Zero Waste Cartel
Zero Waste Cartel is a bootstrapped, Ohio-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce curator of plastic-free personal care and household products, serving eco-conscious consumers in the US and Australia with 150+ SKUs across its own Humby Organics sub-brand and partner brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersOhio, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Zero Waste Cartel does
Zero Waste Cartel is a US-based, founder-controlled direct-to-consumer e-commerce business that curates and sells environmentally friendly, plastic-free personal care and household products. Founded in 2018 in Ohio with $500 of bootstrap capital and operating with a 6-person team, the company runs a Shopify storefront serving eco-conscious individual consumers primarily in the United States and Australia. Its assortment spans five categories — haircare, kitchen, cleaning, bathroom, and beauty — covering more than 150 hand-selected SKUs with a stated 90+ items in stock at any time and a price range from approximately $5.99 to a $500 ceiling.
The company operates both proprietary and partner-brand products. Its sub-brand, Humby Organics, supplies handmade, SLS-free, USA-made shampoo and conditioner bars, hair and scalp oils, and accessories, with a lifetime guarantee on the bars. It also distributes partner brands including Oh Sheet! (laundry and cleaning sheets), UpCircle Beauty (vegan skincare), Davids (natural toothpaste), No Tox Life (solid dish soaps), and Lil Lunchies (silicone lunchboxes). Supporting tools include the Humby Hair Quiz, a Sustainable Resource Library of paperless eco-living guides, and a subscription login for recurring orders. Free shipping applies to orders over $60 within the US, with a $6.99 flat-rate shipping option otherwise.
Revenue mechanics combine one-time DTC e-commerce purchases, subscription/recurring orders, and a secondary wholesale channel for retail buyers. Marketing is concentrated in organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email/newsletter, and content marketing via the resource library and quiz. The company funds a tree-planting mission on the customer side (over 70,000 trees planted in the US and Australia), which functions as both a marketing hook and a community engagement lever. The firm remains privately held, with no disclosed venture or institutional funding, no enterprise customers, and no foreign incorporation or operational presence beyond the two named markets.
Zero Waste Cartel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zero Waste Cartel
- Legal name
- Zero Waste Cartel
- Website
- https://zerowastecartel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Zero Waste Cartel is a bootstrapped, Ohio-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce curator of plastic-free personal care and household products, serving eco-conscious consumers in the US and Australia with 150+ SKUs across its own Humby Organics sub-brand and partner brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zero Waste Cartel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Personal Care and Household Goods
- akta.pro primary industry
- Eco-Friendly Household & Zero-Waste Refill Stores (CRAHAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Natural/Eco All-Purpose Cleaners (CRAJAMAM)
Keywords
Where Zero Waste Cartel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ohio
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zero Waste Cartel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- E-commerce Product Sales: Direct online sales of curated zero waste products including shampoo bars, cleaning products, kitchen items, and bathroom essentials. Products are sold as one-time purchases and through subscription.
- Wholesale: Wholesale enquiries welcome for retailers interested in carrying Zero Waste Cartel products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single products and bundles |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Shipping |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Zero Waste Cartel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zero Waste Cartel operates an online store that curates and sells over 150 zero waste, plastic-free personal care and household products. Its proprietary sub-brand Humby Organics supplies handmade shampoo and conditioner bars plus organic hair and scalp oils, while partner brands extend the assortment across kitchen, cleaning, bathroom, and beauty categories. Every order triggers the planting of a tree, supporting an environmental mission that has contributed to over 70,000 trees planted.
Product overview
Zero Waste Cartel is an e-commerce marketplace and curator of over 100 environmentally friendly, zero waste products. The company operates primarily as an online retailer, offering its own branded products alongside curated third-party brands. Core proprietary offerings include the Humby Organics line of shampoo and conditioner bars and hair/scalp oils, as well as the Oh Sheet! line of plastic-free cleaning products (laundry detergent sheets, toilet cleaning sheets, floor cleaning sheets, wool dryer balls). The product portfolio spans five main categories: Haircare (shampoo/conditioner bars, hair oils, brushes, combs), Kitchen (dish brushes, food storage containers, reusable lids, solid soaps), Cleaning (detergent sheets, dryer balls), Bathroom (toothbrushes, floss, cotton swabs, toothpaste), and Beauty (skincare, serums, creams from partner brand UpCircle Beauty). The company also offers complementary services including a Hair Quiz to help customers select products and a Sustainable Resource Library with eco-living guides.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Humby Organics: A sub-brand offering shampoo and conditioner bars, hair and scalp oils, and hair care accessories. Products are zero waste, handmade in the USA, and include a lifetime guarantee on shampoo bars.
Products and services
- Humby Organics Shampoo & Conditioner Bars Handmade, zero waste shampoo and conditioner bars sold in multiple scent varieties (Purple Rain, Mango Breeze, Blueberry Fields, Peppermint Shine, Vanilla Coconut, Club Lemon, Unscented, Pink Hibiscus, Tea Tree, Orange Crush, Sandalwood Serenity, Lavender Dream). Each bar lasts 75-90 washes, is SLS free, and is backed by a lifetime guarantee. Targeted at individual consumers seeking plastic-free haircare.
