Our Story

The Alternative is a refillery and zero waste market in Regina, Saskatchewan created to inspire a different way of living, a little greener, a little more mindful, and a whole lot more local.

We’re here to help you take steps toward a more sustainable lifestyle in a way that actually feels doable. Whether you’re refilling your favourite products, swapping in a few zero waste alternatives, or discovering locally handmade goods you didn’t know you needed, we believe small changes add up. We’re definitely not experts (you might even teach us a thing or two!), but we truly believe that if everyone changed just one or two habits, the effect would be pretty incredible.

The idea for The Alternative began while I (Karlee) was on maternity leave. I was searching for high-quality, natural products I felt confident using in my home and eventually on my babies and I quickly realized they were hard to find locally. Whenever I traveled, I’d stumble across the cutest little shops filled with the kinds of products I wished we had here. After the hundredth “Why don’t we have this in Regina?!” moment, it clicked… maybe I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. And just like that, The Alternative was born.

We proudly source all of our products from within Canada, with many of our handmade goods coming from vendors right here in Saskatchewan. Supporting local has always been close to my heart, and every purchase you make helps keep that momentum going.

We truly can’t wait to meet you, chat sustainability, and cheer you on in your journey wherever you’re starting from.

On the right is me, Karlee owner and your eco-friendly cheerleader.
On the left is our full-time fillin’ superstar Angie (also known as my Mom).

Welcome to The Alternative. Let’s do this, one refill at a time!