Are Joy Razors Eco-Friendly? 11 Important Facts You Should Know

Joy razors have become quite the popular razor brand within the few years that they’ve been around thanks to their fun colors and the quality of shave that they provide.

Plus, the traditional Joy razors have blades that can be changed out. That way, you don’t have to throw the whole razor away when the blade becomes dull.

But despite this: are Joy razors really eco-friendly, especially when compared to other razor brands?

Joy razors are more eco-friendly than disposable razors, but they are still made from materials that aren’t eco-friendly.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look into the eco-friendliness of Joy razors and how they stack up based on aspects such as sustainability, recyclability, and more.

Contents

1. Are Joy Razors Eco-Friendly?

2. Are Joy Razors Sustainable?

3. Are Joy Razors Biodegradable?

4. Are Joy Razors Recyclable?

5. Are Joy Razors Vegan?

6. Is Joy Shave Cruelty-Free?

7. Are Joy Razors Reusable?

8. How Long Do Joy Razors Last?

9. Are Joy Razors Nickel-Free?

10. Is There Any Difference Between Joy Razors & Other Cartridge Razors?

11. What Are Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Joy Razors?

Conclusion

1. Are Joy Razors Eco-Friendly?

Before we get into whether or not Joy razors are eco-friendly, it’s worth noting that there are two types of Joy razors.

The Joy cartridge razors are designed for the blade to be changed out on them when it becomes dull. That way, you can use one handle for as long as possible.

But, Joy also sells disposable razors in which you just throw the whole razor away when the blade becomes dull.

With that being said, the cartridge razors are more eco-friendly than Joy disposable razors.

Not only are disposable razors made primarily out of plastic, but throwing one away after a few uses contributes to an already staggering number of plastic waste that ends up in landfills – if it even makes it that far.

The most current data suggests that 27 million tons of plastic ended up in landfills just in one year in the United States.

Even though the handles of the original Joy razors are still made out of plastic, the amount of plastic waste is reduced since you only have to throw the blade away when it becomes dull and not the whole razor.

In either case, however, the razors are still made primarily from plastic, except for the blades which are made from a metal known as carbide steel and a silicone coating on the handle.

Plastics are not eco-friendly since they are made out of crude oil that undergoes heavy manufacturing processes.

The collection of crude oil and the making of the plastic itself contributes to both air and water pollution through oil spills and greenhouse gas emissions.

Combine that with the fact that there are millions of tons of plastic going into landfills each year, and you can see why Joy razors are not the most eco-friendly option.

2. Are Joy Razors Sustainable?

Again, the Joy cartridge razors with replaceable blades are more sustainable than Joy disposable razors.

However, neither one is the most sustainable since they are made from crude oil.

Crude oil is a non-renewable resource that has a plethora of uses in addition to making plastic products, including but not limited to:

Fuel
Waxes
Asphalt
Lubricating oils
Cosmetics and beauty products

Considering all the uses of crude oil and the fact that it is non-renewable, supplies of it will eventually run out.

Plus, all the negative environmental impacts that are a result of collecting and refining crude oil make crude oil unsustainable as well since collecting it can cause deforestation and habitat loss due to potential oil spills and oil pipelines being built.

3. Are Joy Razors Biodegradable?

Joy razors are not biodegradable as most types of plastic cannot be broken down by natural means.

With that being said, most plastics are degradable, but it’s important to note that being degradable and biodegradable are two different things.

Being degradable just means that something is capable of being broken down, but biodegradable means that the material will degrade 100% and return to the environment.

When plastics – and in this case, Joy razors – degrade, they are broken down into tinier plastic pieces known as microplastics and never degrade 100%.

Microplastics stay behind in the soil and water and pollute it or can be consumed by humans and animals in one way or another.

This can negatively affect the health of humans and animals and can even kill animals in some cases, particularly marine life.

Besides plastic, the steel and silicone used to make Joy razors are not biodegradable either.

They will degrade over time, and although they aren’t as harmful to the environment as plastics, they can still leave behind smaller pieces that can contaminate resources and harm wildlife.

