CONSCIOUS INITIATIVES

ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS & METHODS USED

Designed Intentionally

Every piece of packaging can be reused, repurposed or recycled!

Any plastic bottles or jars that are used are BPA free and are, both, recyclable and reusable. Glass jars are reclaimed, reusable and recyclable.

Ethically Made

Ingredients are, either, grown locally (and harvested responsibly) or are sustainably sourced. No hexanes, phalates, harsh chemicals or synthetic fillers are used,ever.

Safely Prepared

Minimal plastic wrappings are used for the purpose of providing a tamper-evident seal on bottled items. Custom tamper-evident seals are also present on jars, for sanitary and safety purposes.

Mindfully Packaged

Our new labels are thermal printed, which uses less energy (and heat only, no ink), which is more environmentally friendly. This also reduces the use of ribbon cartridges, which helps to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste and by-products. Additional printing is done with vegetable based inks on 100% post-consumer paper, with a recycle compatible adhesive.

Packing peanuts used are Certified Eco-Friendly. Made from cornstarch, they are fully biodegradable and dissolve when soaked in water (leaving behind no harmful residue). 

We use water activated tape that is made with 50% recycled paper.

Our white/red tissue paper is made from recycled materials and is printed with soy-based inks. It is acid, sulphur, and lignin-free. For end of life - it fully breaks down within 180 days in a home compost, and 90 days in a commercial composting facility.

Our kraft/black tissue paper is made from recycled materials, and is recyclable and naturally biodegradable. It is also printed with black Algae Ink - dubbed "the world's most sustainable ink"! This carbon-negative printing method utilizes algae cells for pigments, making it safer and cleaner to work with. 

ECO-FRIENDLY "REFILL" OPTIONS AVAILABLE!

MWLAS™ provides a "refill" option for products wherever possible, such as amber glass pump dispenser bottles that can be used with facial cleanser refill pouches.

In the instance that a "refill" may not be available, MWLAS™ encourages everyone to recycle any used glass and/or plastic product containers.

SOURCING RESPONSIBLY

Coconut Oil

Serendipol of Sri Lanka - (Website) (Fair For Life rating)

This processor and exporter of virgin coconut oil has an organic and a fair trade certification. About 1,300 coconut farmers cultivate coconut trees in the Southwestern part of the island on a total area of approximately 8,500 hectares. Serendipol's oil mill is located in the vicinty of the coconut plantations. Agricultural consultants support and train the local farmers and perform the organic inspection. The fair trade bonus is used to implement numerous local development projects.

Palm Oil

Serendiplam of Ghana - (Website) (Fair World Project article)

Palm oil is a widely used, high volume and highly controversial plant oil. The difference between Serendipalm’s palm oil production and that of our major competitors becomes obvious as soon as you set foot on the project. They grow oil palms on large monoculture plantations, often on recently cleared forest land. The palm fruits are processed in central oil factories that are poorly integrated into local communities—often with disastrous results for people, animals, and the environment. Serendipalm, on the other hand, only buys palm fruits from local organic smallholder farmers, whom we helped switch to organic cultivation while assisting them in continuously improving soil fertility and yields.

Olive Oil

Canaan of Palestine (Website)

Founded by Palestinians near the West Bank town of Jenin. Their objective was to improve the economic situation of olive farmers in the West Bank through fair trade with customers in the West, while promoting peaceful coexistence with Israel. Canaan works closely with the Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) and now purchases oil from 1,700 smallholder members.

Sindyanna of Israel (Website)

A fair trade business run by Jewish and Arab women in Israel, supporting around 200 local Arab-Israeli farmers and workers. Profits are channeled back into Arab women education. Established in 1996, they are the only certified fair-trade olive oil producer in Israel. 

Mint Oil

Pavitramenthe of India - (Website) (Fair For Life rating)

This project involves over 1,200 smallholder farmers who have been converting their farms to organic practices and certification. Their small fields, typically less than 2 acres, are farmed in rotation, using 2 or 3 different crops every year. Farmers are supported through training, hardware and seed supplies, with the shift to conservation tillage, and the planting of cover crops and nitrogen fixing leguminous rotations crops, such as beans and lentils, for sale in the EU. In addition to agricultural projects, such as vermicompost pits, Pavitramenthe has facilitated and funded medical camps, the construction of home toilets and the distribution of water coolers for drinking water. 

Palm Kernel Oil

Natural Habitats of Ecuador - (Website) (Grassroots Business Fund profile

Natural Habitats is committed to environmental practices that sustain the land and its people, and to a participative production model that ensures economic and social benefits for farmers and workers. Using only 100% organic practices by independent farmers and owned plantations in South America, they boast the maintenance of a "fully traceable" supply chain.

Sugar

Native Green Cane of Brazil - (Website)

One of the largest sustainable agricultural projects in the world. In adherence with strict organic standards, the sugar cane fields are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Native provides safe work conditions and healthcare assistance to its employees, while paying growers a fair price for their crops.

Essential Oils

I feel like it's really important to note here that - despite being byproducts of nature - by definition, essential oils (themselves) are *not* actually "natural" products. Technically speaking, they are manufactured products. Think about it - have you ever seen a plant distilling itself in the wild?

That aside - all essential oils used by MWLAS are either wildcrafted, organically crafted, or independently certified as organic. I do not (nor will I) ever source from MLMs/Direct Selling/"Social Retail" companies or any other pyramid scheme style businesses.

All oils used are free of chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides; this supports the health and vitality of the soil, the plant, and therefore the essential oil itself. The best way to assure the purity of each batch of oil is by testing the oil with Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Essential Oils are only purchased from distillers and distributers who sell oils extracted from plants that have not been sprayed or treated with any chemicals, and can also provide legitimate GC/MS results. While all house-made scent blends are considered proprietary, if applicable, I do note any known instance(s) of EO that may cause a reaction and/or sensitivity.