How we select the products‘ packaging
The content of our natural cosmetics has a good eco-balance compared to conventional cosmetics, so of course we give a lot of thought to this and also want to choose a good packaging. Many of our customers are very critical about this as well and demand plastic-free packaging for our cosmetic products. Unfortunately, this topic is not as easy to implement as our customers and of course also we would like it to be. Every possible material has advantages and disadvantages, it should of course be as environmentally friendly as possible but must also fulfil the following criteria:
- the contents must be protected against environmental influences and germs
- the product's shelf life and stability must be guaranteed for a long period of time
- he weight must not be too high in order to avoid higher emissions during transport
- the production and disposal of the packaging should require as little energy as possible
- the content of the product must be easy to take out with only little residual content and much other points.
Glass is often suggested as an alternative, but in many respects glass performs significantly worse than plastic. In addition, glass jars usually need a folding box to be protected which again generates more packaging material. Glass can break easier than plastic; up to now we only use glass when essential oils make this necessary (for example for our oil-whey baths).
Organic plastic is not the best solution either. This material is not produced biologically so far but conventionally with the use of many chemicals. Since it decomposes very slowly, it is often eventually sorted out and incinerated in composting plants. It is even more harmful that many consumers are deceived by the name „organic plastic“ and put the packaging into the bin for organic waste. Thus, the plastic can possibly even end up as microplastic in the environment since also biodegradable materials remain in the environment for several months or years.
Returning and refilling of packaging is often regarded as good idea and many customers ask for it, but this is also not very easy to implement in practice. It requires a lot of energy and logistics and, above all, does not guarantee the necessary hygiene which is essential for the product stability since our products do not contain preservatives.
Our plastic packaging consists of various mixtures of PE (polyethylenes) and PP (polypropylenes) that are harmless to health and that are recyclable. We do not use packaging with the controversial material PVC. The cardboard for the few folding boxes we use comes from responsible sources and bears the FSC seal.
Apart from glass and plastic, there is currently no satisfying type of packaging that we can use to ensure that the consumer always receives high-quality natural cosmetics of consistent quality. We are continuously searching for alternative packagings that may be both more environmentally friendly but also easy to handle in everyday life, and we are always carefully weighing up the pros and cons of the options. For example, we tested tubes in which a part of the plastic is replaced by chalk so that a certain amount of plastic can be reduced. Unfortunately, this tube of mixed materials results in a significantly worse recyclability after use so that this alternative is not usable for us since the subsequent recycling is also an important aspect in the cycle of packagings.
We have definitely found a good alternative to liquid shampoos and shower gels in plastic bottles: the solid bars that we are offering since 2020 have a packaging which is completely free of plastic. The recycable folding boxes are made from cellulose obtained from 100 % agricultural waste. This raw material gives a second life to agricultural waste such as stalks and leaves that are left over after the harvest. It is not bleached and has a light brown, natural colour. With these solid bars and their packaging, the consumers make - together with us - an important contribution to avoid plastic waste and thus to protect the environment!