Environmental Commitment
Our founder’s dream was to create a skincare brand that was sustainably sourced, produced and packaged. Today, we have a bigger dream. We want to be regenerative & live in reciprocity with nature.
A COMMITMENT TO OUR ENVIRONMENT
When creating our products we consider the entire cycle — from where our ingredients are sourced to where the used bottles will end up. We are committed to source sustainably produced ingredients, use packaging and shipping supplies that have a minimal impact on the environment and plant 1 tree for every product that you purchase. We are also Green America and Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certified.
SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
We are committed to sourcing sustainably. This means doing our homework to ensure that the ingredients we source are not overharvested or creating harm to the environment and community where the ingredient is produced. For this reason we prioritize sourcing certified organic, organically farmed and Fair Trade ingredients. We don’t use endangered species or vulnerable plants like sandalwood and bakuchiol. When it comes to our active ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, we look for ingredients produced from renewable resources.
We are implementing biennial supplier and ingredient audits to ensure that our sourcing continues to meet our standards. In an industry that is notoriously opaque, we work to fortify our relationships with the farmers, distillers and suppliers of the 100+ ingredients we source to create an open dialogue about regenerative practices with not only the environment but also the community from which each ingredient is sourced. Although we cannot guarantee at this time that all of our ingredients are sourced in reciprocity with nature, we are working on being able to offer you this guarantee by 2025.
ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING
We are proud to offer a recycling program for difficult-to-recycle items. Mail back or drop off your empties and get 15% off your next Apoterra purchase. Learn More Here
What is eco-friendly packaging? It is not as simple as glass bottles and less plastic. For packaging to be eco-friendly, you have to consider the entire life cycle, from production, to use and finally, disposal.
When it comes to production and use of our packaging, below is what we are doing to make our packaging as eco-friendly as possible. When it comes to disposal, this choice is in your hands. :) Read on for guidance on how to best dispose of our packaging for the lowest impact possible.
Our Boxes, Labels, Printed Inserts and Other Paper Goods
When it comes to paper goods (boxes, labels, printed inserts, etc), we always choose paper made from recycled content and FSC certified paper. This lowers the carbon footprint of the manufacturing process, reduces the need to cut down trees for paper manufacturing, and protects old growth forests.
Guidance for disposal: To ensure that our paper goods continue to live within a circular economy, please recycle with your local paper recycling stream.
Our Bottles and Jars
We opted for easily recyclable glass jars and bottles. Compared to plastic, glass is more likely to be recycled and is also infinitely recyclable (unlike plastic which can only be recycled 2-4 times). Glass is also inert and less likely to leach toxic chemicals into your product or the environment.
Guidance for disposal: It needs to be noted that if glass is not recycled it has a higher carbon footprint than both plastic and aluminum (yikes!). For this reason, please reuse or recycle your glass bottles and jars! Be sure to contact your local recycling facility (MRF) to find out if they recycle small glass bottles and jars. If they do not, we recommend recycling with Pact or Terracycle.
Our Closures
Like most skincare companies (even sustainably-minded ones like us), our closures are currently made from virgin plastic and more than one type of material, making them difficult to recycle. Our goal is to source closures made from a single, easily recyclable material that is made from recycled content such as ocean-bound plastic. Unfortunately, at this time, this type of closure is not available to a small business like us, but rest assured we will be making the switch as soon as we can.
Guidance for disposal: Multi-material closures unfortunately cannot be recycled with your local recycling facility. The good news is that there are programs in place, like Terracycle and Pact, that are facilitating recycling these types of items.
Our Shipping Materials
We ship all our orders (large and small!) using kraft boxes, paper or cellulose padding, biodegradable packing peanuts, and tissue/paper made from recycled paper. For very large orders, we sometimes reuse packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and other supplies that we receive from vendors.
Guidance for disposal: We encourage you to reuse or recycle (with paper) the shipping materials that come with your order. If you receive biodegradable peanuts, we have found that these make a great project for young kids. Wet the ends and stick them together to create figures, or simply mix them into a glass of water and watch them disappear!
A PATH TO RECIPROCITY
What does reciprocity mean to us? It means going beyond creating a sustainable system. It means taking a step further and regenerating the environment that supports us.
We currently plant 1 tree for every product sold. Here is the approximate impact (over 1 year) of one tree:
- 1 tree absorbs 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year
- 1 tree produces enough oxygen for 2 people
- Trees reduce erosion and recharge ground water
- Trees help the soil stay healthy through nitrogen fixation
- Trees help lower air temperatures
But that’s not enough. We have officially launched a mail-in and in-store recycling program in partnership with PACT to reduce waste and the carbon footprint of our packaging.
By 2025, we have committed to: