Caring for our Earth will always be at the root of what we do, from using recycled materials to formulating water-less products. So I thought with today being Earth Day, it was the perfect opportunity for our brand to show you how we're committed to "keeping it green" in our small business each and everyday!
When we started making decisions on the presentation and packaging for the Green + Bare skincare range, we really wanted something unique and special but without all unnecessary plastic waste!
I believe as a small business, we’ve managed to find a great balance between presenting a high end product whilst still being conscious of our carbon footprint.
In celebration of Earth Day, here's 8 ways in which we as a small business, are reducing waste or opting for more eco-friendly alternatives where possible.
1. Water-less Formulations
Most companies within the beauty industry are producing products that contain upwards of 75% water, and we’re quickly running out of this precious resource. Just like seeing the bigger picture when it comes to how much plastic we use, we should also be doing the same when it comes to how much water we use.
Since our beginnings we’ve been proponents of anhydrous formulations that use only the best botanical extracts, minerals and clays (without any of the unnecessary crap).
In fact, we're not the first. The water-less beauty trend can be traced back to South Korea, where it caught on mostly because the absence of water was found to INCREASE the potency and stability of skincare products. We believe that it’s important that we be more mindful about how we incorporate water, and the effects it can have on our environment.
Related: Anhydrous Skincare, The Future of Beauty
2. Glass Jars and Bottles
We definitely wanted to avoid using plastic when it came to housing our skincare formulations, so we opted for the gorgeous apothecary style glass bottles and jars. We’re encouraging our customers to reuse their glassware in creative ways once their product has been used. Such as turning them into small table vases, bathroom counter storage, or seedling pots. We’re also looking at a refill solution in the near future where customers can purchase a biobag sachet to refill their glass vessels!
3. Acid Free Tissue Paper
We adore our FSC Certified custom tissue paper from NoIssue that’s sourced from a forest and supply chain that’s managed responsibly and sustainably! Made from cellulose fiber where the active acid pulp is eliminated during processing. It’s also lignin- and sulfur-free, meaning that the ink won’t transfer from the tissue and the paper won’t leave behind any of these chemicals when decomposing.
4. A Humble Cardboard Box
Cardboard is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly material. It’s biodegradable, reusable and, in most cases, made from recycled paper pulp. We’ve chosen plain cardboard boxes to package up larger orders to keep the products safe and sound throughout the shipping process.
5. Water Activated Tape
Printed using soy inks (an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum based inks) our water-activated, tape from NoIssue has plenty of environmentally friendly benefits! Standard gloss and wax tape does not break down in composting conditions, nor is it biodegradable, hence why having water-activated paper tape is a positive for our planet!
6. Composable Mailer Bags
Who wouldn’t get excited with a bright in your face mailer bag showing up at your doorstep! I couldn’t go past the compostable mailer bags from HEROPACK after learning that plastic mailer bags have a big impact on the environment, from filling landfills to harming wildlife.
HEROPACKs compostable mailers are made from mostly plant-based materials such as PLA and a certified compostable material called PBAT (some seriously fancy ways of saying cornstarch and bonding agents). Once composted properly, the HEROPACKs will start to break down and turn into amazing fertiliser for the garden.
7. Honeycomb Kraft Protective Wrap
We’ve ditched the bubble wrap and opted for a more environmentally friendly alternative! Honeycomb Kraft Wrap is recyclable in kerbside recycling bins, making it the perfect sustainable way to protect our glass bottles and jars.
8. Reusing Packaging From Suppliers
The most-eco-friendly packaging option is often to reuse. We give excess packaging that we get from suppliers a second life by reusing it to send out our own wholesale orders. From brown paper filling, to Biodegradable peanuts and cardboard boxes, nothing goes to waste.
We’re always looking for area’s where we can improve our business’s carbon footprint. Join the conversation and let us know how we could make more improvements over on Instagram!
Watch our packaging reel below!