Sustainability is in vogue. In fact, I would say that "sustainable" has been one of the most important words of 2020, with many companies now promoting their new eco-credentials and talking about their love for the environment. But how do you distinguish between brands that are genuinely committed to being sustainable and those that are just marketing?
Generally, there is a misunderstanding about what it truly means to be sustainable. While contextually it symbolizes a balance between people, planet, and profit, it is very easy for brands to fall into the trap of focusing on only one aspect of this. For example, stopping the use of plastic in their packaging but never considering how their customers dispose of the packaging (or trying to educate them on this topic), or declaring themselves a "sustainable" brand merely for using natural ingredients.
Both consumers and a large part of the scientific community believe that "natural" is synonymous with "sustainable" when, sadly, the truth is quite the opposite. One of the challenges facing the natural cosmetics industry is the availability of the ingredients used. Imagine if all manufacturers used the same ingredient, what would happen? The answer is very simple... There wouldn't be enough for everyone.
The uproar generated by palm oil in recent years has helped people better understand the importance of opting for sustainable resources, and thanks to this, sustainability and the use of raw materials that truly meet "green" requirements are increasingly demanded by consumers. For example, there's the recent problem with Candelilla wax. It is a natural vegetable wax that comes from a Mexican shrub used in many makeup formulas. However, according to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) this plant is classified as an endangered species. Moreover, another aspect is its yield. This is a crucial factor for an ingredient to be truly considered sustainable, along with the maintenance the plant requires and its growth rate.
Here at Twelve, we have always prioritized sustainable ingredients, seeking those that can genuinely be classified as such. For example:
– Mallow flower extract: A nitrophilous plant, meaning it grows quickly in nitrogen-rich soils (human activities increase the amount of nitrogen circulating between the living world and the soil). In other words, it tolerates polluted environments (roadsides).
– Buddleja leaf extract: As a colonizing plant, it is also associated with contaminated soils. You'll find it in abandoned fields or next to train tracks, for example.
– Spent grain wax: A byproduct of the food industry that used to be thrown away and is now used in cosmetics.
– Cupuaçu butter: One of the highest-performing natural butters.
– Squalane: Despite coming from a small fraction of olive oil, each olive tree is capable of absorbing 5 tons of CO2 per year!
– Hyaluronic acid: With new biotechnological methods, it is now produced naturally and in large quantities.
Therefore, perhaps the next time a company tells you "be green," ask them how they do it and why. We must go beyond buzzwords and opt for ethical brands that truly believe in committing to sustainability and equality with transparency and integrity. In my opinion, these are key fundamental values for the well-being of our planet and future generations.
