We strive to continuously improve our packaging

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.

What is the best way to store our products?

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.

What is the shelf life of our skincare and medicine products?

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.

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?

Weleda uses a variety of materials for its packaging. Approximately 60% is made of glass, 15% of aluminium and the rest of our packaging is made of different plastics. Our packaging has to do a lot in order to protect its sensitive contents. Glass, aluminium and plastic – each packaging material has its advantages and disadvantages, which have to be weighed for each individual product.

Why we use glass and aluminium tubes to package some of our products
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.

Why we use plastic bottles to package some products
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.

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!

Weleda Recycling Program

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What sustainability means to us

Sustainability is part of our identity. Our pharmaceuticals and natural skin care are not only good for you. We are striving to make our business even more future-proof and sustainable and care for biodiversity and healthy soils.

Our raw materials are sourced ethically and sustainably

We are committed to ensuring that our raw materials are ethically sourced. That’s why we have been certified since 2018 by the Union for Ethical BioTrade.

We care for biodiversity around the world

In producing our natural skin care and pharmaceutical products, we treat the earth’s resources with care at every step – starting with the seeds that we plant. In doing so, we are protecting biodiversity and nurturing healthy soils around the world.

Why do we use palm oil?

We are committed to the sustainable cultivation of palm oil

Weleda receives B Corp certification

Weleda has been committed to nature and society for 100 years. The international non-profit    B Lab has now certified that we are making the world a better place through our corporate culture.

How Weleda is changing the world

Weleda is now a certified B Corp. In this interview we speak about the certification process, the high standards of the issuing organisation, and the reasons that led us to take this step.