4. Are Joy Razors Recyclable?

Even though Joy razors aren’t the most eco-friendly, both the disposable and original versions of Joy razors are recyclable.

Plastic, silicone, and steel are also recyclable materials. However, because they are all combined in such a way to make razors, they can’t be recycled through curbside and municipal recycling programs since the materials would have to be separated.

Separating products into their recyclable components can be an expensive and time-consuming process, so many smaller recycling operations won’t accept razors or other materials that have to be separated.

Instead, Joy razors can be recycled through Terracycle, a company that specializes in accepting post-consumer products that are made from recyclable materials that aren’t accepted elsewhere.

To recycle Joy razors through Terracycle, you just sign up on their website. Depending on where you live, they will either provide specific locations where you can drop off your razors or send you a box to put them in.

They pick up the materials from the drop-off location or you mail them back the box and they take care of the rest.

5. Are Joy Razors Vegan?

Joy razors are likely not vegan. This is because they are made by the Gillette company, and Gillette does not claim any of their products to be vegan.

In fact, the Gillette website states that there are animal products used in the manufacturing of their product bottles as well as the molding of the razor handle.

6. Is Joy Shave Cruelty-Free?

Joy razors are also likely not cruelty-free. Again, they are made by Gillette and according to PETA, Gillette tests at least some of their products on animals.

The Gillette website also states that they are not currently cruelty-free certified, so it’s safe to assume that Joy razors are not cruelty-free.

7. Are Joy Razors Reusable?

All razors, including disposable ones, are reusable up to a certain extent. But as far as Joy razors are concerned, the cartridge razors are more reusable than disposable razors.

You can buy replacement blades for the original Joy razors. When the blade becomes dull, you can replace it with another and keep the same handle.

When the blade on the disposable razors becomes dull, you’ll have to throw the whole thing away.

So again, if you want to be more eco-friendly in terms of reusability, then the original Joy razors are the better choice.

8. How Long Do Joy Razors Last?

It is recommended that the blade on Joy razors be changed every other week if you shave a few times per week.

If you shave less frequently than that, then Joy recommends changing the blade when the shave no longer feels comfortable.

But, even though it is recommended that the blade be changed every other week, the handle can last indefinitely.

That’s why Joy cartridge razors with replaceable blades are the more eco-friendly option than using a completely new disposable razor every other week.

9. Are Joy Razors Nickel-Free?

The makers of Joy, Gillette, state that the stainless steel used in their razors contains slight traces of nickel but that the exposure to nickel from using their razors is essentially zero.

They don’t state exactly how much nickel is a “slight trace”, so if you know you have a nickel allergy, it may be best to avoid using Joy just in case.

10. Is There Any Difference Between Joy Razors & Other Cartridge Razors?

As far as what they are made of, there is very little difference between Joy and other cartridge razors. Joy is neither more or less eco-friendly than other cartridge razors.

However, Joy does have silicone surrounding the handle which makes it more comfortable to grip. Other cartridge razors have handles that are typically just made of plastic.

Joy handles aren’t the most ergonomically shaped, as the handles are straight instead of curved like other razors. And, the head of the razor itself is smaller than other cartridge razors as well.

11. What Are Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Joy Razors?

If you want a razor that is not disposable and is made from more eco-friendly materials other than plastic, such as steel or bamboo, then check out our article about eco-friendly razors.

The article will also provide several eco-friendly razor brands for you to choose from.

Conclusion

Joy cartridge razors are more eco-friendly than disposable razors, but they are not eco-friendly as far as what they are made of.

Although the replaceable blades help contribute to less plastic waste, and the razor as a whole is recyclable, Joy cartridge razors are still made of plastic, which is neither sustainable nor biodegradable.

Plus, Joy razors are not vegan or cruelty-free.

If you want to be more eco-friendly but you don’t want to give up shaving altogether, then consider a razor that has both replaceable blades and is made of more eco-friendly materials (like some of the razors mentioned here).