Environmental Impact Report — Better Objects

Key findings

8.3× less environmental impact than single-use equivalents (LastSwab vs cotton swabs)

1,000 single-use swabs replaced by one LastSwab over its lifetime

520 disposable tissues replaced by one pack of LastTissue

1,750 cotton pads replaced by one set of LastRound (7 rounds, 250 uses each)

Methodology

Our life cycle assessment follows ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards — the internationally recognised framework for evaluating environmental impacts across a product's full life: raw material extraction, manufacturing, transport, use, and end of life.

The functional unit used for comparison is 1,000 ear-cleaning uses (or equivalent uses for other products). This allows a like-for-like comparison between a single reusable object and the number of single-use alternatives required to perform the same function the same number of times.

Impact categories assessed include:

Global warming potential (GWP) — CO₂ equivalent emissions
Fossil resource use
Water consumption
Land use
Particulate matter formation

Materials

LastSwab

The LastSwab tip is made from medical-grade thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) — the same material class used in medical devices, baby products, and food-contact applications. It contains no latex, BPA, or phthalates. The case is made from plant-based bioplastic (PLA), derived from renewable corn starch.

Conventional cotton swabs are made from virgin cotton and polypropylene plastic. Cotton cultivation is water-intensive and pesticide-heavy. After a single use, both materials go to landfill or enter the marine environment — cotton swabs are among the top 10 items found on European beaches in annual surveys by the European Environment Agency.

LastTissue

LastTissue is made from 100% organic cotton certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Each tissue can be washed and reused hundreds of times. At 30°C — the temperature we recommend — washing energy is significantly lower than the production energy of a fresh disposable tissue.

LastRound

LastRound pads are made from organic bamboo velour and organic cotton. Bamboo requires no pesticides and significantly less water than conventional cotton. Each round is designed to be washed with your regular laundry and perform effectively for at least 250 wash cycles per pad — equivalent to 1,750 disposable cotton pads per set of 7.

Coastal plastic removal

In addition to impact reduction through product design, Better Objects partners with certified coastal collection programmes. For every order placed, 1 kg of coastal plastic waste is removed from ocean-bound collection points in high-risk regions.

Collection is verified and certified by our partner. Certificates are available on request at store@lastobject.com.

Regulatory context

The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019/904) — in force since July 2021 — restricts the sale of ten categories of single-use plastic items, including plastic-stemmed cotton buds. This reflects the growing scientific consensus that single-use plastic products generate disproportionate environmental costs relative to their functional lifetime.

Better Objects products were designed before this legislation came into force. The Directive's restrictions confirm what our LCA findings showed: the impact of single-use personal care plastics is not justified by their useful life.