Zero-waste, ethical shopping at FROM NOW ON… at Jiyugaoka

Tokyo’s Jiyugaoka is a very comfortable area for shopping. Imagine a toned-down back streets of Shibuya, where you can enjoy visiting the range of stores along the slopes without the often overwhelming crowd. And for the sustainability soul inside of us, “FROM NOW ON…” is an ethical, zero-waste store we’d want to include on our shopping list.

We visited FROM NOW ON… after hearing about its commitment to be plastic-free. However, the pleasant aroma that filled us as we entered the store revealed that the store has much more to offer. Though modest in size, every corner of the store has something unique to offer.

Being plastic-free, many products in FROM NOW ON… are sold by weight. Customers are recommended to bring their own containers. But don’t worry if you didn’t bring one. FROM NOW ON… offers glass containers that you can use for purchases, and gives you points when you take them back to the store.

The most popular item with FROM NOW ON… customers is the hand-made soaps, where you can take your time going through the variety to find your favorite scent. The soaps are made from vegetable oils. Each has its own benefits, like Goat Milk for atopic or troubled skin.

The current trending item is the Palo Santo scented wood, which is beneficial for calming your well-being. White sage is also available as an alternative for those interested.

Tea lovers must check out the range of tea FROM NOW ON…, too, as you pick and choose your favorites. Of course, you can buy the amount you need, but the store also sells them in glass bottles for you to try. Flavors include “Herbal flowers ＆ Rooibos” and “Rose Earl Grey.” Don’t forget to pick up the reusable cotton tea bags. Customizing the amount of tea leaves to use with these tea bags alleviates the stress during tea preparation.

You’ll see that FROM NOW ON… offers shopping options in sync with its core as an ethical shopping destination. In the store, you’ll also see that FROM NOW ON… offers ladies’ used clothes that are handpicked and stylish, which separates itself from other reusable clothes outlets. The store also sells natural detergent for your washing needs (also sold by weight), and it has recently started to sell local produce on weekends. Interested in candles? In-house scented candles are also available!

There is meaning behind the name FROM NOW ON…, specially picked by the owner, Sasaki Etsuko. In our busy daily lives to create a future, she wants us to ground our feet, look at our present, and reassess the kind of future we want. And FROM NOW ON… is a shop that connects customers to items that they’d want to incorporate into their lifestyle, through a selection of natural products. We also see this in the purposeful question for us below the store name, “What do you do?”

If you find yourself in the Meguro/Jiyugaoka area in Tokyo, consider dropping by FROM NOW ON… with you reusable containers. FROM NOW ON… also has an online store here, where you can also see the range of used clothing and accessories available.