino also says she likes the natural deodorant that she sells. She said the deodorant is completely natural with no extra products added that could harmful over time or unnecessary. Nicolino says a lot of products with extra ingredients contain carcinogens, which can cause cancer. 

Some upcoming products include bulk shampoo and conditioner that are refillable, reusable panty liners and reusable silicone bags to replace ziplock plastic bags.

Being new to being eco-friendly may be scary at first. Nicolino’s advice for beginners is to start carrying around some sort of silverware set to avoid using plastic silverware and use a mason jar for snacks, beverages, or to-go boxes. 

To find The Collective on Instagram, visit the username, thecollective.dsm that can be followed for product updates and store hours.