Sourcing

BUYING LOCALLY

We buy local whenever we can. If we can’t find what we need near our factory in Malle, Belgium, then we’ll look for producers based in Europe, keeping carbon emissions from transport as low as possible.

Some of the ingredients we buy locally are:

  • Rapeseed oil from France that’s used as a softening agent in our Fabric Conditioner
  • Rapeseed oil from Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia that’s used in our household cleaners
  • Sunflower oil from France and Germany that’s used in our Laundry Liquid
  • Linseed oil from Holland and France that’s used as linseed soap in our Floor Soap
  • A surfactant derived from European rapeseed oil that’s used in our laundry products

We also source smart by trying to match the size of our orders to our suppliers’ trucks, reducing the number of deliveries needed. More efficiency, fewer emissions.

PALM OIL DONE RIGHT

In recent years, palm oil production has been generating headlines for all the wrong reasons – and rightly so. It causes deforestation which can be catastrophic for natural habitats and biodiversity.

The flipside is that palm oil and palm kernel oil’s unique properties are key for making detergent. So this is what we’re doing right now.

First, 100% of the palm oil and palm kernel oil we source is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) which certifies that our suppliers’ plantations and practices are not contributing to deforestation.

Second, we’re thinking up sustainable alternatives to substantially reduce our need for palm oil and palm kernel oil in the long run. Always using nature as an inspiration – just like we’ve doing for over 40 years. And we’re already making serious progress.

OUR CODE FOR SUPPLIERS

We ask suppliers we work with to hold to our code of conduct. It helps ensure rigorous environmental and ethical standards are maintained, including:

  • Providing a healthy and safe workplace for their employees
  • Disposing of waste in an environmentally friendly way
  • Fair, non-discriminatory employment practices
  • No child labour
  • No animal testing or commissioning of animal testing on our behalf
  • Submitting environmental data for us to assess

At the same time, we have a collaboration program with our suppliers to help them improve their green credentials, like reducing water use or transportation distances – limiting our combined impact.

SOURCING

Supply chains can grow incredibly complex.

We all need a little help from like-minded friends now and then. So we rely on certifications like Leaping Bunny and Bonsucro to help us stay on the ball, monitoring and shining a light on where we can source even cleaner.

WHAT WE BELIEVE IN

So that’s Clean Sourcing.

When we say we live and breathe clean, we mean it. From the way we do business to how we source our ingredients to out war on ocean plastic – it’s all about finding new ways to put our values into practice. Even if it’s going to take a while to get there.

Find out more about what we’re doing…

Plastic

We’re waging war on single-use plastic. And we’re aiming to make all our bottles from recycled plastic.

 

 

 

 

Manufacturing

First we built one of the world’s most ecologically sound factories. Next stop: a zero-waste, zero-carbon footprint.

 

 

 

 

Sourcing

We’re making our supply chain more responsible. Buying local when we can and using suppliers with shared values.

 

 

 

 

Fragrances

We use fragrances that are designed to smell fresh and wonderful – not overpower you with toxic chemicals.

 

 

 

 

Design

We believe that packaging design can have a positive impact on people and the planet.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

Most of our ingredients are made of biodegradable plant-derived substances.