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ELIMINATING THE IDEA OF WASTE®
Green is good: Inspiring ways to recycle
Sweat the small stuff
Investment research firm Corporate Knights has released its list of Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. To do it, data scientists sift through financial and ecological data on 7,500 organisations in the $1 billion-plus revenue club. [1] Leading the way with ‘clean revenue’ from sustainable products is bioscience company Chr. Hansen. More than 80% of its money comes from natural solutions that preserve food, protect crops and remove the need for animal antibiotics. [2] Its ‘good bacteria’, for example, help stop food waste by making fresh products last longer. In Europe alone, these magic microbes reduce around 440,000 tonnes of yogurt waste. [3] Buy or cook too much food? You can share excess food with people in your neighbourhood with apps such as OLIO.Fashion faux pas
In second place on Corporate Knights’ list is Kering SA, which owns fashion houses Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen. By sourcing more than 40% of its products from certified sustainable sources, Kering is acknowledging the huge toll fashion takes on the environment. [4] New lines, synthetic fibres and the strain on crops like cotton all pollute the environment. So much so that experts say fashion consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping industries combined. [5] Thankfully, more brands are waking up to the damage. High street favourite Zara has promised to sell only sustainable clothes by 2025 – using organic, sustainable or recycled materials. In 2019, the retailer announced you can bring in unwanted Zara clothes to its stores to recycle – and take home new purchases in paper carriers swapped for plastic bags. Follower of fashion? Consider a capsule wardrobe – a collection of basic but high-quality clothes you can mix, match and update with seasonal accessories. It’s simple, stress free and kinder on the environment.Plastic fantastic
Our oceans are so polluted that scientists predict there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050. [6] That’s why many clothing brands are giving plastics a second life as trainers, jackets and swimsuits. One brand riding the refurb wave is Patagonia. It recently revamped its long-sleeved Tshirt into a ‘Responsibili-Tee’ made from 4.8 plastic bottles. [7] Refreshingly, Patagonia is transparent about the products that aren’t so eco-friendly . And that includes clothing made from synthetic materials – and repurposed plastic. The microplastics found in synthetic textiles such as nylon, acrylic or polyester break down when we wash them. Just one washload of polyester clothes releases 700,000 microplastic fibres into the environment. They harm vegetation, animals and, eventually, us, as they sneak up the food chain. That’s why Patagonia labels all clothing made from synthetic materials with information on how to care for them and help reduce microfibre shedding. Looked at the label? As well as choosing clothes made from sustainable materials, you can place synthetic garments such as running tops and yoga pants in a filter bag. These bags help reduce the flow of microfibres into your drain.Smart packaging
You can’t recycle the thin, crinkly plastic found on ready meals or the brittle plastic of takeaway containers. In response, Stasher has invented a range of reusable storage bags you can take to the shops and store fresh food when you get it home. It makes packs from non-toxic silicone you can wash in the dishwasher and zap in the microwave. [8] TerraCycle is another company that makes a business out of reusables. It collects and recycles the problem plastics most authorities won’t touch – including coffee capsules, pens and plastic gloves. And it recently released a service called Loop, which lets you buy your favourite products online or in some stores (including food, beauty and cleaning products) in special packaging, which it collects, washes and re-uses. Unsure what to bin? See which plastics you can and can’t recycle in the Sustainability Guide.Homes of the future
One of the problem plastics we can’t recycle is straws. In 2018, furniture giant Ikea displayed its 'Last Straw' at the Design Museum, London. (It now uses recyclable paper straws.) But it’s not all publicity stunts. To date, Ikea has spent $1 billion on wind farms, solar panels and sourcing wood from more sustainable locations. The company's on-track to use 100% renewable energy. [9] And Ikea is helping customers become eco-friendlier with: § Induction cooktops 50% faster and more energy efficient than ceramic or radiant heat hobs. § Lightweight and space-saving drying racks that reduce electricity bills and wear-and-tear from tumble drying. § Energy-saving blinds which insulate and help reduce heating costs by up to 20%. Cushions are covered, too. Ikea has pledged to use only up- and re-cyclable materials in its textiles by 2020. [10] A smart meter helps you track your energy use and find ways to reduce consumption. Discover more ways to go greener at home. Arguing the case for a more sustainable workplace? Corporate Knight’s research found that sustainable companies: § Live longer. The average age of companies on the list is 87 years compared with the MSCI All Country World Index (ACW I) average of 63. § Have happier investors. Between 2005 and 2018, top 100 companies made a net investment return of 127% compared with 118% from ACW I firms. § Have better pay equality. The top 100 have a lower CEO-to-average-worker pay ratio than average (76:1 vs 140:1). So, profits are spread more equally across the organisation. References [1] ‘2019 Global 100 results’ (2019). Available at: https://www.Grupo Korin conquista seu 4° Prêmio ECO de Sustentabilidade
No dia 04 de março de 2020, o Grupo Korin recebeu, pela quarta vez em sua história, o Prêmio Eco de Sustentabilidade, promovido pela Câmara Americana de Comércio, a AMCHAM. O prêmio foi entregue durante cerimônia realizada na sede da entidade, em São Paulo, em comemoração à 37ª edição do evento no Brasil.
