Least amount of packaging for blades?

[Nigeyy]

Newbie here. With apologies if this has been tackled before, but I did do a search but couldn't find anything.

One of the reasons I've come back to wet shaving is that every time I threw away that disposable plastic razor, it just didn't sit well with me. Going to razor blades means that I will just be throwing away a used blade.... or does it?

The problem I'm having now is that any razor blades I can get seem to be 5 to a plastic box holder -now granted that's still less plastic used than compared to a plastic razor, but still, it doesn't sit well with me either!

So here are the questions: which blades have the least amount of packaging? Are there any blades that do not come in plastic packaging at all? Or are there any blades that come in say, 20 to a plastic holder box rather than 5 or 10? Is there a reason for so few blades to a box?

I appreciate that it's not going to work if the razor blade is of poor quality, but wanted to get a listing of low packaged blades and then find the one that works for me with the least amount of packaging. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I take it you are trying to go as "green as possible?"

 

[pablo_h]

Out of the blades I use, only feather, derby and wilkinson sword come in plastic containers.
Gillette 7 oclocks are cardboard packets of 5, and are red israeli personnas, bic, kai, croma and most the ones I have used.
Granted they might be like that because they were samplers, ie bought from somebodies 100pk, and the retail versions in lots of 5-10 might be in plastic. If so, you could buy samplers or your own 100pk

 

[Handy]

I've seen boxes of 100 blades. Each blade is loose with a paper cover. I think that is about as good as it gets.

 

[Stubblefield]

RP Personnas do come in paper-wrapped packs of 5 no matter how many you buy (I just ordered a hundred from WCS and got 20 little boxes). I think the Israeli Personnas come in a cardboard box of 100; I have seen them packaged that way on eBay anyway.

I toss the little plastic holders in the recycling.

 

[Aevum]

actually, in europe red packs come in a 200 blade cardboard pillar devided in to 20, 10 blade plastic packs,

now, Blue israeli personna blades come in a cardboard 100 blade box with individual wax paper wrapping on each blade,

 

[arcman]

The Israeli Personnas that I get from Westcoastshaving come in packs like this,

And although they only ship 10 in a pack, I can easily fit over a year's worth of used blades back into those plastic containers. You'd be surprised how many blades fit into those things when they're not in their paper wrappers.

 

[rabidpotatochip]

No one else has asked this so I'll bite, why aren't you recycling the blades and their packaging?

The environmental benefit of DE blades is that they're pure metal; this means they can be fully recycled without any issue. Just cut a hole in a soup can and put your used blades in there. When it's full you dump the whole thing in the recycle bin. As for the plastic containers, those can be recycled too.

Now, to answer your question... the only blades I know of that don't come in plastic packaging at all are 7AM Platinum (or something like that). I had a bunch but found the quality very inconsistent. They come five to a small cardboard wrapper and are individually wrapped in waxed paper.

 

[gone down south]

^^^ Recycling is good, but it's in third place behind Reduce and Reuse.
Avoiding the extra packaging in the first place is much preferable to recycling it.

 

[arcman]

Unless they changed the packaging, the bulk Dorco 100 pack (10x10) comes in one large cardboard package that holds 10 plain cardboard packages, with each blade wrapped in plain paper wrappers.

 

[SepticTank]

^^^ Recycling is good, but it's in third place behind Reduce and Reuse.
Avoiding the extra packaging in the first place is much preferable to recycling it.

OK - I shall counter:

He reduced already because the DE plastic carrier is less than the composite cardboard & plastic packing on a pack of cartridges, the DE blade is actually recyclable where the cartridge isn't (because it's a composite).

The DE carrier is also recyclable because it's "clean" where the plastic that attaches to the cardboard hanger isn't clean and is less useful as a recyclate.

 

[mmack66]

^^^ Recycling is good, but it's in third place behind Reduce and Reuse.
Avoiding the extra packaging in the first place is much preferable to recycling it.

I always thought of those 3 being on the same level.

 

[rabidpotatochip]

I always thought of those 3 being on the same level.

They're not. First you reduce (as in use less), then you reuse (as in don't get more), then you recycle (so it can be reused).

 

[Nigeyy]

Ooops, I should have been clearer and add I do recycle -just that as someone else posted, I'd rather not get excess or non (at least very easily) bio-degradable packaging in the first place.

No one else has asked this so I'll bite, why aren't you recycling the blades and their packaging?

 

[Nigeyy]

Yes. Though there are practical limits -I won't use a razor that will rip my face apart, and alas, financial cost does come into factor.

So what I'm trying to do is get the best alternative for me -a reasonable razor with reduced packaging. I want to make sure that if I have a choice of razors, I choose the one with the best "green" options, all other things being more or less equal.

I take it you are trying to go as "green as possible?"

 

[rabidpotatochip]

Ooops, I should have been clearer and add I do recycle -just that as someone else posted, I'd rather not get excess or non (at least very easily) bio-degradable packaging in the first place.

Never mind then.

 

[ateace]

In the spirit of the title of your original post, the Israeli Personnas that come packed 100 in a small cardboard box are your best option. They're a favorite blade of many members here, and they don't cost a lot. The 100 blade box easily fits into the palm of your hand.

 

[Nigeyy]

They sound like the ticket; are these the same as the Personna "Red Pack" in the reviews?

Also any recommendations where I can get them from, and I assume that if I order 100, do you know if they always come packed like that? I'd hate to place an order and then find I get 20 plastic boxes as well....

In the spirit of the title of your original post, the Israeli Personnas that come packed 100 in a small cardboard box are your best option. They're a favorite blade of many members here, and they don't cost a lot. The 100 blade box easily fits into the palm of your hand.

 

[gone down south]

OK - I shall counter:

He reduced already because the DE plastic carrier is less than the composite cardboard & plastic packing on a pack of cartridges, the DE blade is actually recyclable where the cartridge isn't (because it's a composite).

The DE carrier is also recyclable because it's "clean" where the plastic that attaches to the cardboard hanger isn't clean and is less useful as a recyclate.

100% agreement

However, the OP was trying to decide between those DE's in a plastic case and those wrapped in paper. I would question first what kind of plastic is the case made of, and is that recyclable in your city/town? Some are, some aren't, while cardboard/paper is pretty universally recyclable.

Secondly, the current option seems to be "a cardboard box of 20 times 5 blades, each in a little plastic container and then further each blade wrapped in paper." Getting rid of those 20 plastic boxes and just packaging everything in paper is a sensible idea on an eco-level.

Either way, you're way ahead of the cartridges!

 

[jkh]

They sound like the ticket; are these the same as the Personna "Red Pack" in the reviews?

Also any recommendations where I can get them from, and I assume that if I order 100, do you know if they always come packed like that? I'd hate to place an order and then find I get 20 plastic boxes as well....

The Israeli Personna (also called IP or Crystal) and Red Pack Personna are different. letterk has wonderful post regarding these blades. This post also has a picture of the Israeli Personna's in the cardboard box of 100. I have seen the boxes of 100 for sale on eBay.