Refill Store That Helps Customers Ditch Plastic to Host Market Sunday

Chic products will tempt you into upping your Mother-Nature game

Carolyn Wayland is the owner of People & Planet Refill.

Story and Photos by Sequoia Rudolph

Published in Nob Hill News on 4/9/2025

Walk into People & Planet Refill and you’ll immediately notice a large bank of windows facing Silver Avenue allowing the natural sunlight to illuminate the space inside. Carolyn Wayland, the owner, hasn’t unlocked the door yet, but a customer peers in through the window. Wayland tells him that they’ll be opening soon. “I only need one thing and I work for the rest of the day,” he explains. Wayland welcomes him inside and he walks to a shelf stocked with natural bristle brushes, makes his choice and thanks her profusely.

You won’t find this level of service in a typical big box store.

The shop, which helps its customers reduce their dependence on plastics by offering eco-friendly products in bulk and other Mother-Nature approved supplies, upgraded to their new, larger space on Silver between Wellesley and Bryn Mawr in January 2024. Their original storefront, which opened in April 2022, was located a couple of doors down.

Wayland recalls, “It was very small! But starting small turned out to be the way to go, financially it got us off to a solid start.”

Now People & Planet Refill supplies a loyal cohort of shoppers with household and personal care products. From bulk lotion, sunscreen, laundry soap, shampoo and conditioner, the store has a wide array of bins and barrels to fill your used plastic containers.

There are even some things you wouldn’t expect, such as reusable menstrual cups, tubeless toothpaste and biodegradable containers for deodorant. Store shelves also display colorful and attractive gift and self-care items such as nail polish, face serum and handmade soaps. Wayland welcomes New Mexico-made items when possible.

Wayland gives a tour of shelves stacked with ecological products for everyday use.

It’s not just the bottles getting refilled, either. Wayland says that conversations with customers refill her joy of the work each day. She loves answering questions about the variety of choices available. “I feel lucky to live in Albuquerque, and I have a big vision of building a community of like-minded folks interested in environmental education. Every little bit collectively impacts everyone,” she says.

The store’s origin began when Wayland made a New Year’s resolution to reduce plastic waste in 2016 and quickly discovered how challenging that was. But it wasn’t until she read an online story about the benefits of refilling containers that she connected the dots and thought about going into business for herself.

“I filed that information away for the future, when we settled down,” she says. “Other countries have refill opportunities available and now they are popping up all over.”

She and her husband, Jeff, moved to Albuquerque in April 2020 from New Orleans and immediately fell in love with Nob Hill and its many perks, including its walkability, bike friendliness and the local shopping scene.

“Nob Hill has a neighborly vibe. I knew I wanted to open my business here.”

Wayland says that sourcing products to feature in her store has been one of her main challenges. For instance, a popular brand suddenly declined to sell wholesale without explanation. This unexpected setback required her to do extensive research to locate the best replacement products and negotiate pricing for her customers.

“Some items do cost more,” says Stephanie Smith, a store regular, “but depending on what I buy, I find that prices even out, and there is a lighter environmental footprint which has value.”

And a lighter footprint it is indeed. According to Wayland, in 2024 the shop’s customers avoided using a total of 12,635 new plastic containers by refilling at the store.

People & Planet Refill is celebrating their third anniversary with their popular ‘Mindful Market’ in front of the store this Sunday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Expect like-minded vendors, music, educational materials and a clothing swap.

There will also be a Nob Hill urban foraging walk that you can RSVP for here.

To become part of the plastic pollution solution, bring your used containers with you for refill when you visit the shop. There are also used containers available for customers, and a few specialty containers to purchase for reuse.