Sustainability
Below, you will find more information about our ingredient sourcing, packaging, shipping and packing materials and office.
All of our packaging (plastic/glass/metal) can be recycled for free at any TerraCycle® drop-off location. You will find these in Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores nationwide. Click here for an interactive map of drop-off locations.
Ingredient Sourcing
We purchase about 85% of our ingredients from a supplier that is 10 miles from our office. While some of these ingredients are sourced in the US, many of the oils are ultimately from Europe (apricot, avocado, grapeseed and olive oils). About 80% of the oils we purchase are certified organic. Certified organic ingredients are grown and harvested in a much more earth-friendly way, free of harsh chemicals. We purchase our raw ingredients in as big a quantity as possible for a small business. This means that many of the ingredients are in 5 gallon sizes which cuts down on plastic. All of the plastic packaging that our ingredients come in, is recycled locally.
Product Packaging
This is the area we spend a substantial amount of time on. We purchase all of our packaging from US companies. Our plastic packaging is made in the US. We are always working on changing out plastic for products where this is possible. Refill sizes, products used in the shower and products that require squeezing to be applied are more difficult to figure out. We have looked at aluminum, however, as a small business it has proven to be cost prohibitive currently (eight times as high as plastic). Glass is another option. This requires more packing materials, outer boxes and has a large carbon footprint to ship. We do not ship our products with outer boxes that end up being thrown away. Please read below for information on our current packaging and recyclability.
- Serums, Argan Oil, Blemish Defense- glass bottle. Dropper bottles have a glass dropper with rubber bulb and plastic surround. Roller bottles have a plastic roller ball and plastic polypropylene cap. Glass is infinitely recyclable.
- Powders, Dry Shampoo- Aluminum shaker bottle with metal cap. Recyclable and reusable.
- Powder and Dry Shampoo Refills- Packaged in a home compostable zipper pouch. Remove label before composting. Label can be recycled with paper.
- Shea Butter Tin- metal tin container. Fully recyclable.
- Sample size jars of Day and Night Creams- white polypropylene. Recycle code <5>.
- Shower Gels, Toners, Facial Cleanser, Body Oils, Makeup Remover, Hair Oil, Lotions- PET amber bottles. Recycle code <1>.
- Trial size 1 oz natural bottles - HDPE natural bottle. Recycle code <2>.
- Foaming Soap 8 oz- PET bottle. Recycle code <1>. Foaming pump- polypropylene. Recycle code <5>. Pump can be reused for many refills before recycling.
- Green Tea Cleaner, Shaving Foam 8 oz- HDPE natural bottle. Recycle code <2>. Foaming pump- polypropylene. Recycle code <5>. Pump can be reused for many refills before recycling.
- Calendula Cream, Herbal Balm, Cleansing Grains, Shea Hand Cream, Baby Balm, 2 oz Day and Night Creams- PCR (post consumer recycled) PET white jars. Recycle code <1>.
- Deodorant tubes- white polypropylene tube. Recycle code <5>.
- Bottle caps- white and black polypropylene caps. Recycle code <5>. White and black metal caps for 64oz jugs and 4oz jars are aluminum and recyclable.
Product Labels
Our labels are printed on FiberStone® Paper. It is made from 80% Calcium Carbonate and 20% non-toxic resin (HDPE- High-Density Polyethylene). The Calcium Carbonate comes from limestone collected as waste material from existing quarries for the building and construction industry. It is ground down to a fine powder like chalk and the HDPE acts as a binder for the Calcium Carbonate. Some of the benefits of Fiberstone® are:
- Tree-free, water-free, chlorine-free, acid-free
- Water and oil resistant
- Strong and durable
- Clean production process does not emit toxins into the environment
- Labels are recyclable with paper recycling
Shipping Materials
Our products are shipped via USPS for 95% of orders. For large orders, it may be more cost effective for us to use UPS.
Orders under 1 lb are shipped in padded mailing envelopes. Depending on the volume of the order, we use either a 100% post consumer recycled padded envelope that is plastic free and curbside recyclable or an Ecoenclose bubble envelope. This envelope is made with a minimum of 50.27% recycled plastic (10% post consumer). It has an extra adhesive strip so that it can be reused and it is recyclable with plastic film recycling. (Most grocery stores have bins to recycle plastic film and plastic bags.) Ecoenclose will also take back the used mailers. Click HERE for more info.
Orders over 1lb are shipped in USPS priority mail boxes that can be reused and recycled with curbside recycling. We also use USPS priority mail padded envelopes. These can be recycled with plastic film recycling and placed in plastic bag take back bins located in most grocery stores.
Our shipping labels are also from Ecoenclose. They are printed thermally so no ink is needed. They are curbside recyclable. The labels come on zero waste release liners that are 100% recycled and curbside recyclable. We do use these release liners as void fill when packaging large orders.
Our packing tape is from Ecoenclose. It marries a cellulose backing with a high-performing natural rubber adhesive. It is 100% plant-derived, renewable, and industrially compostable.
Our Be Green branded tissue paper and sticker that your order will be wrapped in is from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, acid free paper printed with soy-based ink.
The void fill we use includes air pillows, paper, bubble wrap, peanuts and other misc. products. All of the fill is donated to us by friends, family and local businesses to be reused and recycled. Please recycle air pillows and bubble wrap with plastic film recycling. We do purchase protective paper packaging for the 64oz refill sizes. This is a sustainable alternative to bubble packaging. It is compostable and recyclable. We also purchase small bubble pouches for the glass bottles but will be transitioning to the protective paper once our supply is finished.
