We believe a circular model is business in the 21st century. The current take-make-waste beauty system is a broken model that is not sustainable for the planet.
Our goal is to be a 100% circular designed brand by June 2021 - meaning all of our products will be offered in a refillable option or can be recycled (through infrastructure we pay for, as we know kurbside recycling is not/cannot recycle the majority of beauty material) creating a waste free beauty system.
Humans have created more than 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics — and 91% of it hasn’t been recycled. Of this, 70% of plastic waste is estimated to end up in the ocean or in landfills, where it takes over 400 years to decompose. If we don’t do something about this, it is anticipated there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.
We have also launched a free, incentivised recycling programme called the Emma Lewisham Beauty Circle. This accepts not only our packaging waste but that of other brands. The Emma Lewisham Beauty Circle diverts our plastic from landfill and ensures it has an infinite life, being recycled into new tubes or items for the community such as picnic tables. Learn more about participating in the Emma Lewisham Beauty Circle here.
We also offer our customers a refill option for products which use our glass bottles and containers. When you purchase a refillable product over a new bottle there is a quantifiable impact*:
- 70% less CO2 emissions
- 60% less energy
- 45% less water
*Research conducted by The LCA Centre
We believe one of the biggest changes that we can make to have the most drastic and positive impact on our planet is to lower carbon emissions. We believe the circular beauty model is core to drastically lowering our carbon emissions as an industry. The holy grail in carbon neutral beauty is that you avoid releasing carbon dioxide emissions in the first place – and this is why we believe strongly in the circular beauty movement.