KAI's Disposable Paper Razor Gives Plastic A Close Shave

To say plastic was transformative to personal care and grooming is an understatement. Disposability revolutionized the bathroom, and nearly every product tucked away in your medicine cabinet or sitting in your shower became encased in plastic, even the items that we once made to get refilled or other materials like metal and paper. 

Shaving is one ritual that was doing just fine with refillable razors that shifted to plastic handles and razor cartridges.

One of the largest plastic disposable razor makers, KAI, recently announced the development of a nearly plastic-free disposable razor. Dubbed the Paper Razor, it gets made from durable cardstock and comes designed to withstand bath conditions while providing a safe shave. The razors ship flat, at a svelte 3.1 mm and just 4 grams, available to the public on April 22, 2021, Earth Day. The razors fold out into a handle and are held together by a small piece of tape.

When they first announced the 98% plastic-free razor, the firm also highlighted some of the non-sustainable features unique to the design. Since it's paper, brands can print different patterns and designs on the handle. They are also better for travelers since they fold flat and are lightweight. Better still, they come with some pretty handy instructions on how to fold and make the razor.

The presale site is live and mostly in Japanese. Hopefully, this is something that will land stateside in the very near future.