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Article: Sustainable Packaging That Doesn't Cost The Earth

Sustainability

Sustainable Packaging That Doesn't Cost The Earth

All our ingredients are sustainable, with 95% of them coming from certified organic farms. Our organic factory is run on rainwater and we are on our way to 100% renewable energy power. We recycle all we can and sustainability informs all of our purchasing and sourcing decisions.

Packaging has been the greatest area of challenge in terms of sustainability. As a small company with low buying volumes, we are subject to what is available off the shelf. Unfortunately, this means we find ourselves in a space still a long way from our ultimate sustainability goals.

Regardless we have persevered and found ways to reduce our footprint and take responsibility for not creating more plastic products which can end up in our oceans and ensure what is created is recycled.

Eco-lux Packaging
We believe true luxury is a healthy body and healthy environment and hope you do too. As such we are committed to offering eco-lux rather than traditional luxury looking packaging. This commitment means we do not use the very attractive and luxurious looking Acrylic containers used by many high-end cosmetic companies. As well as being made from virgin petrochemical plastics, Acrylic and other commonly used cosmetic plastics leak toxic chemicals and are not able to be recycled.

When understanding that... what was attractive, suddenly is not so much anymore... Instead, we choose to package our skincare and aromatherapy with the integrity of ingredient preservation and sustainability at the forefront of our decision-making process.

What we do now

  1. We use pre-recycled materials whenever possible and recyclable materials always. We use glass instead of plastic (even pre-recycled or bioresin plastics) whenever possible.
  2. The caps, pumps, sprays that are matched with the glass, contain only recycled materials and we are in the process of working with suppliers to create these parts from bio-resins and possibly even hemp. As our scale increases, we will be able to fund research and development in these areas and custom make these parts from sustainable packaging sources. In the meantime, we can reduce the usage of even these parts with your help and are committed to ensuring these parts get recycled (see our Terracycle program).
  3. We purchase our packaging from Carbon Neutral Fair Trade Factories also committed to adopting sustainability measures and ethical working environments.
  4. We use post-consumer recycled PET (called PCR) or bioresin bottles for our bulk sized bottles too large for a glass to be an option and for our airless packs. Airless packs for our sensitive formulas mean we don't need to use petroleum-based preservatives in the skincare and can deliver products of optimum freshness to your skin. And be using PCR PET we ensure that no toxic chemicals leach into the ingredients and no more virgin plastic is being produced for the delivery of our products to you. Plus, we are giving an economic incentive by using PCR, to encourage recycling... Which means fewer plastics in our oceans.
  5. We use oxy-biodegradable paper pouches for our dry products. Behind the scenes for our bulk professional product delivery, we use recyclable pouches to eliminate the need for plastic buckets.
  6. We use biodegradable paper jars and tubes for our balms and masks.
  7. We use recycled paper and vegetable inks for our printing and boxes.
  8. We offer bulk refill sizes on many of our products.


How you can help

  • Always recycle your products in the appropriate recycling container when finished. You can send all your empty products at no postal cost to be fully recycled using the Terracycle program. You will also gain credits each time you do, and choose which charity or school a donation will be made to on your behalf.
  • Switch to Synthesis Organic products wherever possible and tell all your friends and family about our sustainability ethos so they too can make a difference through their purchasing power. The greater our production volume, the more we can support further innovation in this area which we hope will ripple out to other companies too.
  • Purchase our refill packs to reduce outer packaging needs. You can purchase the beautiful glass jar that looks so lovely in your bathroom just once for your bath salts and scrubs and top it up with the refill as needed. You'll save $ too :
  • Re-use pumps and sprays (the only area impossible to eliminate plastic from at this stage) by disinfecting them with our Certified Organic Alcohol Disinfectant
  • Upcycle our glass bottles - keep them for vases or travel bottles - see Instagram upcycle for ideas.


Watch out for Greenwashing
Some products appear to be more eco-conscious because they have bamboo or wood finishing, or are made to look more natural in some way. Unfortunately, the lovely looking bamboo packaging is lined with petroleum-based plastics and the combination of the two materials together make them harder to impossible to recycle.

Check the bottom of the bottle to ensure the product is recyclable and which type of recycling area they need to be disposed of. If it isn't clear contact the company to find out how to recycle the products.

Remember, each one of us makes a difference... and like the butterfly effect, even a small change can have a big impact.

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