At Wellnesse, we prioritize delivering clean, powerful products straight to your front door through processes with the lowest environmental effect possible. From our supply chain to our ingredient sourcing to our packaging materials, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of sustainable ecommerce practices. 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:
Learn more about our goals, core values, and the team at our About Page!
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Degradable
All 'degradable' means is that the material can be broken down into tiny pieces. All plastic (including the environmentally-harmful plastic we discuss in this blog) is technically 'degradable.' However, these plastic fragments will not necessarily ever return to the earth, meaning that they are still overwhelming landfills and polluting oceans, lakes, and rivers while they are breaking down.
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Biodegradable
Biodegradable materials also break down into fragments. However, in the proper conditions, all biodegradable fragments can be reduced to 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.
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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!
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Wellnesse Haircare and Toothpaste
It's no longer a question that most plastic harms the environment and our health (so many chemicals!), 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 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 our packaging won't melt, break down, or leak into your products. It's also a renewable resource, making it far more sustainable and eco-friendly than plastic.
These ingredients make our shampoo and toothpaste tubes 100% compostable! When it's time for a refill, take the empty tubes to a compost or recycling facility. They will either be reused or broken down with zero negative environmental impact. Our lids are made from the cleanest-sourced, recyclable plastic available, meaning no part of your Wellnesse products ever has to go in the trash!
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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, they break down 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 while being 100% recyclable and lasting long enough to give you your money's worth! Lastly, our toothbrush handles are biodegradable bamboo (just remember to remove and recycle the bristles) packed in recyclable cardboard boxes.
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Oral Probiotics
We package our (brand-new!) Oral Probiotics in sleek, amber glass jars with recyclable lids. Both our jars and lids are recyclable, but they're also easy and fun to reuse! From storing your homegrown herbs and homemade salves to keeping track of odds and ends, there are countless ways to make use of our jars over and over again.
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Mineralย Deodorant
Our Mineral Deodorant is packaged entirely in recycled and recyclable cardboard. So say goodbye to the days of heavy, single-use plastic tubes (hello, overwhelming plastic waste), and say hello to clean, sustainable Wellnesse.
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Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer
Unlike hand sanitizers that come packaged in cheap, single-use plastic containers (whose life cycles mean theyโll 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 and made of 100% recyclable materials.
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One Final Noteโฆ
The demand for clean products that 'check 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. All our products are in eco-friendly packaging that cut back on excess emissions and reduce our (and your) carbon footprint.
Not only do we prioritize sustainability in our products, but we also provide shipping and ordering options to cut down even on the amount of recyclable 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 15%, 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.
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Resources
Cho, Renee. โThe Truth About Bioplastics.โ Columbia Climate School, State of the Planet, 13 Dec. 2017, https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2017/12/13/the-truth-about-bioplastics/ย
Fellman, Bruce. โThe Problem with Plastics.โ Environment Yale, 2009,ย
http://forestry.yale.edu/magazine/fall2009/the-problem-with-plastics/
Wells, Katie. โThe Dangers of Plastic.โ Wellness Mama, 30 Jan. 2020, https://wellnessmama.com/23757/plastic-dangers/.