REN Clean Skincare sustainability stats.

REN Clean Skincare sustainability stats.

As many of you know, in 2018 we pledged to become Zero Waste by the end of 2021, producing only recycled, recyclable or reusable packaging in a bid to create a brand that is not just Clean to Skin, but Clean to Planet.

That was just three years to research more sustainable packs suitable for our formulas, find new suppliers to work with and of course, relaunch our clean skincare products in their new-look tubes, bottles or jars. With hurdles a’plenty and 2020 (which we won’t even give any more time to right now) things have been tough. But, we’re practising gratitude, looking back at the achievements we have made so far, because sometimes it’s not the destination but the journey, right?

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Post-Consumer Recycled Pellets

When plastic is taken to a recycling centre, it’s washed and processed down to smaller pellets which can then be reformed into recycled packaging. To date, we’ve purchased three tons of these pellets, amounting to over 250,000 REN Clean Skincare products being produced using recycled materials. Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, and Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser, are some examples of our bestselling products in such packs. By changing our bestsellers to be more sustainable first, we (yes, that’s you and us) help to minimise as much plastic going to landfill, in the quickest way possible, while keeping the plastic in circulation for as long as we can.

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Reclaimed Ocean Plastic

In 2018 we teamed up with TerraCycle for a new take on recycled packaging. A first of its kind in the beauty industry, and part-inspired by the ocean-sourced natural bioactives in Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium’s ingredient list, we created a bottle made from 80% recycled plastic and 20% plastic debris reclaimed from the ocean. To date, we’ve removed 1.5 tons of waste from the ocean, creating over 150,000 bottles for our Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Body Wash, Body Lotion, Hand Wash and Hand Lotion. Keep using our uber-hydrating hand and body range, and we’ll keep taking plastic out of the ocean, together.

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No-Carton Cleansers.

Metallic, unrecyclable cardboard, inserts plus mixes of metal, glass and plastic packs. This fancied-up packaging was once a pillar of the premium beauty industry - but to us it symbolises waste. In 2018 we removed the cartons from our cleansers, and these now-naked bottles sit proudly on our digital and in-store shelves, still with the information you need like ingredients and instructions. It’s allowed us to save a lot of cardboard from entering circulation and potentially, if not recycled properly, entering landfill or incineration.

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Enjoyed these statistics? There’s plenty more where that came from. Check out our Zero Waste Packaging Timeline for a rundown of the little changes we’ve made to create a bigger difference going forward. And, stay tuned for plenty more packaging innovations as we reach our Zero Waste Pledge by the end of 2021.