Positive Luxury launches webinar series to inspire and promote change
Sustainability platform Positive Luxury has launched a brand-new weekly webinar series designed to educate, innovate and inspire viewers to be a catalyst for change.
Every Thursday at 2pm (UK time), a group of experts will explore various topics from leadership to creativity in The Power Series.
The next edition on 9 April, The Power of Narrative, will feature a panel including journalist and author Dana Thomas, deputy editor at the Financial Times How to Spend It Magazine Beatrice Hodgkin, and CEO of Garrard & Co. Limited Joanne Milner.
They will discuss how the stories we tell can still be powerful, even without a product launch or big announcement. The format of the free Power Series is a 30-minute discussion followed by a Q&A from the audience, with all webinars being subsequently uploaded to YouTube.
Other upcoming episodes will delve into The Power of Good Leadership (16 April), The Power of Circularity (22 April) and The Power of Wellness (30 April), with panellists including Valerie Keller, CEO of Imagine; Tom Szaky, founder of TerraCycle; Vanessa Jacobs, CEO of The Restory and mindfulness coach Terrence The Teacher.
Positive Luxury, co-founded by Diana Verde Nieto, is the company behind the Butterfly Mark, the symbol awarded to luxury brands to demonstrate a positive social and environmental impact. Christian Dior, Givenchy, Anya Hindmarch and Yves Saint Laurent Beauty are some of the luxury brands which have earned the mark.
Gerber Delivers First Single-Material Baby-Food Pouch
Clean Sweep: What Some Beauty Brands Are Doing to Be More Sustainable
Wind Power
Did you know that Joico and Zotos Professional Brands are manufactured in a near-zero waste facility that’s partially powered by wind? As for their packaging, Joico’s LumiShine, Vero K-PAK Color, and Blonde Life tubes are all packaged in paperboard cartons made from 100 per cent recycled fibre. The brand’s shampoo (and several spray) bottles are crafted with up to 25 per cent post- consumer recycled materials. With continued sustainable efforts, Joico is aiming to reduce its operations’ carbon footprint by 75 per cent by 2030.Ocean Drive
To help fight the ongoing issue of ocean pollution, Kevin.Murphy has reinvented its signature square packaging, which as of this year, will be made with 100 per cent recycled ocean plastics. This new initiative will help save the planet from approximately 360 tonnes of new plastic. Taking their sustainability mission one step further, for every can of aerosol sold, the company has committed to making a financial contribution to help reduce carbon emissions. They’ve also partnered with Ecoheads and Climate Reality Project, a global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting climate change awareness.Rooted in Recycling
Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, John Paul Mitchell Systems is reflecting on its sustainability initiatives. Case in point: The company’s awapuhi farm, which was founded by Paul Mitchell in Hawaii in the early 1980s. This organic farm is self-sustaining and solar-powered, and uses rainwater as its main water source to reduce its carbon footprint. Looking ahead, the company has partnered with Reforest’Action on a mission to plant one million trees by the end of 2022. Though John Paul Mitchell Systems already uses recyclable and post-consumer material for their packaging, they will be updating their Tea Tree packaging this year to be comprised of post-consumer recycled plastic.Made in Canada
Leading the way with their sustainability efforts, many of L’Oréal Professionnel’s products are made in Canada—Montreal, to be specific. “Our manufacturing plant is one of the most progressive, and really is the vehicle of this message of sustainability,” says Nadia Petrolito, vice-president, general counsel, chief communications officer & ethics correspondent for L’Oréal Canada. “We’re always looking at how we are creating our products and what are we putting in them—looking at every single ingredient and how much water we’re using; trying to reduce as much as we can.” In addition to featuring solar panelling, the plant includes a unique water filtration system. Rather than grey water being disposed of into the ground, it’s filtered and pumped back into the plant so it can be re-used, saving enough water to fill the equivalent of 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Currently, all of L’Oréal’s colour tubes are recyclable, but for their recent relaunch of Majirel, the company introduced new packaging that includes a cap made of 100 per cent recycled plastic. This change prevents seven tonnes of plastic production per year. With continued efforts that extend beyond manufacturing, L’Oréal has been carbon-neutral since 2018, thanks to a partnership with Énergir, a natural gas company based in Quebec.Matrix’s colour tubes are also made in Canada, with caps comprised of 100 per cent post-consumer recycled materials. Also, all labels and cartons are locally sourced!
