The Long and Twirly Swirly Road.
So the title sounds interesting but this blog feels similar to one of those Health & Safety reports you have to read before starting a new job. We wanted to share the process & how important we take the word Vegan, Eco & Safe. How it's the whole process and not just end product.
The journey started with suppliers, wholesale suppliers must not carry out animal testing on the products or ingredients & when a supplier stated Vegan without the Vegan trademark was it Vegan?
The second stage was the wholesale supplier’s plastic policy. It’s all too clear the impact on our planet & frightening how it is truly a race against time. During times of frustration, there were wonderful findings. Recycling aluminium, for instance is straightforward, profitable, environmentally. Making a can from recycled aluminium reduces its carbon footprint by up to 95% .
While virtually all plastics can now be recycled, many aren’t because the process is expensive, complicated & the resulting product is of lower quality than what you put in. The carbon-reduction benefits are also less clear.
You ship it around, wash it, chop it up, & to re-melt, so the collection & recycling itself has its own environmental impact.
Due to the ongoing communication with suppliers, over 80% of raw products are no longer delivered in plastic which just shows what can be achieved, when asking.
Now to the ingredients, the ingredients which will never be used in iindi.be products.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA).
The products are free from Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA). Both ingredients are surfactants that create bubbles & lather. SLS is made in a lab while SLSA is naturally derived from coconut & palm oils. The SLSA molecule is too large to penetrate the skin, thus causing less irritation than SLS - which is very irritating to the skin & hair.
The product is free from Parabens. Parabens are a preservative allowing products to survive for months, even years, in our bathroom, however when you use these products, they can also enter your body through your skin. The Environmental Working Group, who has done numerous independent studies regarding parabens, found that it’s possible for parabens to negatively impact the immune system, increase allergies & sensitivity. In order to preserve oils, you need to prevent a natural oxidation process. Oxidation is a chemical reaction which produces free radicals, which in turn create a chain reaction that damages the oils, antioxidants are great at preserving the life of oils. Antioxidants like Vitamin E do just what they say they do; they terminate reactions & prevent oxidation! For this reason, Vitamin E is added to the product & a bonus, it's fantastic for the skin.
The products are free from perfumes & fragrances. The wonderful aroma is purely from the pure high grade essential oils. Synthetic scents are one of the most toxic ingredients in bath products. The National Academy of Sciences stated 95% of chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum (crude oil).
The product is therefore Phthalate Free. Phthalates are endocrine disrupters and thought to mimic and displace hormones. This can have a range of unpleasant effects. It appears to be quite rare to see phthalates listed on a product label. Fortunately, there are clues in the cosmetic industry - the word "fragrance" or "parfum" on a label almost always means phthalates.
The products are packaged in recyclable sustainable packaging. If posted the tape to seal the box is also vegan & without plastic. The products are made with non-plastic equipment.
The results are a pure natural product carefully sourced with therapeutic benefits & an indulgent experience.