Ripple Refill is a zero-waste refill store located in Kona’s Kaloko Industrial area that recently opened last month. It’s safe to say that the amount of support and excitement around this store’s opening proves that a refill store like this is necessary in our Kona community. Ripple Refill is something that founders Sarah Rafferty and Elizabeth Elkjer-Maman have wanted to do for a long time. They met at a county council Styrofoam ban hearing in 2015 and have been actively involved in local sustainability for years. Sarah commented that “after many conversations about how great it would be to open a refill store here, we decided to go for it.” They have curated an impressive selection of sustainable refillable home & body products that are mostly sourced from local vendors. At the shop, which shares a space with Sustainable Island Products, you will find bath & body products like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste tablets, and deodorant to home & cleaning products like dish soap, laundry powder, laundry soap, and all-purpose cleaner. Here is how it works: bring in your jar or bottle (or you can purchase a refillable bottle at the shop), tare the weight of your jar, and refill with products of your choosing! Since opening there have been a few standout products – like the tuberose shampoo. It is made in Hawaii, smells incredible and they have sold through five gallons in just three weeks. People have also been loving the toothpaste tablets.

Sarah mentioned that the hardest part of opening during a pandemic was figuring out how much inventory to bring in, she said it was nearly impossible to predict what demand would be. She said that “putting it all together definitely requires some cautious optimism.”

Shops like Ripple Refill are popping up across the nation as a way for conscious consumers to cut down on their waste by filling up reusable jars and bottles with household, beauty, and other basic hygiene products. The concept is simple, but the impact stores like this can have on a community are significant. As the name suggests, businesses like Ripple Refill can create a ripple effect once people start seeing how easy it is to cut pack on your waste by minimizing packaging.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the shop yet, we highly recommend you grab your jars and go! See their hours and the full list of their products on their website here.