JourneeBox delivers a quarterly lifestyle experience that features designer-produced, sustainably-made fashion, home, body, and culinary goods. The JourneeBox direct-to-consumer business model — meaning they design and produce all of their goods — keeps costs and environmental impact down. This model guarantees subscribers quality, vetted products made from sustainable materials that are ethically made.
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My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About JourneeBox
The Subscription Box: JourneeBox
The Cost: $54.99 per quarter + free US shipping. $49.99 for a pre-paid annual subscription.
The Products: 6+ sustainably-made or fair-trade items with customizable products focusing on accessories, apparel, home and beauty goods.
Ships to: The contiguous United States for free, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii for $8.00.
FYI: JourneeBox is taking a pause on shipping to Canada, but they do have a waitlist here!
Per JourneeBox:
Due to logistics and duty costs, membership is currently closed to new subscriptions needing delivery to Canada. Please join the wait-list and we will let you know when we open delivery to Canada. If you have a US address for delivery, you can subscribe any time.
JourneeBox 'Zero Waste Box' Review
Hello there! Christen here, and I'm so pleased to be starting out on my journey with JourneeBox! I want to apologize for the delay on this review—there were some shipping delays with this quarter's box for all subscribers, but also we worked with the JourneeBox team to replace an item that arrived damaged. They were wonderful!
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I know from following along with Megan's reviews of this box that it's typical for JourneeBox to include a detailed info booklet. This month, in the name of reducing waste, they went digital with their booklet. Subscribers were sent this card with a QR code to scan and access the booklet, though it can also be found online here. While I do love the experience of flipping through a high-quality info book from a lifestyle subscription box, I am all about making small changes in the name of reducing waste, so that's a small "experience" sacrifice I'm totally willing to make.
In this quarter's digital booklet, Kevia highlights additional waste reduction efforts in this box, including using soy-based ink for easier recycling, less additional packaging for the items within the box, and more. While true to the theme of the quarter, these are practices JourneeBox hopes to incorporate as often as possible going forward.
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Nordiska Soap Dispenser
FYI: This was a customizable item! You could choose from three different colors.
How gorgeous is this soap dispenser? It's seemingly small details like this that add up to a really tasteful and inviting space. I love JourneeBox's suggestion of buying a larger jug of hand soap to refill this dispenser with (which is what my family usually does), or making your own. I've never tried making my own but I actually have a lot of the ingredients needed for hand soap, so I may give it a try. I appreciate that the lid is affixed with a rubbery stopper, making it easy to take off for refilling. My only feedback about this dispenser is that it takes either two hands or a bit of one-handed finagling to get the soap out. I think that just comes along with the territory of the lovely-looking wide lid—it's a smidge less functional than the classic pump but so much more attractive. If I had a guest bathroom, this might be something I would place in there since the space would be used less frequently, but I don't, so I'm going to enjoy it in the one bathroom I've got!
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Vietnamese Seagrass Belly Basket
FYI: This was a customizable item! You could choose from two different colors.
I'm so impressed that this woven belly basket was able to travel safely in a subscription box. You can see in the last photo above how it was folded for transport, and once popped up it took its intended shape nicely. It was handwoven in Vietnam from seagrass (which is biodegradable), and ethically sourced for this box.
I think the natural seagrass color, accented with rich blue fringe, is just such an appealing addition to any room. I have a home that's bursting with color, so personality-filled accents in neutral hues are a nice way to balance things out. I put this basket right to work in my daughter's room, holding a collection of random toys that don't categorize well into other storage baskets. It's too small to use as storage for a heap of blankets, but you could probably fit one (or two small/light ones) rolled up in it. It would also be a great way to contain yoga accessories, like a block, strap, and mat spray. This quarter's digital booklet shows it with a plant in it, which looks so beautiful.
Here is a peek at the alternate basket subscribers could have chosen instead of the item above:
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The alternate colorway of the belly basket is a little larger. I can see it being better suited to blanket storage, or beach towel storage in the summertime— but of course you can use it for anything you want!
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Delft Blue Eco-Bag
It took me literally years to form the habit of remembering to bring and use reusable grocery bags, and now I have a couple of years of regular use under my belt. While at first I thought all reusable totes were created equally, I have started to change my mind and form strong opinions over which ones I keep in the regular rotation. This one definitely makes the cut! It's roomy without being too gigantic (and risking getting too heavy), its unbleached organic cotton is sturdy, and it's got two handles that can be carried in the crook of your elbow or slung over your shoulder—all features I've grown to appreciate. The little inner pocket is a nice touch, and the great pattern of veggies and plants is a fun bonus. Best of all, I know it will wash well, which can't be said of all totes.
