Half a ton per person: That's how much waste every resident in the European Union produces each year. The plastic from products and packaging ends up in the oceans, electronic waste spoils the landscape, and waste incineration harms the environment, climate, and ultimately health.
Zero Waste is essentially the opposite, vigorously fighting against the further growth of landfill sites. Zero Waste, literally translated as "no waste," is a theoretical assumption that cannot be consistently implemented in practice.
The goal is to avoid as much waste as possible through plastic-free and recyclable packaging, products without microplastics, and sustainable ingredients. Zero Waste cosmetics play a significant role in this effort.
What is Zero Waste Cosmetics?
Cosmetics without microplastics or with resource-saving, recyclable packaging are well-known. But what exactly does Zero Waste Cosmetics mean? To narrow down the term, we need to look at the five "R's," which are considered the Zero Waste principles. They stand for:
- Refuse, the conscious rejection of unnecessary items, including products and packaging that are not needed,
- Reduce, reducing to things you actually use,
- Reuse, using again whenever possible,
- Recycle, putting everything that remains into the recycling loop,
- Rot, meaning composting of organic waste.
The challenges may sound drastic in sum, but every individual and every company that keeps them at least in mind saves the planet a little more. In this sense, natural cosmetics can be called Zero Waste cosmetics, which use sustainable organic ingredients and come in recyclable packaging.
Natural cosmetics do not contain microplastics or other substances that are difficult to break down and harmful to the environment. The organic ingredients are ethically sourced and traded.
Good to know: For many companies that offer their sustainable cosmetics in our ENVI Naturals shop, the combination of highly effective ingredients is part of their stated company philosophy, resulting in highly concentrated care products that require minimal packaging and last a long time.
Why should you use Zero Waste Cosmetics?
Zero Waste cosmetics are not just practiced environmental protection. Plastic-free care not only protects the oceans - it also preserves skin, hair, and the entire body from chemical preservatives, petroleum-based or synthetic auxiliary substances that can cause allergies and skin irritations.
The natural or nature-based raw materials that characterize vegan natural cosmetics are also absorbed much better and more effectively by the skin and hair than conventionally produced products. Nevertheless, Zero Waste cosmetics still require packaging - which is technically a contradiction in terms.
But for sustainable care packaging, only already recycled or recyclable materials are used without exception. Some companies already use corn or natural starch, creating no waste during production, and the packaging can be composted or disposed of in organic waste.
What makes Zero Waste Cosmetics so special?
All the companies whose brands we offer here in our ENVI Naturals shop are committed to sustainability. Natural cosmetics, which are also vegan, are produced under the highest ecological and fair trade conditions and represent the functioning team play of beauty and nature and climate protection.
Zero Waste is part of this overall concept. Because the vegan organic ingredients are used very concentrated, there is a very effective ratio of high efficacy to minimal packaging. Brands like Amala Beauty, Susanne Kaufmann, or The Glow have wonderful beauty products in their repertoire that regenerate, smooth, and increase the radiance of the skin as versatile all-round talents.
The desired effects often require a creamy texture, while solid consistencies would diminish the effect. That's why many companies avoid solid shampoo and shower products. As certified natural cosmetics, cream and lotion, serum and shampoo are also available in liquid form - and as refill items - for responsible environmental protection.
Where can you buy Zero Waste Cosmetics?
In our ENVI Naturals shop, we offer a selected range of certified natural cosmetics that are vegan and follow the basic principles of Zero Waste. Our brands, such as Amala, The Glow, or Susanne Kaufmann, are not only sustainably produced, plastic-free, and according to strict organic standards but are also made without animal testing and packaged using fully recyclable materials.
