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Eco-fashion brands have caught up with conscious consumers’ questions with sustainability reports, certifications and sharing a product’s environmental impact. But, what about sustainable wellness brands? Even though they do exist it doesn’t feel like the wellness industry has caught up with big announcements about refillable packaging or ethically sourced ingredients. And, without them sharing that knowledge shopping for natural and sustainable wellness brands sometimes feels foggy and unclear. So, how’s a consumer to know whether or not a brand is truly sustainable?
The answer is one-part reading a brand’s story and one-part knowing what to look for. While it might take a little digging, there are a few things you should know when deciding just how eco-friendly and ethical a sustainable wellness brand truly is. And, by knowing what to look for you’ll have a better understanding of where to consciously spend your money.
Why Should I Take Supplements In The First Place?
Let’s start with the basics. When coupled with a good diet, supplements can benefit your health. But, even the best formulas in the world won’t make up for a terrible diet. Supplements are meant to do just that- supplement your diet with an extra dose of vitamins or minerals that you might be missing. Often times they’re in a compact form of a pill or powder that allow you to easily take in an extra dose of nutrients. But, for those interested in wellness, know that supplements are not an excuse to binge on sweets or other unhealthy habits. They are one part of a healthy lifestyle.
Supplements have been on the market since the 1940s to provide additional health support through minerals, vitamins and herbs through the form of powders, droplets, or pills. Today in the U.S 77% of the population reports regularly consuming dietary supplements. And, these have a range of healthy benefits. Some offer hormone support while others are loaded with herbs known to give an energy boost. Either way, when coupled with a balanced diet supplements can offer a range of benefits to help enhance your health.
Let’t Talk About The Term ‘Natural’
Most likely you’ve read the back of an ingredient list that has included wheat grass, ginseng or ashwagandha. These are all natural plant-based ingredients that have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Recently, they’ve been ‘unearthed’ for their health benefits and have become popular in dietary supplements. Other times, you might notice that supplements contain ingredients that you’re more likely to find on your dinner plate like chickpeas or broccoli. These are other natural ingredients that are more often than not found in powdered formulas. All of these are examples of natural ingredients sourced from whole foods or plants. They are then dehydrated or concentrated into a supplement.
It’s important to note that even botanical ingredients can have a powerful effect. They can also negatively react with prescription medications, so be sure to talk to your health care professional before adding a droplet or pill to your wellness routine… even if it’s natural.
Sustainably Sourced From The Farm
Look at the ingredient list of sustainable wellness brands and you night notice that a majority (if not all) of the items are organic or all-natural. While natural ingredients have a looser set of guidelines that they must follow, organic ingredients must be certified by the National Organic Program to support that claim. Brands like Your Super further solidify their supplements by avoiding the use of fillers, additives, preservatives or sweaters in their formulas to ensure that they’re pure and natural. The brand also ensures that ingredients are sourced sustainably from small farms that they personally vet to ensure that fair labor conditions are upheld. You can watch their YouTube channel to see their team visit farms where they source ingredients like maca and hemp.
Transparent & Ethical Manufacturing
Read a brand’s story and you might notice a similar theme when it comes to how they started. Most likely those first few batches began in someone’s kitchen until they grew to a point where they could meet a factory’s quota. From there transparency comes into play to ensure that a brand is collaborating with a factory that meets ethical labor standards. When it comes to the sustainable wellness brand Happy V. co-founder Daniella Levy keeps her production process in-house to ensure that formulas are of a high quality, ethically made and that costs can be affordable for the customer.
Saying ‘No’ To Virgin Plastic
The reality is that while plastic is negatively impacting our planet, it has become the material of our lives. Literally. It’s not only used as a packaging material, but has also sneaked into everyday products like toothpaste and shampoos. Some sustainable wellness brands are saying ‘no’ to plastic by finding alternatives or switching to recycled plastic. Daniella from Happy V states that they will begin using glass bottles and compostable bags for her line of probiotic supplements. “The compostable bags are for the customer who will refill their products. They’re important because we want to reduce the number of bottles that people receive,” she says.
Other brands like the popular multi-vitamin brand Ritual is focused on using 100% recycled materials as a way to reduce virgin plastic. Initiatives like these will help the brand reach their goal of reducing approximately the equivalent of 3 million water bottles.