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Swedish Dishcloths, Set of 3
These dishcloths are an undeniably attractive addition to the kitchen. But I'm excited about them for more than just their good design. They're made from a blend of cotton and cellulose bamboo viscose, and printed with environmentally friendly ink. They arrive feeling stiff, then get soft and spongey when they're wet. They can be used as a dish rag or in place of paper towels for wipe-ups—from my experience, the latter use lends itself to more longevity, because they do absorb all the oils and scents when you use them to scrub up a dinner plate. That said, the last time I had a set, I didn't realize they could be washed! I think mine lasted several weeks rather than several months without washing, so I'm happy to know it's an option. See washing options below.
From JourneeBox:
These dishcloths can be cleaned in the washing machine or in the top rack of the dishwasher. Alternatively, you can boil them or microwave them (when damp) for one minute. Hang over the faucet or lay flat to air dry. The dishcloths should last several months - when finished, you can compost them!
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Wheat Straw Colander
I never in a million years imagined myself saying this about a kitchen implement, but I just find this colander so peaceful. The colors, the shapes, the way the colander itself is gently cradled and able to rock. It's so nice! It's made of wheat straw plastic, which is an eco-friendly alternative to regular plastic. To the touch it feels just the same as regular plastic, but it's biodegradable! I'm so thrilled about the rise of bioplastics and really pleased that JourneeBox included this item in their Zero Waste Box.
To take the sustainability a step further, the bowl attachment of this item is meant to collect "gray water," which is water you wouldn't want to drink but is clean enough to use for watering your plants. It's like the household version of a rain collection barrel. Amazing!
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Cold Press Soap Bar
There's nothing quite like washing with a handmade bar of soap. For hands or in the shower, I just love the look of the soap among my goings about, the natural scents, and knowing that someone made this functional item with love. Subscribers may have received one of four different scents, and I got Thyme Lavender. It's heavenly and exactly what I would've chosen for myself had I been browsing through a market for soap. The ingredients include extra-virgin olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, thyme essential oil, lavender essential oil, and sea salt.
Here's some info about the process, from the digital booklet:
Infused with carefully curated essential oils from India and other natural ingredients, these cold press soap bars are reminders that time and effort are worth the benefits of more sustainable lives. With the cold press saponification process, these bars are made from lye and oils, carefully mixed without heat. The natural chemical reaction takes four to six weeks to set, and the result is amazing craft soap made with wonderful moisturizing and calming essential oils!
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Two-Tone Pedal Earrings
FYI: This was a customizable item! You could choose from this style, or a different teardrop style in either silver or gold.
These earrings feel timeless to me, and the artisan vibe is so alive. I am typically a gold jewelry wearer, but a blend of metals is more than welcome in my collection. Each earring is made up of two metal pieces, which have a smooth cupped shape to them and feel really nice to run your fingers over. I know that's kind of odd to say of earrings, but hey, a soothing item you can wear is never a bad thing.
There is so much good about this jewelry; from JourneeBox:
As a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, Kevia Style jewelry strives for highly ethical and sustainable means. We follow the principals of the Fair Trade Federation and awareness of impact. Our jewelry is hand-made from recycled metals, using sustainable methods such as vegan carving wax, conflict free gems, and locally sourced materials.
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Two-Tone Pedal Necklace
FYI: This is an annual subscriber bonus gift. It was also customizable. You could choose from this style, or a different teardrop style in either silver or gold.
I chose the matching pendant necklace and it's just as lovely. It's a bit shorter than I was expecting—its adjustable chain ranges from chest-length at its longest to nearly choker-length at its shortest.
Here are the two pieces together. I am more of a mix-and-matcher so would probably never wear them together, but they're a great balance of unique and understated for those who like to style coordinating jewelry.
Verdict: JourneeBox is one of the most thoughtful subscription boxes I've encountered, and the Zero Waste theme felt like such a success to me. This spread felt like exactly what I want from a lifestyle box: a mix of items I can use to decorate my home (and they're so my style!), to wear, to incorporate into my day-to-day, and to use up. All selected and sourced with care. Just a splendid experience!
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? Yes, but it will likely sell out soon.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $54.99 + free shipping, which means that each of the 8 items in the box has an average cost of $6.87. I included the annual item in this calculation.
Check out our other JourneeBox reviews and our list of the best subscription boxes for women!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of the Zero Waste JourneeBox?
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