Sustainable Skincare: Our Promise to the Planet

WELLNESS

Sustainable Skincare: Our Promise to the Planet

by Cristina Mueller – April 10, 2022

When it comes to skincare, we believe that no one should have to compromise on safety or sustainability. That is why we founded Pipette, a line of effective, safe skincare for babies (and their families) that doesn’t harm the environment or animals and is formulated with ingredients that are gentle, safe, and 100% clean.

And our story is supported by science. You might not know Pipette is part of a sustainable biotech company, Amyris, which received early funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop one of the world’s leading anti-malarial treatments. This sustainable, affordable cure enabled the manufacture of millions of anti-malarial treatments, saving thousands of lives. Pipette was born out of Amyris’s commitment to people and planet; we wanted to bring our groundbreaking scientific research and problem-solving approach to sustainable skincare.

Sustainable skincare made with moisturizing squalane

A hero innovation of Amyris is our proprietary sugarcane-derived squalane, which is the most sustainable, dependable source of squalane available. (More on our squalane’s genius in a minute). Using cutting-edge biotechnology, we created a line of squalane skincare products with clinically proven results. Most importantly, they’re safer and better for families and for the environment. We formulate using rigorous ingredient selection guidelines and ban over 2,000 potentially irritating, harmful, or environmentally suspect ingredients commonly found in baby care and cosmetics. This is our promise to you—now, and always.

Ethical from the ground up

Our proprietary hero ingredient, squalane, is derived from sugarcane. The sugarcane we use is grown in Brazil and is one of the most renewable, ethically produced sources of sugar—making Pipette products some of the most sustainable skincare products out there. Little to no irrigation is needed to grow the sugarcane due to the naturally abundant rainfall in Brazil. And because sugarcane grows like a weed and is a rapidly renewable crop, there’s always plenty of it, ensuring that the squalane skincare products we produce from it are readily available and affordable for all. Our sugarcane crops are Bonsucro Certified (Bonsucro is a global non-profit started by the World Wildlife Fund that ensures responsible sugarcane production) and are grown on established farmland far from the Amazon rainforest—because we have a zero-tolerance policy for deforestation.

Formulated with 100% renewable energy

Our sugarcane field is right next to our production facility, where the sugarcane bagasse (the dry, fibrous material that remains after the sugarcane juice is extracted from the stalks) is used for energy co-generation. Any excess energy our facility produces is released back to the power grid—so we’re replenishing our energy resources, not simply using them up. Our production facility was Brazil’s first biomaterial producer to be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. And here in the U.S., our Emeryville, California research lab is My Green Lab certified, which helps us reduce the environmental impact of everything we develop. And we’re proud to say that we are certified Platinum, the highest possible rating!

Pipette EWG Verified™ products

Ever wondered what that little round EWG Verified™ seal is on our bottles? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit watchdog organization dedicated to research and education about the health and safety of consumer products. Since 1992, the EWG has shined a spotlight on outdated legislation, harmful agricultural practices, and industry loopholes that pose a risk to our health and our environment. This is why the vast majority of Pipette products are EWG Verified™, which means they have passed the EWG’s strictest safety standards and are free of EWG’s chemicals of concern. Curious why a couple of our products don’t have the EWG Verified™ seal? At this time, the EWG verification process doesn’t extend to over the counter (OTC) products for children or sunscreens with an SPF higher than 30; but the ingredients in our OTC products are chosen according to the same stringent safety guidelines as our EWG Verified™ products, and we ban over 2000 potentially harmful or environmentally questionable ingredients from all our formulas. All ingredients in our OTC sustainable skincare products can be looked up in the EWG’s Skin Deep database, and receive excellent ratings.

Responsible, minimal packaging

Many of Pipette’s products are made without outer packaging in order to reduce waste. When you do see an outer carton, you can rest assured that it’s made from sugarcane-derived paperboard. The material is made from 100% pure sugarcane bagasse (yes, that fibrous pulp has multiple uses!). This means that since it’s made from a byproduct of the sugarcane pressing, it leaves nothing to waste. Our cartons are tree-free, completely recyclable, and from a rapid renewable resource. We also use no bleaching chemicals or dyes and choose not to use any metallic inks on the packaging, so the recyclability of components is not affected.

What is PCR, anyway?

And why is it important for our planet? Post-consumer recycled content, often referred to as PCR, is material made from the items that have been previously recycled. Plastics take an environmental toll on our landfills and oceans—which is why we use PCR plastic in our bottles and tubes as much as possible. Even so, our packaging is a work in progress: We are committed to increasing the amount of PCR used in our bottles and tubes, and we’re investigating innovative sustainable packaging materials and designs from manufacturers who are leaders in reducing environmental impact. We strive to use the most sustainable packaging options available for our formulations and continue to strive to improve as new technologies emerge.

Carbon Neutral Shipping

In 2020, we instituted carbon neutral shipping for all our products (at no cost to you!). What does that mean? It means we offset any carbon dioxide emitted from shipping to you by funding reforestation projects that plant trees—which help pull carbon back out of the atmosphere, which in turn helps combat global warming. Happy families, happy planet—it’s that simple.

Reduce, reuse…upcycle!

Once your sustainable skincare products arrive at your doorstep, that’s where you get to step in and help the planet. When you’re finished with your favorite Pipette product, rinse any remaining product and put them into your recycling bin. But recycling’s not the only way to give your bottles a second life. You can upcycle your empty Pipette items, and our bestselling multipurpose Baby Balm comes in a jar that’s a particularly handy shape for reuse. Here are a few ideas for how to repurpose it: