our fight against plastic

Renew

In 2011, we launched our first 100% recyclable, reusable plastic bottle made from renewable sugarcane and not petroleum. We call this PlantPlastic – an innovative type of plastic that reduces the bottle’s carbon footprint by about 70% compared to virgin petroleum-based plastic, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Now most of our bottles use 75% PlantPlastic and 25% recycled plastic. All of the sugarcane we use to make our PlantPlastic is certified through Bonsucro, ensuring that the sugarcane was harvested responsibly.

Reduce

We are always reassessing how we can improve our packaging and reduce the amount of materials we use. For our Ocean Washing Up Liquid Bottle, we worked with a biomimicry expert to reduce the amount of plastic used compared to the same bottle without the biomimicry design. This resulted in a distinctive design inspired by the lightweight yet robust skeletal structure found in many ocean micro-organisms.

Reuse and Refill

Since 1989, we’ve been encouraging people to reuse their containers and buy refill cartons rather than buying new plastic each time they run out. Our bottles can now be used more than 50 times, and refillable from many health food stores using our 15 litre refill carton. In 2016 we sold over 1.5m litres of Ecover refills across Europe and we are aiming to sell 10% more each year by making them easier to use and more widely available with our retailers.

Recycle

We want to make it as easy as possible to recycle our bottles. Ever wondered why we do not use bright colours in our bottles? It’s not that we’re boring, it’s because transparent or white plastic is easier to recycle than the fancy coloured stuff (which can be difficult to re-dye to another colour).

Recover

We’ve been using recycled materials since 2007 when we began using fully recycled cardboard for our paper packaging. Then in 2014 we started making most of our bottles from a mix of 25% recycled plastic and 75% PlantPlastic. Since launching our Ocean Bottle project in 2014, we’ve also reclaimed more than 11 tonnes of plastic from oceans, beaches, canals and waterways, raising awareness about the environmental consequences of plastic pollution. And this year, we’re taking an even bigger step, with the launch of our first 100% recycled plastic bottle from post-consumer waste (called PCR).

Reconnect

When it comes to taking a stand on the big issues, we’re not shy about acting on our instincts. In 2014, our first limited edition Ocean Washing Up Liquid Bottle was made from 10% plastic collected by North Sea fishermen, and 90% recycled plastic (PCR). In 2017, we launched a new bottle made from 50% plastic waste collected from the beaches, shores and ocean of Rio, and 50% recycled plastic (PCR).