In the ever-evolving world of natural and organic skincare, sustainability has become a defining factor for many conscious consumers. From the ingredients used in products, to the packaging they come in, every choice we make has an impact on our planet. But what exactly does it mean to be sustainable in the beauty world? and what are brands, like ourselves, doing to ensure our businesses align with the ethos of sustainability? We can only speak for ourselves when we say that our business not only delivers effective natural skincare products, but our eco-conscious packaging sits perfectly nestled in the arms sustainable beauty.
The Rise of Sustainable Skincare
Before going into the specifics of our own eco-credentials, let's first understand why sustainability within the skincare and beauty industry matters. Traditionally, skincare products have often come packaged in single-use plastics or non-recyclable materials, contributing to pollution and environmental degradation. As consumers become more conscious of these issues, there's a growing demand for brands, like ourselves, to adopt sustainable practices.
Any step towards sustainability is the right direction in preventing more waste from heading to landfill. As a small, independent business that cares about our planet, we feel very passionate about ensuring every move we make is as sustainable as possible.
What is Sustainable Beauty?
Simply put, the sustainable beauty industry focuses on products that are good for the planet and consumer health. They’re sustainable because the ingredients used are safe and non-toxic, and they do not include overexploited resources. Over-exploitation of natural resources and unsustainable farming practices can damage ecosystems and livelihoods. Brands and manufacturers should use eco-friendly packaging, and make the products in factories that ensure fair worker treatment.
Unfortunately, there are no official definitions for sustainable beauty because the term factors in everything from ingredients and manufacturing processes to packaging and social responsibility.
Skincare and beauty brands that champion sustainable beauty are also expected to incorporate their environmental impact into larger business considerations like when they scale up for example. By being transparent and clear about sustainable commitments, brands will then hopefully enable consumers to make their own conscious choices too.
Why is sustainability within the industry necessary?
Well, the beauty and skincare industry currently produces at least 120 billion, yes billion, pieces of packaging each year. Yup, you read that right and guess what else, on average, only 14% of that cosmetic waste reaches recycling centers, then only 9% is actually recycled and the rest heads directly to landfill. Most of this is single use plastic packaging which can take up to 450 years to breakdown in landfill.
Sustainable Beauty Brand, Wild Rising Skincare
As a natural and organic skincare brand, our ethos is to always put sustainability first in every aspect of our business. From the very beginning we have been committed to creating natural skincare products that are not only effective on the skin, but also gentle on the planet. Our range of natural and organic products are formulated with carefully selected ingredients from other sustainable businesses, and free from harmful chemicals and toxins - which in turn can also be dangerous to you and the planet.
Tip for you: just because a brand says their products are natural, we would always recommend doing some digging yourselves. The word ' natural' can often sadly be misused, so be sure to check your labels and take note of the order of ingredients within the product, as this can sometimes be an 'clincher' of how wholesome a product is or isn't.
Plastic-Free Packaging and Skincare Refills
We are always looking to grow and improve with our sustainable practices, so in early 2023 we were thrilled to announce our plastic-free refill options. This sustainable improvement not only prevents single use plastic from being put into landfill, but also helps to promote a sustainable approach to our customers, we aim to lead the charge in transforming the beauty industry into a more eco-conscious sector.
Our natural face oils, coconut body oils and organic rose water toners are now all refillable. Simply order your plastic-free refill, reuse your pump or pipette from your old bottle and recycle your old glass bottle and the aluminium lid from the refill bottle with your recycling collections.
You can read more on our plastic-free refills here.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
We may have played around with different ways to pack our orders over time, but what hasn't changed is our commitment to ensuring all our packaging has zero impact on the planet.
We have always recognised the great impact of traditional plastic or other non-recyclable packaging materials, but as a sustainable skincare brand we have gone the extra mile to ensure that every package is not only beautiful, but also eco-friendly too.
For starters, our postal boxes are made from recycled cardboard, and the white and pink packing peanuts are 100% biodegradable. These beauties offer a great alternative to polystyrene foam, they are made from renewable materials such as cornstarch, which of course is 100% compostable. These eco-friendly packing peanuts can be re-used, recycled via composting, or simply dissolved in water!
Fun Things to do with Biodegradable Packing Peanuts
- Grab a bowl of water and let your children dissolve them to mush.
- Make a sculpture! Moisten the packing peanuts a little with a damp cloth and mold together to create your own masterpiece.
- Make a boat, or at least something that'll float on water. Then take your boat to a stream, river or pond and see how long, or how far it'll float before it dissolves. Wild Rising Skincares founder Danielle Cooke, loves doing this with her children.
The Sustainable Unboxing Experience
In addition to our commitment to sustainability, we also understand the importance of the unboxing experience. From handwritten personal notes to eco-friendly tissue paper, every detail is designed to delight our customers while staying true to our values of sustainability and authenticity.
The Future of Sustainable Skincare
As we look towards the future of skincare and beauty, brands like ourselves must take the lead with sustainable practices and the commitment to environmental direction. By prioritising eco-friendly packaging options, we're not only reducing our own carbon footprint but we also hope to inspire others in the industry to follow suit.
In a world where every choice we make has an impact, opting for sustainable skincare brands like Wild Rising Skincare is not just a step towards healthier skin but also a vote for a greener, more sustainable future. So the next time you're in need of your natural skincare essentials, consider supporting brands that are paving the way towards a more beautiful planet.
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