sustainability

Ingredients 

Our basic idea is that the products should be 100% natural, 100% vegan and have as high an organic content as possible. However, it is not always completely possible, but we want to be as transparent as possible.

We start by defining the difference between natural and organic. Natural means that it comes from nature - it can be water, salts, minerals, things that can't be grown, and plants that can grow freely or be cultivated.

Organic means growing in a way without any pesticides.

But it can be a bit tricky, in order to get a label of being organic, you have to prove it. And proving something often costs big money. If you grow carrots in your garden, you probably don't have pesticides, but you also don't have an expensive certification organization checking that you don't use pesticides. Are the carrots then natural or organic? They may only be classified as natural - even if they have the quality of organic.

What does that mean in reality? In principle, you can say that bigger brands have an easier time certifying their products. While smaller brands may even have a better product, but do not have the same opportunity to certify their products.

Also keep in mind that a wild plant such as one that grows on a mountain top cannot be classified as organic, but probably has less environmental impact than most cultivated ingredients. Another aspect is that water is 100% natural, but in itself would not make such an effective day cream.

We show as far as possible how much natural or organic content a product has.

Packaging :

We strive to have as sustainable packaging as possible. And packaging that can be recycled. With us you will find packaging made from recycled plastic (PCR), tubes from sugar cane which are biodegradable, glass and aluminium. We think that outer packaging is unnecessary on most products, but it is difficult to always achieve when durability and a luxurious feel are to be combined. If there is an outer packaging, it is FSC. We believe in transparency, on each product you can read what material the packaging is made of.

Transport and logistics

We strive to have as climate-smart transport as possible. Long-distance transport is by boat. For shorter transports, a climate-smarter alternative is chosen if possible.

When we transport ourselves, we strive to make it as environmentally friendly as possible.

Waste

We strive to have as little waste as possible. We buy in smaller volumes and if a product is at risk of expiring, we offer "Save an item campaigns" where you as a customer can buy a product at a lower price, or maybe even get it for free with the purchase of other product.

We also partner with SmartBeauty who provide products that may have suffered a beauty defect, are trial products or have changed packaging at a lower price. Smart we think!

Vegan and vegetarian

The vast majority of our products are completely vegan. A few contain beeswax or honey that comes from organic bee farms. Organic beekeeping has a completely different process than conventional beekeeping. On each product you can clearly see whether the product is vegan or vegetarian.

You will never find products that come from the animal kingdom with us. There are no leather Nessers, no make-up brushes with animal hair. There are no products that contain animals or parts of animals in any form.

Definition of vegan and vegetarian. Vegan means that there are no elements from the animal kingdom. Vegetarian means that it is okay with content produced through the animal, for example milk, lanolin, snail slime, beeswax and honey. We never accept any kind of ingredient that comes from animal husbandry where the animal is at risk of harm. And therefore only accepts beeswax or honey that comes from organic beekeeping.

Not tested on animals

Within the EU, it is not permitted to test products on animals, nor is it permitted to test ingredients on animals within the EU. In some other countries it is allowed to test both ingredients and the final product on animals. For us, it is a matter of course that no animal is harmed at any stage of the manufacturing process.

Ethical and social aspects

You might think that natural only means something good, but that is not the case. For certain ingredients, such as minerals, people are exploited and in many cases also child labor to obtain these gifts from the earth. We ensure that the ingredients come from approved suppliers and that the products are manufactured under good working conditions and fair wages throughout the entire production chain.

The management

Before we choose a brand, we also look at the management of a company. Why is management important? We believe that the right people make good collaborations. For us, business should be fun and create energy. We believe that we are building a slightly better world together with both you and the brands. If the management does not feel genuine with its heart in the right place, we would rather say no.

On the one hand, on the other hand

This is how it is. It's not that simple. There are many times a discussion about on the one hand, on the other hand. Quality and performance are in focus. The packaging must be attractive and durable. The product must be useful. The scents should be lovely and luxurious. The management team must be genuine and have a common vision. We also want to be able to offer something that is exciting and unique, and the brands should not directly compete with each other. This means that we say no more often than we say yes. But we also hope that this means that you feel more secure as a customer with us. We've already checked everything we can think of, so you don't have to.

Pricing

We don't like price cuts. We prefer to work with gifts for customers. But we are in a highly competitive industry and we cannot control what neither our dealers nor other international players do and what prices they set. We hope that more people feel as we do, and are willing to pay a little more for a product that is manufactured with all conceivable aspects of sustainability in focus.

Sometimes we may be told, for example, why does this mascara cost more than other well-known brands? It is all these aspects combined, which make the product more expensive - or rather why others can sell their products cheaper. Conventional products are often produced with synthetic ingredients, which can be mass-produced at low cost. The packaging is made of non-durable materials that are much cheaper to produce. It may not be so important where the ingredients come from, you may choose to turn a blind eye to the fact that people and children are being exploited to obtain an ingredient. And so on and so forth.

We believe that consumption is power. And that you as a consumer make the choice every day to contribute to a slightly better or much worse world. What is important to you? Use your power wisely!