the
empties
bag
What is it?
A beauty laundry system to help you recycle your beauty product containers so that as little as possible ends up in landfill.
HOW IT WORKS
- HANG YOU EMPTIES BAG
Simple….Hang it in your bathroom wherever you like as a gentle reminder not to throw your beauty containers straight in the bin. - FILL YOUR EMPTIES BAG
Once you have finished with a product pop the container into your greenwashing bag until beauty laundry day. - PICK A LAUNDRY DAY
Take some time out once a month to do your beauty laundry. Simply follow the Empties Guide for each product and become a responsible recycler of beauty containers.
the empties bag
What is it?
A beauty laundry system to help you dispose of your beauty product containers so that as little as possible ends up in landfill.
HOW To use
If all of us use our Empties Bag, we will reduce the problem of excess landfill waste from beauty products.
Here’s how it works:
- HANG YOU EMPTIES BAG
Simple….Hang it in your bathroom wherever you like as a gentle reminder not to throw your beauty containers straight in the bin. - FILL YOUR EMPTIES BAG
Once you have finished with a product pop the container into your Empties Bag until beauty laundry day. - PICK A LAUNDRY DAY
Take some time out once a month to do your beauty laundry. Simply follow the Empties Guide for each product and become a responsible recycler of beauty containers.
RECYCLE
RECYCLE
Simply click on the product below, follow the instructions and become a responsible
recycler of beauty products.
KEY BENEFITS
KEY BENEFITS
Environmentally friendly.
Made from 100% sustainable cotton.
HOW TO WASH
HOW TO WASH
Wash with similar colours at 40 degrees.
Simply click on the product below, follow the instructions and become a responsible recycler of beauty products.
Environmentally friendly.
Made from 100% sustainable cotton.
Wash with similar colours at
40 degrees.
How To Dispose of your Pestle & Mortar Empties:
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in general waste.
- 3+4Dispose of in plastic recycling.
- 5Dispose of in glass recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source; dispose of both in paper recycling.

Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
-
-
1 – 3Dispose of in general waste.
-
-
4Dispose of in plastic recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 – 3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with a thin layer of lamination and a paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source. Dispose of the box in general waste; dispose of the insert in paper recycling.

-
1 + 2Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with a thin layer of lamination and a paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source. Dispose of the box in general waste; dispose of the insert in paper recycling.Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1
+
5Dispose of in glass recycling. - 2
+
3Dispose of in plastic recycling. - 4Dispose of in general waste.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1Dispose of in general waste.
- 2 – 4Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
New & improved design: paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper, with no lamination and no foam insert; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
(Legacy cylinders are made with 100% recycled paper but have a thin layer of lamination and a foam insert. Dispose of this type of cylinders in general waste.)
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Cut the tube at the top seam. Clean the tube thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source; dispose of both in paper recycling.

-
-
1 – 3Dispose of in general waste.
-
-
4Dispose of in plastic recycling.

-
1 + 5Dispose of in glass recycling.
-
2 + 3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
-
4Dispose of in general waste.
OUTER PACKAGING
New & improved design: paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper, with no lamination and no foam insert; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling. (Legacy cylinders are made with 100% recycled paper but have a thin layer of lamination and a foam insert. Dispose of this type of cylinders in general waste.)Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1Dispose of in general waste.
- 2–5Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
New & improved design: paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper, with no lamination and no foam insert; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
(Legacy cylinders are made with 100% recycled paper but have a thin layer of lamination and a foam insert. Dispose of this type of cylinders in general waste.)

-
-
1Dispose of in general waste.
-
-
2 + 3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source; dispose of both in paper recycling.Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 6Dispose of in general waste.
- 2–5Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper. Remove the foam insert and dispose of in general waste; dispose of the rest of the cylinder in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate the cap and the pump top. Clean these components thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in plastic recycling.
- 3Dispose of in general waste.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in general waste.
- 3+4Dispose of in plastic recycling.
- 5Dispose of in glass recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source; dispose of both in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 – 3Dispose of in general waste.
- 4Dispose of in plastic recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 – 3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with a thin layer of lamination and a paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source. Dispose of the box in general waste; dispose of the insert in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in plastic recycling.
- OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with a thin layer of lamination and a paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source. Dispose of the box in general waste; dispose of the insert in paper recycling.

-
-
1 + 5Dispose of in glass recycling.
-
-
2+3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
-
4Dispose of in general waste.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1Dispose of in general waste.
- 2 – 4Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
New & improved design: paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper, with no lamination and no foam insert; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
(Legacy cylinders are made with 100% recycled paper but have a thin layer of lamination and a foam insert. Dispose of this type of cylinders in general waste.)
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Cut the tube at the top seam. Clean the tube thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source; dispose of both in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 – 3Dispose of in general waste.
- 4Dispose of in plastic recycling.

-
-
1 + 5Dispose of in glass recycling.
-
-
2+3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
-
4Dispose of in general waste.
OUTER PACKAGING
New & improved design: paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper, with no lamination and no foam insert; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling. (Legacy cylinders are made with 100% recycled paper but have a thin layer of lamination and a foam insert. Dispose of this type of cylinders in general waste.)Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1Dispose of in general waste.
- 2–5Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
New & improved design: paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper, with no lamination and no foam insert; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
(Legacy cylinders are made with 100% recycled paper but have a thin layer of lamination and a foam insert. Dispose of this type of cylinders in general waste.)
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1Dispose of in general waste.
- 2 + 3Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper box with paper insert – both made from sustainable paper source; dispose of both in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate all components. Clean thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 6Dispose of in general waste.
- 2–5Dispose of in plastic recycling.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper. Remove the foam insert and dispose of in general waste; dispose of the rest of the cylinder in paper recycling.
Inner Packaging
Separate the cap and the pump top. Clean these components thoroughly ensuring that there’s no product residue and allow to dry.
- 1 + 2Dispose of in plastic recycling.
- 3Dispose of in general waste.
OUTER PACKAGING
Paper cylinder made with 100% recycled paper; dispose of the whole cylinder in paper recycling.
* The Inner Packaging Recycling Advice provided here follows the advice given and approved by Eastern Midlands Regional Waste Office of Republic of Ireland, on recycling glass and hard plastic components of any kind. The recycling facilities and their capabilities will vary from country to country. It is always advised to check with your regional waste management company what types of waste they accept for recycling.
The empties bag backstory
With a family of 7, Pestle & Mortar founder Sonia Deasy became increasingly bothered by the fact that cosmetic containers are not being disposed of properly.
Most people think that they’re disposing their cosmetics containers correctly but the truth is, it’s difficult to know what goes where. Most containers are made up of various parts and not every component is suitable for recycling.
Enter The Empties Bag: A beauty laundry system to help you dispose of your beauty product containers so that as little as possible ends up in landfill.
Pestle & Mortar is committed to being 100% transparent on our sustainability journey. For more information check our Sustainability Page. Customers need to know how to dispose of their beauty containers correctly so they can take intentional action in their daily beauty lives. Hence the hashtag ‘greenwashing’ for The Empties Bag.
Greenwashing is the name given to a false claim that a company makes to misguide consumers into believing that its products are environmentally friendly. We’re turning it on its head. Join us in reducing our landfills of cosmetics containers and let us know about your efforts using #greenwashing.