- Humby Organics Hair & Scalp Oils Organic hair and scalp oils including Smooth Anti-Frizz Oil and Bloom Organic Hair Growth Oil designed to nourish hair and promote healthy scalp conditions. Targeted at individual consumers seeking natural haircare alternatives.
- Oh Sheet! Cleaning Products Plastic-free, non-toxic cleaning sheets and accessories including laundry detergent sheets, toilet cleaning sheets, floor cleaning sheets, and organic wool dryer balls. Formulated with plant-based ingredients such as coconut oil extract, Indian soapberry, and eucalyptus oil. Targeted at individual consumers seeking travel-friendly, biodegradable household cleaning.
- UpCircle Beauty Products All-natural, vegan, and zero waste beauty products including face moisturizer, coffee and citrus face scrub, organic face serum with coffee oil, body cream, eye cream with hyaluronic acid and coffee, and night cream with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Targeted at individual consumers seeking sustainable skincare.
Quantifiable outcome
- Each order plants a tree to combat deforestation and climate change
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Zero Waste Cartel
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Zero Waste Cartel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Zero Waste Cartel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Humby OrganicscoreHumby Organics is a key brand partner providing shampoo and conditioner bars sold through Zero Waste Cartel. Products include the popular Purple Rain, Mango Breeze, Blueberry Fields bundles. Humby bars are handmade in the USA, SLS Free, and come with a lifetime guarantee.
- Oh Sheet!coreOh Sheet! provides a range of plastic-free cleaning products including laundry detergent sheets, toilet cleaning sheets, and floor cleaning sheets. Products feature plant-based ingredients like coconut oil extract, Indian soapberry, and eucalyptus oil.
- UpCircle BeautyminorUpCircle Beauty provides sustainable beauty products including face moisturizer, body cream, eye cream, and night cream made with natural and vegan ingredients.
- DavidsminorDavids provides premium natural toothpaste sold through Zero Waste Cartel's bathroom collection.
- No Tox LifeminorNo Tox Life provides natural cleaning products including the popular DISH BLOCK solid dish soap.
- Lil LunchiesminorLil Lunchies provides silicone lunchboxes as part of the zero waste kitchen collection.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zero Waste Cartel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Public Goods: Membership-based DTC brand selling household and personal care essentials across broader categories — overlaps in eco-friendly household items but at greater scale.
- Grove Collaborative: Venture-backed, publicly listed DTC and B2B retailer of natural home and personal care essentials — overlapping categories but vastly larger scale and brand recognition.
Others
- No Tox Life: Brand partner of ZWC that also sells direct — a maker of vegan, zero-waste household cleaning and body products including the DISH BLOCK; comparable product portfolio and channel overlap.
Direct peers
- EcoRoots: Small DTC brand specializing in plastic-free personal care and home essentials including shampoo bars, toothpaste, and cleaning products — competes head-to-head in zero-waste e-commerce.
- By Humankind: Direct-to-consumer personal care brand focused on refillable, low-waste essentials (deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo) — overlapping customer base and product categories with ZWC.
- EarthHero: B-Corp certified online marketplace for sustainable everyday essentials spanning household, personal care, and cleaning — operates a very similar curated eco-DTC model.
- Package Free Shop: Online zero-waste retailer offering curated plastic-free alternatives across personal care, kitchen, and household categories — directly comparable DTC model and product mix to Zero Waste Cartel.
- Plaine Products: Refillable personal care DTC brand offering shampoo, conditioner, and body wash — competes for the same eco-conscious personal care shopper as ZWC's Humby Organics line.
Emerging players
- Cleancult: Emerging DTC brand focused on plastic-free cleaning and laundry products including detergent sheets and refill systems — direct overlap with ZWC's Oh Sheet! cleaning line.
- Wellnesse: DTC natural personal care brand offering toothpaste, shampoo, and skincare with sustainability positioning — competes for the eco-conscious consumer wallet.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Zero Waste Cartel social profiles
Digital presenceZero Waste Cartel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zero Waste Cartel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Zero Waste Cartel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zero Waste Cartel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zero Waste Cartel
What does Zero Waste Cartel do?
Zero Waste Cartel operates an online store that curates and sells over 150 zero waste, plastic-free personal care and household products. Its proprietary sub-brand Humby Organics supplies handmade shampoo and conditioner bars plus organic hair and scalp oils, while partner brands extend the assortment across kitchen, cleaning, bathroom, and beauty categories. Every order triggers the planting of a tree, supporting an environmental mission that has contributed to over 70,000 trees planted.
Is Zero Waste Cartel a public or private company?
Zero Waste Cartel is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Zero Waste Cartel founded?
Zero Waste Cartel was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Zero Waste Cartel based?
Zero Waste Cartel is headquartered in Ohio, United States, in the North America region.
How does Zero Waste Cartel make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. E-commerce Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale.
Who are Zero Waste Cartel's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Public Goods and Grove Collaborative. No Tox Life is listed as an others. Direct peers are EcoRoots, By Humankind, EarthHero, Package Free Shop and Plaine Products. Emerging players are Cleancult and Wellnesse.
Does Zero Waste Cartel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zero Waste Cartel.
What industry is Zero Waste Cartel in?
Zero Waste Cartel's product category is Sustainable Personal Care and Household Goods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAEAG, Eco-Friendly Household & Zero-Waste Refill Stores, with a secondary code of CRAJAMAM, Natural/Eco All-Purpose Cleaners.