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In recent months, I have become more intentional about curating my living space into something I’m proud of. Since January 2022, I’ve moved three separate times, and while I’m grateful for the ability to experience various geographic locations, having a home that truly feels like my own is an intention that I’ve set for the new year. In an effort to work towards this goal, I’ve reorganized and revamped my space more times than I can count.
I had been so proud of myself for all of the steps that I was taking toward a more organized home that I initially forgot about an area that I use regularly: my bathroom’s medicine cabinet. To give you an idea of what it looked like inside, picture Monica Geller’s “secret closet” that was opened in a later season of Friends to reveal an eclectic collection of junk. Considering this space typically doesn’t get eyes other than my own, it had become a wasteland of old prescriptions, expired medications, and overall clutter. So, when Cabinet Health offered the opportunity for a full medicine cabinet makeover, I jumped on it.
Smart Designs For Sleek Spaces
When I received my personalized bundle from Cabinet, the first thing that I noticed was how beautiful the containers are – the brand’s mission to eliminate single-use plastic from medicine shines through its thoughtful frosted glass bottle design. Each child-resistant lid is classified by a unique color that distinguishes whether the OTC medication within is intended for pain relief, sleep aid, allergy relief, digestive health, or cold & flu solace. The stackable features of Cabinet’s shatter-tested containers offer organization to your shelves, and the token “squircle” shape (a square crossed with a circle) maximizes functionality.
Online Pharmacy Supremacy
In addition to refillable bottles, I was greatly impressed by the medication refill packets included in my starter kit. Far too often, brands that offer refill services are difficult for me to get behind because of how much wasteful plastic packaging is included with every restock. Cabinet’s refill pouches, which range from $8 to $12 per pack, are 100% compostable, and the magnetic information label included with each medication starter pouch is made from 100% recyclable materials, helping to close the loop in creating a plastic-free life cycle.
Each of these magnetic information labels can be overturned to reveal a QR code that offers extended drug facts and leads to each medication’s refill purchase page. Customers are invited to purchase refills on an as-needed basis depending on the rate at which they go through their medicine, seasonal ailments, and more. The QR code can also connect consumers to a member of Cabinet’s healthcare team who can assist with any questions related to the products.
Quality Over Everything
All of Cabinet’s medicines are produced in world-class manufacturing facilities that have the highest standards for safety and ethics. This is in part due to the fact that co-founder Achal Patel is a third-generation pharmaceutical entrepreneur and healthcare strategist; he knew what quality standards to look for when seeking out manufacturers as this business is truly in his blood.
Given this generational knowledge, Cabinet set out to create high-quality medicines that exceed FDA standards by combining leading science and an integrated supply chain. Following production, the brand works with Valisure to test 100% of its medications in small batches prior to shipping products off to their customers – a practice that goes above and beyond industry norms currently in place in the United States.
Microplastics, Macro Problem
To me, medicine is medicine. It’s something that I buy as needed when I’m facing discomfort or unexpectedly fall ill. Before speaking with Russ Gong, co-founder, and CEO of Cabinet, I didn’t see the greater environmental detriments that accompany over-the-counter drugs. Russ opened my eyes to the startling truth that plastic waste is a huge healthcare problem and one that is fueled in part by disposable waste from prescription refills and disposable pill bottles.
Every single year, 194 billion plastic pharmaceutical bottles are created, and of this massive figure, only 2-5% of them are recycled. This leaves the remaining 95% to end up in landfills, oceans, and more, eventually breaking down into microplastics. I had to nudge myself to pick up my jaw after Russ shared that the average person consumes the equivalent of a credit card of microplastics every week. I’ll be honest, these statistics put me into panic mode, but learning about a tangible step I could take helped to put my mind at ease: for each medication sourced through Cabinet, one pound of plastic waste is reduced annually.
At first, this number seemed small and hardly impactful in the grand scheme of things until Russ put things into perspective via a story from a past professional endeavor. Early in his career, Gong worked in the Virginia state legislature, and a major issue faced during this time was the copious amounts of plastic bags littered throughout the Potomac River in Alexandria, VA. Russ ultimately saw this lead to a tax on every plastic bag provided in the area, which has since been widespread in major US cities. Russ commented that this showed him that “changing consumer behaviors is possible;” the small swaps that we collectively make each day amplify change and charge us towards a brighter future.
I’m Committed To Cabinet
Cabinet’s dedication to sustainability and reshaping the over-the-counter pharmaceutical landscape is displayed through actions that speak much louder than words. By offering tablets, caplets, and softgels that can be compared to major brand names such as Tylenol, Benadryl, Lactaid, and more in an economically conscious manner, consumers are provided with a choice to make the sustainable switch. Going one step further, being able to have these medicines delivered right to my doorstep as needed make’s safe to say I don’t see myself wandering around the isles of my local CVS for the foreseeable future.
5 More Reasons To Love Cabinet:
- Each of Cabinet’s batch-level quality medicines is gluten-free verified, allergen-free verified, and carcinogen-free verified while remaining as effective as other name brands.
- This B-Corp Certified healthcare company was built from three generations of pharmaceutical experience and sustainable product expertise.
- Cabinet’s diverse team boasts 75% BIPOC leadership and 61% women.
- Cabinet is the only known company that conducts independent batch-level testing in addition to all other FDA requirements.
- The smart and delightful design of Cabinet’s packaging is perfect for the “conscious curator” consumer who takes pride in the appearance of their space.