Nurturing Nature
With a mission to produce, innovate and develop sustainable and professional products, Biolage has been nature-driven since it was founded in 1990. Since then, their Biolage R.A.W. range has taken it one step further with biodegradable formulas that contain ingredients of natural origin, meaning they’re either unchanged from their natural state or they preserve more than 50 per cent of the plant or mineral source’s original structure. Containing no sulfates, silicones, parabens or artificial colourants, all Biolage R.A.W. bottles are also made with post-consumer recycled plastic. This year, Biolage is celebrating its 30th anniversary—marking a key milestone in its history as a pioneering green brand.Pure at Heart
As one of the first 100 per cent vegan and sulfate-free professional brands, Pureology has been paving the way for sustainable and innovative haircare. Ahead of their 20th anniversary next year, the brand will be rolling out their first formula renovation this summer. Now their products will also be free of silicones, parabens and mineral oil—in what Pureology calls the “No Nasties” movement. “These days, sustainability can come with a compromise—compromising on performance if you want something more natural,” says Michelle Tasios, national education manager for Pureology. “With Pureology, we’re not natural—and we don’t claim to be—but what we are is that perfect marriage of science and sustainability, giving people the best of both worlds.” The brand’s packaging will also be getting a facelift with a new minimalistic redesign. Though its packaging is currently made from 50 per cent post-consumer recyclable materials, the revamped packaging will be made with 95 per cent post-recycled materials, and will be 100 per cent recyclable.Proud Partnership
Joining forces with Green Circle Salons, Amika has set a goal to include its salons in the sustainability movement this year. Part of this goal: Streamlining the collecting and recycling of everything used in a salon, from products to hair clippings. As a brand, Amika is committed to sourcing more sustainable materials for new, innovative packaging. They are also partnering with TerraCycle, an organization that helps “recycle the unrecyclable,” to ensure Amika’s packaging is 100 per cent recyclable. Via TerraCycle’s website, Amika will offer a prepaid shipping label that will allow customers to ship empty bottles and cans to TerraCycle. The company will then store, recycle or repurpose the waste. The partnership will begin in the U.S. later this year, with plans to launch in Canada in the near future.For earth month, all of Pureology’s current and new salons will receive a gift of 10 trees planted across Canada.
Sustainable at Its Source
Originating from Parma, Italy, Davines has been recognized for their environ- mental efforts—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with naturally derived ingredients, clean energy manufactur- ing and carbon-neutral packaging. The brand has recently launched Beauty from the Ground Up, a campaign to help raise awareness and funds for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in the U.S. and Canada—a cause that’s close to the hearts of Davines’ founders, the Bollati family.Packaged with Care
Sustainability has been top of mind for Moroccanoil since the company was founded in 2008. For example, its factory in Israel has solar panels to produce solar power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Sustainability was important to us even before it was popular. We’ve always been aware of the impact the industry can have [on the environment],” says Carmen Tal, co-founder of Moroccanoil. And since then, the company has taken their environmental efforts to the next level—hiring a full-time sustainability manager last year. Tal says the addition of this role was important in order to advise their team on best sustainability practices. “For any company that is serious about sustainability, it’s a long-term project.” In addition to making changes within the company, they’ve also partnered with Loop Industries to modify currently unrecyclable plastics. As of now, Moroccanoil Treatment bottles are comprised of 35 per cent recycled glass and the brand’s Color Depositing Masks are made with 50 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic. “Packaging is the first step,” says Tal. “We’ve already taken care of shipping— removing secondary packaging when it’s not necessary—therefore reducing our carbon footprint. We also want to continue finding better packaging options that are post-recyclable plastic, glass, etc.”Mothering Earth
As a trailblazer in sustainability initiatives, Aveda is one of the first hair and beauty companies to use post- consumer recycled materials for their packaging. Additionally, all of their products are manufactured with 100 per cent wind power (through renewable energy credits and carbon offsets). For more than 13 years, Aveda Canada has also partnered with WaterAid for Earth Month, raising money and awareness for global water-related issues.Going Global
With a focus on sourcing sustainable ingredients and reducing water consumption, Kao (the parent company of Goldwell, KMS and Oribe) has been recognized with several awards and distinctions, which include being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for six consecutive years, and being selected for inclusion in the “A List” for climate change and water security by CDP, a non-profit organization and global disclosure system for environmental impact. Last year, Kao hired a new director of sustainability and portfolio for the purpose of sharing and promoting its sustainability plans to salons, stylists and clients around the world.More to Love