Your packing slip is printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper. On the reverse side, we print information about Be Green and our products.
Office
In our office, we use 100% LED lighting. We use an energy efficient Mitsubishi mini-split for both heating and cooling. (Honestly, though, we don't use the heat or AC very often.) All lights are turned off at the end of the work day and electronics are powered down to sleep mode to conserve electricity. All of our paper and plastic waste is recycled on a weekly basis. We use nearly all of our paper waste as void fill when shipping products.
We strive to be as earth-friendly, sustainable and low waste as possible. If you have any comments, questions or ideas about we can become more sustainable, please reach out to karen@begreenbathandbody.com.
Let customers speak for us
I was looking for a clean, natural moisturizer and I came across this one on the EGW website. I love how moisturized my skin feels in the morning, but at night it is a bit greasy looking depending on how much you lather on, but I don’t mind it at all, I feel like it’s nourishing my skin. I am so happy with this night cream that I am going to order another one. I love it!
I foolishly failed to wear fully protective clothing when attempting to bathe a feline family member who was transplanted to my home from an environment full of allergens. I ended up with several serious scratches, and was concerned about the likelihood of these causing lasting scars, especially as I had no antibiotic ointment/creams on hand. However, the scratches I washed, then used Calendula Cream on were immediately soothed. As I continued to use Calendula Cream over the following days, the torn edges of the scratches noticeably smoothed down, instead of standing up like the edges of a chasm, as former, untreated scratches had done. It's been about 1 month, and all but the worst scratch have entirely faded away. I know this isn't one of the touted uses of Calendula Cream, but Wow! I was impressed that it worked so well for this application. Calendula Cream has also been great for moisturizing dry or irritated skin.
I can write a positive review on all the wonderful products I have been using yet, the one that has had the most impact on me is the Calendula Cream. I struggle with dry skin and also have a food allergy which makes me itch something awful if I'm not careful. I have tried many different products most of them that were recommended to me by my dermatologist, yet nothing has worked up to now. I am super pleased and impressed with this cream and the results I am receiving. My arms feel super hydrated and my skin soft to the touch. Just wish it came in a bigger size.
My skin had been so dry, so I was looking for something to help. This product is great and has helped so far! I also use it around my eyes which helps with dryness there too. It feels natural and safe.
This is the only cleanser I use now. Not only is it great for my sensitive skin it leaves my face feeling soft and not dried out. Love it so much!
Such a great product and my skin drinks this in. It is great to have a body oil to lock in the moisture, especially after a hot bath.
I love it that this is EWG verified. This does a great job of treating the dry ends of my hair.
I stopped using harsh chemical deodorants & antiperspirants years ago. And I have been on the quest to find a natural product that actually works. I have been using this deodorant for about three weeks now and I have to say, it does help post- menopausal hormonal stink and regular sweat. I love the fact that it doesn’t have an overpowering scent, and that it is a natural fragrance. It is soft but I just apply and then using a finger, swipe it around the armpit. Also, I love the trial size, it fits perfect in my tiny purse. I’m going to buy the full-size soon, I just wanted to make sure it did the job, and it does.
So happy to have found a clean lip balm that has a slight tint. I’ve tried a bunch of other types (most often end up resembling a lipstick in order to get a tint), but have not been a fan. This chapstick is true to a no fuss, non makeup type of product that is light weight and gives just a hint of color - nothing over the top or too obvious. Highly recommend!
Pleased to say this cream still works like a dream! While I use it for all dry, itchy spots it's mainly for my face which is very sensitive and reactive bc of rosacea. This formula always leaves my skin gently moisturized and free of redness.
QUESTION FIRST: Does this come in other scents? My SO loves it too.
We have tried the Shaving foam (not for me, see review) and the hair oil & deodorant so far.
The latter two have been absolute winners!
We mixed 1/4 tsp cider vinegar + 1/4 cup water and put in a litter mister bottle and sprits a few times & let air dry a tad before applying the deodorant. Have had ZERO sensitivity issues and my SO has eczema and I have skin that hates literally everything.
The deodorant is so silky smooth because of the natural oils and beeswax, I personally:
1. wash my hands
2. Spritz vinegar solution
3. Swipe my finger over the top of the product (it is quite soft at room temp) and then rub into my skin
4. Sterilize top with alcohol wipe
Oh and no annoying white armpit crumbs from it either, it just melts into the skin.
I have only begun to use the day cream, but so far I am a fan! It is both creamy, and absorbent. A little goes a long way, like they advertise. My ony disappointment is that I thought it was packaged in a glass jar. I have been looking for moisturizer in glass. For some reason, I thought this fit the bill. So...I will continue to search, but in the meantime I will enjoy using this day cream. With so much plastic in our bodies and the environment, I am sorry that more manufacturers aren't going back to using glass.
I'm always hesitant to try new products on my face as my skin irritates & breaks out easily. After reading so many positive reviews I went with the 3 oz trial size - wow! I was in love! Aside from not causing any irritation, it left a nice dewy glow and was amazing at moisturizing. I quickly purchased the full size and have been using for weeks now with continued success. I've added their other products in to my regimen, like the carrot/calendula toner & rosehip regenerative serum. Both have been lovely to my skin and bonus, no breakouts since switching! I'm so grateful to have found this company!!
I purchased a gift card for my daughter’s birthday. She absolutely loves your products!!!
