Welcome to the Refillery: Your First Trip Made Easy
June 25, 2026
Welcome to the Refillery :)
Your guide to a stress-free, imperfect first trip.
Welcome!
It’s time to take your first trip to the refillery! You’ve collected an abundance of information, advice, and probably enough tote bags to last a lifetime. You are ready. I know it might feel somewhat daunting, but I promise you’re in good hands with our Ethos team.
Just like you shouldn’t go to the grocery store hungry, you shouldn’t go to the refillery with the hope of transforming your whole life in one single trip. Enter with curiosity, set a few gentle goals for yourself, and let go of the expectations that might be overwhelming you right now.
Let's go! First, you can enter the world of Ethos in a few different ways. We have three beautiful physical locations in California: Capitola, Los Gatos, and most recently, Los Altos. If these storefronts aren’t accessible to you, fear not! Our online shop is loaded with all the same goodies you’ll need to get started, and yes, we even do refills online!
Our Locations:
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Capitola: 01 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010
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Los Gatos: 59 N. Santa Cruz Ave, Suite H, Los Gatos, CA 95030
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Los Altos: 300 State Street, Los Altos, CA 94022
Finding the Ground
Once you’ve entered the shop, I guarantee you’ll let out a massive sigh of relief. It’s just a bunch of everyday people who share a common goal and interest with you. Oh, and smell that? Yeah, that’s exactly what low-waste living smells like.
One of the many pros you’ll experience at Ethos is that true small business hospitality. Our team is right there to help, educate, and ensure you feel completely supported in whatever brought you through our doors. If you need assistance in the refillery, or you're trying to figure out what the heck a conditioner bar is, or which soap practically screams happy birthday, please don’t hesitate to ask. We are more than happy to go on this journey with you. As we talked about in our last post, there is so much community in this!
What Exactly is a Refillery?
A strange word, I know! Essentially, a refillery is a place where you can fill and refill a container with the products we use in everyday life, such as shampoo, dish soap, or bath salts. The goal is simply to reuse that container instead of buying a brand new, usually plastic one that inevitably finds its way to the trash over and over again. We’re breaking the cycle together!
Where do these magic containers come from? It turns out there are a few correct answers:
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Bring your own: You can bring in old shampoo bottles, food containers, mason jars, or whatever you have on hand. Just give them a good rinse and make sure they have a tight lid for liquids.
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Buy a fresh one: We keep new mason jars, bottles, and bags in stock! Our mason jars have a small deposit of $3, and you can either bring them back to refill next time or return them to get your $3 back.
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The community bin: There’s a special section of free, pre-loved containers brought in by your lovely neighbors that you can take and use completely free of charge. Have extra containers gathering dust at home? You can bring them in and donate them to the bin too!
When you are ready to shop the bulk taps, our team will show you the way. The system might seem tricky at first glance, but we promise you’ll pick it up quickly. It is entirely pay-by-weight, so we will tare your container first and then you can fill it as much or as little as you like. Your total is calculated purely per ounce, and pricing is clearly listed on each individual bulk jug.
Walking the Tightrope
Outside of the bulk refillery section, you’ll find products that might seem a bit strange, and some that might feel oddly familiar. Usually, the store is organized into cozy categories surrounding self-care, cleaning, kitchen, and oral care.
If you find the toothpaste tabs, don’t wander too far! Your very first bamboo toothbrush lives somewhere very close by. Again, please ask us questions. We absolutely love to talk about our products and have formed genuine, honest opinions based on countless personal trials and errors. It’s really okay not to know what bamboo charcoal fiber floss is. But we know, and we've got you covered!
Work in Progress
Free yourself from the idea that you have to change your entire routine overnight. Here are three tiny steps to get the wheels turning for your first visit:
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Take a look around your bathroom or kitchen today. What is one single liquid product that is running low and could be a fun candidate for a refill swap?
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Gather two or three clean jars from your recycling bin at home and place them by your front door so you don't forget them on your way out.
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Commit to entering the shop with an open mind, knowing that asking questions is a huge part of the fun.
You are entirely ready for this. Don’t worry, it’ll be an absolute cake walk. One step at a time. We look forward to seeing you in the shop soon
Showing up imperfectly is still showing up. And that still counts for something.
Yours truly, The Ethos Team
Meet the Author
Hi, I’m Jessica! I worked at Ethos Los Gatos as a shop associate for over a year, and now I’m sharing my newfound knowledge with you right here on the Ethos blog. I’m a passionate artist with a deep love for sustainability and protecting our incredible planet.
