How is The Nue Co packaging sustainable?Updated 2 years ago

For us, sustainability goes beyond choosing to print on recycled paper. We believe that sustainability starts with your culture – doing good business, for the right reasons. For us, that means never taking short-cuts with packaging, ingredients, or testing. We’re not perfect, but we’re trying to do our best across the board.

First up, glass: since our launch in 2017, we’ve been committed to using glass jars and bottles for all our formulas. Not only does our signature pharmaceutical glass protect our formulas without the need for harsh preservatives, glass is the easiest material to recycle and reuse. It is an infinitely recyclable material and has an endless lifespan. Glass is more expensive for us to buy and ship, but its reusability makes it a worthwhile investment.

You might notice that our boxes aren’t smooth and shiny or soft to the touch like some brands - this is because we don’t laminate them. Generally, laminates are plastic-based, which can impact the recyclability of paper since plastic and paper run through different waste streams. The paper we use for our boxes is 30% post consumer recycled, which is Green Seal Certified, FSC Certified and manufactured with 100% renewable energy. The paper is processed chlorine free, significantly reducing the amount of harmful waste produced in manufacturing. The ink we print with is vegetable based soy ink.

Finally, our lids are made from a material called phenolic, which is a thermoset plastic. This is a rigid plastic which is widely used across multiple household products for its durability. Other examples are melamine, polyester, Bakelite, silicone, and polyurethane. This is a category seven material, which means it cannot be recycled in household waste streams.