our eco practices

This is an updated version of a post published on Sept. 17, 2019.

A huge part of our mission and messaging at Wildcraft is to be as environmentally conscious and transparent as we can be. We all care deeply for this planet of ours and are constantly striving to do more to be sustainable and reduce waste in every aspect of our company, and beyond. From our packaging to our marketing materials, from our ingredients to our containers, we carefully research and source the best options to limit waste while still providing you with high quality products. Read on to learn more about our environmental practices!

Our Approach

From conception to completion of a product, we keep environmental practices at the forefront. When sourcing and researching, we always ensure that we are working with reputable and like-minded suppliers so that the impact all the way down the line remains low. Our head of formulations and production manager, Natalie Classen is meticulous and stays on top of every step of this process. Containers and packaging are also reused as often as they can be, and when that’s not possible, we recycle.

Our Space

At Wildcraft HQ we’re serious about limiting our consumption. Everyone brings their own travel cups and reusable containers and our kitchen is nicely stocked with extra mugs, plates and cutlery. Plus, we’ve got a great compost happening - not just for food scraps but for ingredient remnants too. You can read more about our office space here.

Our Packaging & Shipping

All of our containers are made of glass or aluminum, with the exception of the lids, which are plastic. We ship our products in cardboard boxes with recycled brown paper for packing. Whenever possible we also reuse materials that have previously been shipped to us from other vendors. We also take a very lean approach when ordering our supplies and we never buy more than we need. Believe it or not, we encourage you to do the same and are firm believers in low waste skincare. We do however order in bulk when it comes to everyday office supplies as that makes the most sense both economically and environmentally.

We often get asked why our containers are non-returnable / non-refillable. Since we are online and not brick and mortar refillary or store, this idea is actually not as eco-friendly as it sounds. It involves a lot more packing and shipping (especially for those living further away) and therefore more waste. On top of this is the amount of energy (hot water, chemicals, etc.) plus special, industrial equipment that it takes to thoroughly clean and disinfect each returned container. It all adds up. However, please remember and take advantage of the fact that all of our containers can be recycled and reused!

Our Marketing Materials

It takes some serious advertising and marketing, especially for a small business, to stand out and stay afloat. We don’t produce a lot of flyers, catalogues or postcards. Instead, we focus mainly on digital marketing and rarely add any extra print collateral to your order. We rely heavily on word of mouth and social media to maintain an active presence.

We know there’s always more that can be done, and we’re constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to reduce our footprint so that we can be as sustainable as possible. Do you have any tips or ideas? What are some of your environmental practices? Please share your feedback in the comments below - we love hearing from you!