real talk: our environmental practices September 17 2019, 4 Comments

Wildcraft HQ is a bustling place - at any given moment meetings are happening, products are being made and bottled, shipments are being received and orders are being processed, packaged and sent on their merry way. Plus, coffee is being drunk and music is playing. Because who wants to work without coffee and music?

But back to those fabulous products that arrive on your doorstep... we often get asked why you can’t send back your empty containers for recycling and reuse. Good question. And probably a lot more involved than you would imagine. For one thing, as a small but mighty company, Wildcraft doesn’t have the budget nor the space for the equipment, staff and energy necessary to properly and effectively clean used containers. You might think that you can just give them a quick rinse and be done with it but unfortunately it’s just not that simple.

Because all of our products are 100% natural, a new product risks the chance of becoming contaminated or spoiling if said container isn’t thoroughly and elaborately cleaned. Consequently, the amount of energy necessary to rigorously clean a recycled bottle or jar is extensive. Industrial machinery is needed to produce boiling hot water (at full blast, we might add) and alcohol and other chemicals would be needed to disinfect each vessel (we currently use alcohol to disinfect new containers). And then there’s the transportation and shipping to consider, depending on where you, dear customer, reside. So, all in all, while it can potentially be a bit more environmentally friendly, it’s not necessarily better in the long run.

We know that our industry is far from perfect when it comes to environmental practices. But here at HQ, it’s a top priority and we’re working on it. All of our containers are made of mainly glass and aluminum (only the lids are plastic), we use cardboard and recycled brown paper to pack and ship your orders, and whenever we receive shipments from other vendors, we try to reuse their packaging. We rarely include extra print or marketing collateral with your order; instead, we focus mostly on digital marketing, along with word of mouth.

So spread the word! And while you’re at it, let us know what you think. Is there more that we could be doing? What sustainable practices inspire you? And do they have an impact on where you buy your products? Send us your feedback - we value your opinions and ideas and would love to hear what you have to say!

Comments

Chayle Cook on February 29 2020 at 10:58PM

Will you consider starting to offer refills? Or supplying bulk to stores so customers can refill on their own? We have a zero waste grocery store here in Ottawa called NU Grocer. I’d love to see your products there!

Sheree Hodson on December 09 2019 at 12:01PM

Have you ever considered using Ecologic Brand containers? I don’t know if oils can be packed this way, but there is a business in the US called Seed Phytonutrients uses their containers for their products. The CEO and person who invented this design is Canadian by birth

Katelyn on December 05 2019 at 10:53AM

Thank you so much for being transparent about this issue! I’ve been trying to go zero/low waste during the past year and this is a big concern of mine. Skincare is often something I don’t compromise on, so it’s nice knowing that one of my go-to brands uses mostly glass packaging that I can easily reuse at my local zero-waste store or recycle.

I asked the same question to Buck Naked regarding their glass dropper bottles before reading this lovely post. They mentioned that I would be welcome to come into their headquarters to refill and that got me thinking… I know contamination is an issue with natural products such as Wildcraft’s, but have you considered selling your products at zero-waste stores in bulk for self-serve refills? The onus for sanitising containers is then put on customers who would likely be willing to take that on in order to reduce their waste. I’m sure there might be some red tape involved in that process, though; not sure how that would play out in terms of liability/quality control for you lovely people.

cassandra houde on September 20 2019 at 11:29AM

Thanks for posting this article!!! I have yet to empty any of my WC products just yet (they last SO long!) But I find myself reusing the sample packages all the time for travelling! I find it handy refilling my “sample containers” and it takes up less space! And I imagine I’ll reuse the Full sized containers in the same fashion for things like shampoo/conditioner when travelling or if I want to mix my own oils for a bath or something of the sort! Love your products, and excited about the new face moisturizer- I just picked mine up from Wild Root Hair Salon!