sustainability

Sustainability

We BELIEVE IN

A Better World

In 2022, we chose to shift all our packaging* to a more renewable source, and moving to a plant-based plastic just made sense.

Sugar cane plastics come from a renewable source (sugar cane) and, just like trees, sugarcane takes carbon out of the atmosphere as it grows.

Our sugar plastic bottles are also 100% recyclable through kerbside collection in NZ, so they can be remade into new bottles. All our labels have also transitioned to paper-based with biodegradable inks*

*except for Aloe Vera tonics, which are in RPET bottles with synthetic labels for now

It's What On the

Inside that Counts

Sustainable sourcing of ingredients is an ethos we live by, and we want to know every detail of the sourcing process because we only purchase ingredients from the best growers in sustainable regions.

We are proud to source organic spirulina from the finest spirulina supplier in the world, renown not only for their quality, safety, and nutrient density but their sustainable practices. Our Barley and Wheat Grasses are both grown sustainably in Canterbury, our Omega 3 is made with algae oil, not fish oil, and our Magnesium is sustainably sourced from Irish marine saltwater - and that's just a few of our favourites!

TACKLING THE

Plastic Problem

Climate change and plastic pollution are two of the biggest challenges the world faces right now.

Since pioneering Spirulina and Aloe Vera in Australasia (back in 1980, before "plant-based" was even a thing!) we've grown our range to continue to bring you clean, plant-based and wholefood products that deliver results - all while staying in mother nature's good books.

Most plastic is made from non-renewable petrochemicals, and oil-based plastics require mining for oil, which releases carbon from the Earth’s soil into our air. Then extraction process and conversion into plastic releases further carbon into the atmosphere, adding to climate change.

Why do we use

Plant-Based Plastic

Before switching to sugarcane plastic, we spent many months researching different types of packaging. We needed to ensure our packaging was safe & easy to use, sustainable, and durable. We explored several options (like glass or recycled plastic) but sugar cane plastic felt right for us, as a leader in plant-based heath.

NON GMO SUGARCANE: It's made from a renewable source, making it a better and more sustainable way to make plastic.

CARBON POSITIVE: As sugarcane grows, it removes carbon from the atmosphere, to help reduce your carbon footprint

KERBSIDE RECYCLABLE: It's food-safe & recyclable - classed as #2 HDPE plastic, unlike some other types of bio-based plastic.

Sustainably Sourced

From Brazil

The sugarcane used for our packaging is sustainably and ethically sourced from Brazil as a by-product of the sugarcane industry. It is also non-GMO. It is then milled and transformed into sugarcane ethanol, which is then used to create Sugarcane Plastic.

The processing facilities that make sugarcane ethanol operate almost exclusively on energy that comes from sugarcane by-products. The Sugarcane Plastic is sent in bulk to our packaging manufacturer in Auckland where it’s turned into our new Lifestream bottles.

What about

Recycling?

While sugarcane plastic isn’t biodegradable, it is 100% recyclable.

Sugarcane-based HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is chemically identical to traditional petrochemical plastic, without the carbon-heavy processing. This means it can be recycled in the same chain used for recycling traditional petrochemical plastics (unlike other bio-based plastics, which can’t be recycled this way).

Please note that our Aloe Vera tonic is currently in RPET plastic, and we are working on a more sustainable solution.

This is just the beginning for us. We’re not perfect and we’ve got a long way to go - but we’re so glad that you’ve chosen to come along on our journey to sustainability.