sustainable packaging

When it comes to our packaging, we don’t leave any stones unturned.  We are convinced that manufacturing and distributing the most awesome skincare products on the planet must be done with the planet’s well being in mind.  Below is the cool skinny on our packaging:

OPTIMAL PRODUCT PORTIONS.  We are keenly aware of and concerned about the impact of the distribution of our products on the environment. That’s why we are appalled by the absurdly small portions of some products on the market, particularly among the so-called luxury brands. We don’t consider small bottle sizes as an indication for providing high quality, efficacious, and green products. To the contrary, we believe that we must do what we can to make our products in the most economically viable, environmentally responsible, and, therefore, readily available to as many consumers as possible.  As such, we have maximized bottle sizes to the extent possible while protecting the integrity and quality of our products.  Larger portions mean lower costs, less shipping, and, ultimately, better value.  What’s there not to like?

Earth Friendly 100% Recycled (90% post-consumer) Kraft paper envelopes. Extensive research, analysis, and innovation has enabled us to realize significant reductions in volume, weight, and packing material for smaller orders within the US. While we continue to use cardboard boxes for international, larger orders, and customer requests, the majority of our packages are now sent in 100% recycled (90% post-consumer) Kraft paper envelopes. Surely, Mother Earth prefers this smaller, lighter, and friendlier shipping option.

Yet another proof that when it comes to the carbon footprint of our business, we mind every cubic foot, every square inch, and every pound to assure our customers that their purchases have as little impact on the environment as humanly possible. Building the global skincare brand of What’s there not to like? is what fuels our innovation engines each day.

INNER PACKAGING (aka, genius of dark blue glass bottles).  It is an indisputable fact that glass is far superior for preserving the integrity of natural products. Below are some of the key advantages of glass over plastic:

Best Protection from Outside Elements.  Glass is far better in shielding the product from the outside elements, particularly oxygen, thereby minimizing product oxidation and chemical breakdown.

No Biochemical Reaction.  As an inert material, glass cannot have a chemical reaction with the product, particularly the essential oils content. The same cannot be said for plastics.

No Packaging Degradation.  Plastics can dissolve into the product and thereby lose their protective properties.  This risk is exacerbated if the plastic bottle is exposed to heat.  But more frightening is putting dissolved plastic on your skin.  Yikes!

No Downcycling. Plastics lose viability during the recycle process and cannot be recycled into the same product.  In contrast, glass can be recycled infinitely without loss of quality.

Rapid Recycling. The recycle process for glass is far less sophisticated (just need a kiln) and requires significantly less energy than for plastics. And unlike plastics, glass is 100% recyclable. Perhaps that’s why recycled glass is back on the shelf within a month generally.

No Environmental Harm.  With a less than 10% recycle rate for plastics in the US, most of all plastics in the US end up in landfills, water treatment systems, across the land, or oceans and lakes.  In all of these situations, breakdown of plastics results in environmental pollution and harm to plants and animals as it can take up to 500 years to decompose fully. In stark contrast, glass will have no adverse environmental impact even when disposed of improperly.

Dark Blue. The dark blue color provides the added benefit of blocking light that can accelerate product deterioration.

As it is, a million plastic bottles are sold around the world each minute.  We don’t want to have any part in exacerbating this catastrophic trend.  What’s there not to like?

BOTTLE BUY-BACK.  With sustainability infused deep into our DNA, we don’t stop at using the most readily recyclable material on the planet: glass. We will actually take our bottles back and refill them. Yes, just like the old days of milk bottle re-use, we will sanitize and sterilize each bottle and put it through our production line for re-use. Hard to get any more sustainable than that. For details, please visit our Bottle Buy-back page.

OUTER PACKAGING (cardboard cartons). Ideally we would love to figure out a way to deliver our products without secondary packaging to reduce weight and material. But due to regulatory standards, reseller requests, and product protection, secondary packaging is a must for us at this time. However, we have taken careful steps to ensure absolute minimum material, weight, and volume.  That’s why our boxes are made of recyclable FSC certified paper, printed with No VOC vegetable ink and are free of glitter, plastic coating, or embossing.  What’s there not to like?

BOX SIZE REDUCTION.  If you are a member of our reseller network, you probably have seen our “modified” boxes, where we cut the sides to minimize box volume. A good portion of our shipments are sent to our reseller network, which entail putting multiple smaller boxes into larger boxes that don’t always fill them completely. Therefore, we take the additional step of cutting excess box heights and reducing the box size to the absolute minimum. This practice results in a 20-30% reduction in volume and packing material usage. Less packing material to discard, less volume to occupy shipment space, and lighter packages to transport. Good for us. Good for our shippers. Good for our resellers. Good for the environment.  What’s there not to like? 

Frankly packaging says a lot about the authenticity of a brand. It is our belief that skincare products that come in small portions, plastic containers, or with excessively fancy packaging indicate that the manufacturer is more interested in distracting the shopper than making a quality product, caring for the planet, or creating real value.