New Evanston Shop Helps Residents go Green
Just a few of the products available at Eco and the Flamingo. Photo by Shveta Shah
At the start of a global pandemic, best friends Bethany Barbouti and Jacqueline MacCartie took a chance and opened up Eco and the Flamingo, Chicago’s first zero waste shop.
“I’ve dabbled in traveling and seen a lot of zero waste stores overseas.” Barbouti said. “And then over time, it was like, why don’t we give Chicago one of these?”
The first location opened in Lincoln Square in March of 2020, but the co-owners just recently opened up a second location on Sherman Avenue in downtown Evanston after the city reached out with a proposition that Evanston residents would really benefit from and take advantage of a zero waste shop.
“Just talking to our own customers and some residents from Evanston, it just seemed like a good place to expand the mission,” Barbouti said.
Eco and the Flamingo is a Chicago based brand focused on sustainability, fair labor practices, and affordability. The store serves as a one stop shop for zero waste needs, with products ranging from shampoo and conditioner refills to zero waste toothpaste tablets.
The brand offers unique opportunities for customers to be more environmentally conscious, including the option to refill their products at an affordable price in order to cut down on wasteful packaging. The refill menu includes pantry items like coffee, salts, oils, and vinegars and body products like shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, and body lotion.
The new store in Evanston sports brightly colored walls and neat racks of a wide variety of products. Eco and the Flamingo has many interesting items, like its uniquely scented soap bars, from Peppermint Hot Cocoa to Elderflower Mimosa. The store also carries eco-friendly hair care products, toothpaste tabs, and lip balms in biodegradable tubes.
A lot of thought goes into the brand and its products, according to Barbouti. Not only do all the products in the store contain minimal to zero waste, but they are also cruelty free and vegan. Additionally, the store makes sure all of its products are from vendors who pay their employees fairly along the supply chain.
Barbouti also shared some tips for people who are just starting to live a greener lifestyle. First, understanding yourself is important. For many people, it’s good to take baby steps because a lot of change might be overwhelming, but small changes have the power to make a difference, too. The next time you run out of toothpaste or dish soap, it may be time to stop by Eco and the Flamingo and give zero waste options a shot.