Packaging utilizing recycled materials
Beyond our dedication to providing customers with naturally enriched product formulations that are both gentle and effective, Natures Organics© has long been committed to producing products utilizing recycled materials at every opportunity; and minimising the wastage of valuable resources.
Today, our support of the ‘Endless Bottle’ concept results in around 240 tonnes of PET materials being reused and recycled each year - and simply demonstrates that modern technology (when used correctly) can move away from owing ecology an apology.
Plant based packaging
In addition to being the first in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere to produce recycled PET bottles for haircare and household cleaning products, Natures Organics has also recently become the first in the world to introduce sustainable, compostable packaging (PLA ) known as Bioplastic. Bioplastic is made from renewable plant-based ingredients (as opposed to a Petro-plastic made from crude oil ) and is the latest initiative that brings Natures Organics yet another step closer to achieving realistic sustainable development. This now means that the bottles of our entire Organic Care range are as ecologically sensitive as the contents inside.
Did you know: it takes 3.5 litres of crude oil to make 1 kilogram of plastic? There is 3.4 kilograms of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere for every kilogram of PET plastic created. In comparison there is only .27 kilograms of CO2 emitted for every kilogram of PLA. Not only does Natureworks BioPlastic come from a natural sustainable resource, it results in 95% reduction in CO2. This makes it the plastic of the future.
Environmental Accreditation: Why Natures Organics brands are not accredited.
In our opinion, an environmental accreditation should force those seeking accreditation to modify or change the way they produce and create products.
If the accreditation fails to achieve this, we believe it is not worth the paper it is written on. In my mind this completely contradicts the purpose of accreditation and sells it off to those who are willing to pay. In fact, it is our belief that we go beyond the accreditation by our high usage of recycled materials; our new cornstarch packaging materials to replace plastics derived from crude oil; our high usage of plant based raw materials and surfactants; and our pursuit and implementation of new technologies as they become available. If any of our consumers can share with us any insight or ideas that can improve the way we produce or create our products it is our unswerving commitment that will ensure we follow it through. The fact of the matter is everything we do has an impact on the environment; it is our job to minimize it. What is environmental today may be seen as detrimental tomorrow because as new technologies are developed we are finding better and better ways to produce ... Managing Director, Justin Dowel.
‘Choose Cruelty Free’
Choose Cruelty Free (CCF) is an independent, non-profit organisation which actively promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle - and accredits companies who are committed to producing and selling products which have not been tested on animals and do not contain cruelty-derived ingredients.
Natures Organics is proud to to be a member of Choose Cruelty Free. In creating our products, we never test on animals or use animal ingredients - and you can be equally sure that we never employ any third party supplier who does not meet these standards.
http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au
Kosher Certification
As an on-going commitment to the supply of quality products & high service to its customers, Natures Organics is extending its welcome not only to the Jewish community, but the larger community who practice Kosher.
Natures Organics is proud to announce that as of November 23rd 2010, we are officially Kosher certified for our dish and surface cleaners. Consumers wanting Kosher certified products can look for the official symbol of Kosher Australia on the back label of our products.
Our Commitment to Palm Oil
In 2009 we funded the placement of a resident vet at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo.
Dr Cecilia started working for the centre after she graduated and has been busy attending to orphaned, rescued and ex captive orangutans as they progress through the rehabilitation process. She has also set up systems to weekly monitor the babies who live in the nursery at the centre.
Sepilok would not be able to care for and rehabilitate these infants if it were not for the dedicated staff at the Centre and Dr Cecilia is certainly proving to be a huge asset.
Visit the News and Media section of the site for regular updates on Dr Cecilia.
Mischievous Sen just loves to play on the ropes and tyres of the Jungle Gym with his best friend Ceria. He first arrived at the Centre in 2006 as a 4 month old baby weighing just 1.75kg. Natures Organics adopted Sen in 2007
Now almost 14 kg, placid little Sogo first came to Sepilok in 2005 as a 1 year old weighing 2.25kg. She has since developed into an excellent climber - and a young lady with the looks to attract the eye of the boys. Natures Organics adopted Sogo in 2007.
Responsible sourcing of Palm oil
We share your concerns with the supply shortages of palm oil and the impact this is having on old growth forests in south East Asia and the resultant devastation to the habitat of the Orangutans.
Although we do not purchase Palm Oil directly from plantations we have obtained written confirmation from all of our ingredient suppliers ensuring that the Palm Oil used in our ingredients are not from old growth forests. We have also banned any Palm based surfactants with oil coming from Indonesia and Borneo to ensure that any product we produce does not come from deforested areas.
We are continuously looking into alternative sustainable materials but our choices are limited to what is commercially viable and readily available in the global market. At present, the only substitute ingredient to palm kernel in cleaning/cosmetic use is Coconut oil, but unfortunately there simply isn't enough supply to meet demand and there are not any suppliers willing to guarantee a sole coconut source due to the lack of supply. The other alternatives are derived from petrochemicals.
Manufacturers in the food industry are able to substitute Palm with other oils, for instance canola or soybean oil, but we cannot use these oils, as they don't contain the required fatty acid composition. The food and Bio Fuel industries account for 90% of the Palm oil usage and there increase in demand has led to the deforestation issues.
There is no requirement for us to divulge the type of oil used to produce our products. We choose to state our ingredients openly. Many manufacturers do not provide such information on the labels of other products. Palm oil is in fact classed as a vegetable oil so any product containing "vegetable oil" as an ingredient, including food products, could potentially contain palm oil.
We have been using palm oil for our cleaning/personal care products for over 30 years, as have many manufacturers in this industry. This palm oil was sustainably grown and no animal species were at risk. The problems that have arisen over the last 10 years are due to the food industry utilising this ingredient because it is much cheaper than other food oils, and the rapidly expanding biofuel industry. Cosmetic and cleaning companies use less than 10% of current palm oil production; the biggest threat to the future of the south East Asian rainforests are these other swiftly developing industries.
We are in the process of reformulating all of our products with some new sugar and corn derived surfactants but this takes time and these new ingredients have only recently become available. Unfortunately, at this present time we cannot get away from the fact that all surfactants and detergents come from petroleum, animal, or coconut and palm derived ingredients. We are ensuring, however, that our palm derived surfactants are sourced from sustainably grown plantations.
Natures Organics can assure you that we are committed to protect the environment and all of its creatures.
“The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river”
~ Ross Perot
© Natures Organics Pty Ltd. Inspired by Nature 100% Australian Made & Owned
