Recycling and less waste
We are constantly working on on improving our sustainability.
Why do we use plastic packaging? Because so far, there’s no perfect solution for all our products. But we are working hard to make our packaging even better, to reduce its impact on the environment.
Why we package our products
A face cream should feel good, smell good and have long-lasting effects. But satisfying all those requirements isn’t that simple. That’s because we deliberately refrain from using synthetic preservatives. And we mainly use natural ingredients such as pure plant oils and essential oils, which are highly sensitive, especially to oxygen. Adequate packaging ensures that the oils are not exposed to oxygen, which would cause them to become rancid. It also prevents the evaporation of volatile substances, such as fragrances.
Less bad is not really good
We are constantly working to improve the ecological sustainability of our packaging. In an ideal world, our packaging would be 100% compostable while providing our products with optimal protection. Currently we use different materials depending on the product requirements, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
“For a beautiful and healthy world, we must act sustainably.”
What types of packaging do we use?
Recycled glass
Advantages
- Glass can be recycled endlessly with no loss in quality
- Glass is non-reactive and offers a very good barrier, for example against oxygen
Disadvantages
- Glass is much heavier than plastic or aluminium, meaning higher CO2 consumption during transport
- Glass might break or shatter, which can be especially hazardous in the bathroom or at the changing table
Plastic
Advantages
- Plastic is lightweight, meaning lower CO2 consumption during transport
- Plastic packaging is shatterproof and easy to handle
Disadvantages
- Many countries have no plastic recycling schemes; a lot of plastic waste is incinerated or used to generate energy
- Not all plastic packaging is recyclable
- Unregulated plastic disposal risks polluting the environment
- Used packaging is mainly downcycled, which turns the material into lower-grade plastics. New packaging is still mainly produced from new, virgin plastic
Aluminium
Advantages
- Aluminium is impervious to air and non-reactive
- Tube openings are small and the aluminium retains its shape, preventing a suction effect in which oxygen could enter the tube and cause the contents to spoil
- Aluminium has very good recyclability
Disadvantages
- The production of aluminium consumes a lot of energy. Bauxite mining pollutes the environment
- Aluminium tubes can break at the creases
What we have achieved so far
Skin Food Body Butter is now available in a glass jar. We have increased the proportion of recycled plastic in the packaging of our deodorants. Many of our other products also come in packaging with a high proportion of recycled plastic. For example, our Weleda Calendula Baby Oil now comes in a bottle made of 97% recycled plastic (excluding cap and label).
Recycle your empties!
You can now send hard-to-recycle packaging and closures back to Weleda FREE of charge and we’ll recycle it for you!
Help and Support
The best way to store our products is away from direct sunlight in a cool, dry environment. It is important that all products be firmly sealed after each use. We recommend that you store the products this way to protect the nature of the formulations.
Our skin care products have an average shelf life of 1 - 2.5 years. Please always see our product packaging for individual product information and expiration dates.
The ideal way to use our aluminum tubes is to press or squeeze lightly at the end (opposite the opening). To maintain tube integrity, avoid rolling the aluminum tube.
Glass and aluminium tubes are used to package some of our premier formulations due to the fine ingredient composition of the products. Essential oils are “living,” making them extremely volatile. Both glass and aluminium are nonreactive with the formulations, eliminating oxygenation, oxidisation or degeneration.
We use recyclable and food grade PET and PE/PP plastic to package some of our products, such as baby products, body lotions and body washes to ensure safe and easy use of these products.