Additional brands that are doing their part for the environment. ABBA Founded in the late ’80s, ABBA is one of the first natural and vegan professional haircare brands. Their products contain a unique ProQuinoa Complex of quinoa, barley and soy. They are also free of sulfates, gluten and parabens, and are never tested on animals. Fanola Made in Italy but known globally, thanks to a social media following, Fanola’s beloved No Yellow and No Orange ranges are available in vegan formulas, and are free of sulfates, silcones or parabens. Hotheads Hotheads is part of Project Zero, an environmental initiative founded by its parent company, International Designs Corporation, which offsets their carbon footprint by planting trees in areas in need. Lakmé Last year, Lakmé launched Teknia, a sustainable and vegan haircare range with up to 99 per cent natural ingredients. Olivia Garden Olivia Garden has three eco-friendly hairbrush ranges: Healthy Hair, EcoCeramic and EcoHair.Hippie Haven offering no-contact recycling at downtown store
Gerber’s New Recyclable Baby Food Pouch: 10 Things to Know
The world’s largest and oldest baby food company will shortly introduce the first single-material baby food pouch. Gerber says the new all-polypropylene pouch creates greater value for the recycling industry because it simplifies the process and promotes the development of better recycling infrastructure.
Here are the essentials of the development, draw from the press release and custom input from Tony Dzikowicz, Gerber’s associate director of packaging, Sina Hilbert, Gerber’s brand manager & sustainability lead, and Justin Welke, Nestlé’s packaging project manager.
1. The current pouch is a standard multilayer construction.
Gerber launched its first baby food pouch in 2011, a multi-material structure made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), foil, and polyethylene (PE).
It’s an industry-standard structure that reflects the current industry standard for pouches, structure using two outer layers of plastic that sandwich an aluminum barrier layer.
That kind of structure is not currently municipally recyclable in the U.S. due to outdated infrastructure that struggles to sort and process flexible plastics.
2. That experience helped with the new pouch development.
Since 2011 Gerber has built “substantial expertise” in package development and filling operations by working with different material, designs, and equipment, as well as different partners. That expertise provided an understanding of the performance requirements and validation needs for this first-of-its-kind pouch.
3. The new pouch is a mono-material polypropylene structure from Gualapack.
In 2017, Gerber began conducting trials with Gualapack, a global supplier of premade spouted pouches, with the goal of bringing the industry’s first mono-material pouch to market.
A key benefit of the PP pouch is that it provides transparency and window options so consumers can see the product inside.
4. It’s 100% recyclable, but there’s a caveat.
The pouch will be 100% recyclable through Gerber's national recycling program with upcycler TerraCycle, which is noted on the pouch back panel (below).
5. A curbside recycling pilot holds promise.
With Nestlé as a founding member of Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF), a research collaborative committed to creating recycling solutions, Gerber is supporting curbside recycling for the pouch. MRFF's pilot program in Pottstown, PA, is the first curbside recycling program in the U.S. to accept flexible plastics such as these. The goal is to expand the program across America.
6. Why it wasn’t developed to be #2 PE In-store Recycle Ready pouch.
Currently, the #2 Polyethylene (PE) in-store drop off stream is limited to plastics that are “clean and dry.” Because baby food is a wet product, it is challenging to clean and dry pouches to the level that is compatible.
7. The shelf life is lower at nine months.
That’s a reduction from the 12-month shelf life of its standard Organic pouch, but Gerber exploring ways to increase the shelf life while maintaining a focus on recyclability.
8. Same size, lower net weight.
Although the pouch size is the same as its Organics line, the approximate 3 1/6-oz net weight is slightly less than the current line’s 3 ½-oz net weight. That was done to preserve the integrity of the mono-polypropylene structure, Gerber says.
9. Gerber’s advice for other companies.
The company says that “it’s imperative for all parts of an organization to work together to accomplish the goal of sustainable packaging. As the industry moves to mono-material and other designs ‘with the end in mind,’ compromises may be required, such as shelf life, filling performance, cost of materials and more, so support from all business functions is key.
10. The first product launches in May on TheGerberStore.com.
The pouch will be available exclusively on TheGerberStore.com for Gerber's Organic Banana Mango Puree beginning in May 2020. The initial launch gives Gerber an opportunity to gain experience in the market before expanding more broadly.
We Earthlings: Recycle Your Disposable Gloves
