What Does Sustainable Packaging Mean to Us? - Wellnesse

What Does Sustainable Packaging Mean to Us?

At Wellnesse, our number one priority is to deliver clean, powerful products straight to your front door through processes with the lowest environmental effect possible. We’re excited to tell you about all the different ways we pursue this goal, but before we get started, let’s define a few terms:

Degradable

All ‘degradable’ means is that the material can be broken down into tiny pieces. All plastic (including the environmentally-harmful plastic we mention in this article) is technically 'degradable'. However, these plastic fragments will not necessarily ever return to the earth, meaning that they are still filling landfills and polluting oceans, lakes, and rivers while they are breaking down.

Biodegradable

Biodegradable materials also break down into fragments. However, in the proper conditions, all biodegradable fragments can be reduced to either compost, carbon dioxide, or water. In addition, as a general rule, biodegradable materials should (again, under the right conditions) decompose fully within weeks or months.

Compostable

‘Compostable’ refers to biodegradable materials that decompose through composting. In the case of compostable bioplastic, these materials will break down into biomass, inorganic compounds, carbon dioxide, or water just as quickly as organic compostable materials!

Wellnesse Haircare and Toothpaste

It’s no longer a question that most plastic is harmful to the environment and our health (so many chemicals!), and yet, we still seem to find it everywhere we turn. BPA and Phthalates are often added to plastic to increase durability. Yet both are linked with a laundry list of health problems, including male and female genital deformities, breast and prostate cancer, infertility, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and so much more. We knew that our family's health (and yours!) was not worth the risk, so we found another solution!

Sugarcane Bioplastic (made from Sugarcane Resin) is a fantastic alternative to traditional plastic packaging and produces far fewer carbon emissions during manufacturing. Sugarcane resin has a resilient shelf life, meaning that our packaging won’t melt, break down, or leak into any of your products. It’s also a renewable resource, making it far more sustainable and eco-friendly than plastic. Thanks to these ingredients, our shampoo and toothpaste tubes are 100% compostable! When it’s time for a refill, simply take the empty tubes to a compost or recycling facility. They will either be reused or completely broken down with zero negative environmental impact. Our lids are made from the cleanest-sourced, recyclable plastic we can find, meaning no part of your Wellnesse products ever has to go in the trash!

Wellnesse Toothbrushes

Our Wellnesse toothbrush bristles are made of clean, recyclable nylon. While some companies use boar’s hair as a sustainable alternative for their toothbrush bristles, those bristles break down very quickly, making it an inefficient choice in the long run. Our bristles are gentle enough to avoid gum irritation but firm enough to get the job done, all while being 100% recyclable and lasting long enough to give you your money’s worth! To top it off, the toothbrush itself is made of bamboo (just remember to remove and recycle the bristles).

Revitalizing Dry Shampoo and Deodorant

Our Revitalizing Dry Shampoo and our deodorant are entirely packaged in recycled and recyclable cardboard. So say goodbye to the days of plastic, aluminum-filled antiperspirants and aerosol dry shampoos (which not only harm your health but harm the environment, too), and say hello to clean, sustainable Wellnesse.

Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer

Unlike hand sanitizers that come packaged in cheap plastic containers (that will be hanging around long after you and I are gone), our Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer is delivered to you in sleek glass bottles that can be rinsed, repurposed, and reused! The pump spray head is reusable as well but is also 100% recyclable. 

One Final Note…

The demand for clean products that ‘checks all the boxes’ is increasing, but so many companies focus on providing products that are good for you while harming the earth we love. At Wellnesse, we’ve made it our mission to prioritize both by providing clean, powerful products delivered in (super cute) earth-friendly packaging.

Not only do we prioritize sustainability in our products, but we also provide shipping and ordering options to cut down on the amount of packaging we send out. If you are one of our regular customers, our subscription option saves you time, money, and shipments! With discounts of up to 10%, you can shop in bulk, schedule your deliveries ahead of time, and, most importantly, receive your orders in fewer packages. If you enjoy a wide variety of Wellnesse products, our bundle-pack option allows you to order all of your family favorites without the waste of individual shipments and containers! So whether you want two shampoos every three months, four tubes of toothpaste every six months, or your very own personalized combination, we hope that you will stand with us in our mission to save both the earth and our health starting in our own homes.

Resources

Cho, Renee. “The Truth About Bioplastics.” Columbia Climate School, State of the Planet, 13 Dec. 2017, https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2017/12/13/the-truth-about-bioplastics/ 

Fellman, Bruce. “The Problem with Plastics.” Environment Yale, 2009, 
http://forestry.yale.edu/magazine/fall2009/the-problem-with-plastics/

Wells, Katie. “The Dangers of Plastic.” Wellness Mama, 30 Jan. 2020, https://wellnessmama.com/23757/plastic-dangers/.

3 comments

I really enjoy the toothpaste but find the packaging doesn’t hold a lot and is difficult to get the last bits out of the tube. It seems a good sustainable option would be to make larger tubes.

Also, I would like to understand whether compostable means “backyard compost” or a facility that composts. Many items that say they are compostable need a facility to compost them and those are not always available.

Jeannie

Good to get this info on your environmental packaging. I was going to write to you, saying that the tooth paste is hard to get out of the tube – the paste is very thick and dry and the tube not easily squeezable, especially when almost empty, plus the lid broke and the paste good more dry after that.
Im glad to hear that using biodegradable material might be the reason and it might take time to find the best working containers. Maybe there is something you can do.
Thanks for your effort.

Helga Holtmann

How long will it take for the packaging to compost?

Kathleen M Goff-Harmon

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