At Natracare, our mission is to provide people with personal care products that are better for your body, and better for the environment. As a company, we’re always looking for ways we can help protect the planet and leave a softer carbon footprint – for example using primarily renewable natural materials. We were inspired by Great Big Green Week to write about 5 ways Natracare works towards a greener future.
The Great Big Green Week is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Between the 24th of September and 2nd of October 2022, thousands of people are taking action to tackle climate change and protect green spaces. You can get involved to help raise the profile of climate change and attending a local Big Green Week event or even hosting your own. This could include a coffee morning, bake-off, or even a football match, and in addition to the Big Green Week events -there are lots of ways that you can play a part in helping your community strive towards a greener future.
Find some of the ways we work champion a greener and more sustainable future
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Providing plastic-free period products
On average, women and people who menstruate will use around 11,000 menstrual products in their lifetime, generating about 200,000 tonnes of waste per year. Not only this, but the average pack of period pads contains 36g of plastic, which is equivalent to 5 plastic carrier bags. These pads will sit in landfills polluting our soil and oceans forever.
At Natracare we have ditched the plastic. Our products are made from renewable, biodegradable, and compostable materials. We use recycled cardboard packaging, compostable cardboard tampon applicators, and bio-based compostable plastics made from renewable resources to produce products that are better for your health and the environment. Any plastic that we use for our packaging is essential to their function as well as your safety. We are always continuously working towards more sustainable alternatives.
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We are Biodegradable AND Compostable
It’ s important to make the distinction between biodegradable products and products that are biodegradable AND compostable. Compostable products are made from natural materials that decompose completely without producing toxic components in the process. Biodegradable products decompose in the right conditions over time which could be anywhere from months to thousands of years. Therefore, products that are only labelled biodegradable may not be compostable as well, making it difficult to know how to dispose of them in the most eco-friendly way. Products that are biodegradable and compostable can be disposed of in a compost bin or in an industrial or commercial compost.
Natracare is the only disposable period product company to have achieved certification for EN13432 and ASTM D6400 commercial composting. We now carry the Seedling mark to identify our products as compostable. They aren’t certified as home compostable as this certification isn’t available for period products – but the individual components of our period products are suitable for home composting.
You can read more about how you can compost your pads or tampons and help your community drive a greener future.
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We’re vegan and cruelty-free
Adopting a vegan lifestyle helps slow down climate change by slowing the deforestation, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions produced by the meat industry. But a vegan lifestyle doesn’t just include a vegan diet, you can also have a vegan period.
A product is vegan if it does not contain any animal derived ingredients, and a product is cruelty-free if the ingredients and sub-ingredients have not been tested on animals. Natracare’s period products are all vegan and cruelty-free, made from natural ingredients like certified organic cotton. Many manufacturers of period products have a history of animal testing and poor welfare standards. So, by choosing period products that are cruelty free can help benefit the planet as well as the animals we share it with.
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Being proud 1% for the Planet members
Natracare became the first ever period product company to become members of 1% for the Planet in 2019. 1% for the Planet is a global network of environmentally conscious, non-profit organisations and like-minded businesses and individuals fighting together for climate justice. We donate 1% of our annual turnover to environmental organisations every year and have donated over £500,000 so far. This means that every time you purchase a Natracare product, some of what you pay is giving back to the planet, and our donations to give back do not stop there. Natracare have been donating to organisations fighting for racial justice, intersexual feminism, and menstrual equity and education for over 30 years.
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Making our workspaces green
Not only is it our mission as a brand to protect the planet and leave a soft carbon footprint through our products, but we also make it our mission to do our bit in the running of our business too. We have worked to reduce our carbon emissions and waste to increase sustainability at Natracare HQ. For example, we power our office with a 40kw solar array, which we have recently doubled in size. This helps us to save around 18,000kg of CO2 every year and supply green energy back to the power grid. Alongside this, we have made the switch to greener transportation easier for the team by providing electric car chargers and being part of the cycle to work scheme. We also have weekly organic fruit deliveries, and our very own green space lovingly converted into a wildflower haven for pollinators. Our garden even boasts its very own beehive and colony.
Protecting our green spaces and raising the profile of climate change is at the heart of everything we do at Natracare. The Great Big Green Week gives you an opportunity to get involved in doing the same. Tell us how you’re getting involved and driving for a greener future in the comments below!
