I know you want easy ways to be more sustainable. Trying to do everything can be overwhelming, and with so much green washing around, it can be hard to know how sustainable a brand is! I'm on a mission to make Pamoja as sustainable as possible and be transparent about my progress. Here I'll share how I can help you because when we take as much action as we can together; we make a difference.
Why should we be more sustainable?
We can't afford to wait, the consequences of global warming are stark and we need immediate action. The IPCC's latest assessment predicts global temperature to rise or exceed 1.5 degrees Celcius over the next 20 years, leading to more floods, more droughts and heatwaves, more plant and animal extinctions. The climate crisis is also taking its toll on our mental health.
Do people want to be more sustainable?
Yes, we want to live more sustainably, we want easy ways to do this and we are aligning our spending with our values.. Six out of 10 consumers are ready to change their purchasing behaviour to minimise their environmental footprint. So, how can Pamoja help you?
Buy fewer products - enjoy a simple skincare routine
Sustainability has to start by reducing consumption, the beauty industry is obsessed with newness yet we cannot shop our way to sustainability. I'm making a stand. At the heart of Pamoja is a simple and effective skincare ritual to nourish your skin and nurture yourself. The products are high performing, natural and multitasking. Natural ingredients that are proven by science and high performing mean you don't have to compromise on results either. The products work together to bring you a mindful ritual, whether that is enjoying a moment of calm at the end of a busy day or being more mindful about consumption and waste.
Simplicity is not only better for the planet, it's great for your skin. Of course, it’s important to treat yourself, but overbuying skincare and layering ingredients that aren’t compatible can wreak havoc with your skin causing irritation and sensitivity flare-ups. A simple approach nurtures a healthy skin barrier.
Return your packaging
You can now return your empty packaging and I will reuse them in a future batch. Earn £5 off your next purchase if you return 3 or more containers to me. The Return, Earn and Reuse Scheme is designed to create an even more sustainable approach to product packaging whilst giving you more value each time you shop. Read on for more on packaging!
Clean beauty
I love to work with ethically sourced ingredients proven to be effective for skin health. These ingredients are all effective, yet gentle and chosen for their ability to soothe and hydrate, repair and protect your skin. I've personally researched and sourced every ingredient and have a supplier monitoring system in place, working with a small number of trusted suppliers who share my values. They supply all ingredients including upcycled seed oils, wild-harvested butters as well as sustainably produced high performing actives. You won't find synthetic colours and fragrance, genetically modified ingredients, mineral oil, sulphates, phthalates, silicones, SLS or phenoxyethanol. Fully transparent product ingredient lists mean that you know exactly what you are putting on your skin.
Cruelty-free and vegan
Pamoja products and ingredients are vegan (not derived from animal sources) and certified cruelty-free (not tested on animals). They are also approved by Leaping Bunny, the international gold standard for cruelty-free cosmetics. Their standards go far above the legal requirements and are the best assurance you can have that I'm doing everything I can to remove animal testing from my supply chain.
Palm oil free
Prioritising biodiversity is crucial. That's why you won’t find palm oil or the derivatives of palm in Pamoja products. Palm oil is estimated to be in 70% of beauty products, it’s not easy to spot on an ingredient list and can appear under many different names e.g. vegetable oil or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. I’ve done the research and sourced alternatives including a 100% natural anti-microbial derived from sugar cane, and a 100% natural emulsifier derived from rapeseed oil.
Small batches
All products are handmade in small batches from my studio lab. Formulating in small batches allows me to meet high-quality standards, minimise waste and keep energy emissions low. The lab runs on 100% renewable energy from wind sources. All organic waste is composted. Partnering with Terracycle to recycle disposable gloves also helps to reduce hard to recycle waste from landfill.
Eco-friendly packaging
I've chosen eco-friendly Miron Violet Glass for your products. Miron meets high environmental standards while protecting precious, natural ingredients from the harmful effects of light. This unique glass filters out more damaging UV rays than any other type of glass, helping to preserve potency and extend the shelf life of your product. Miron glass can be reused at home tooe.g. jars can be used to store dried herbs and spices as the unique qualities of the Miron violet glass protects the contents from UV light.
Pamoja's reusable drawstring bags are made from Fairtrade and GOTS certified cotton. The entire supply chain adheres to a stringent set of requirements from the harvesting of the cotton, to environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing through to printing and operating processes.
Delivery
You'll find all the information you need on the label, meaning there’s no need for an outer product box. Your products arrive in recyclable, responsibly sourced paper boxes. To protect the products in transit they are nestled in fully recyclable shredded tissue paper manufactured in the UK from upcycled mill waste and secured with sustainably sourced, fully recyclable Kraft paper tape. This tape is acid-free and vegan friendly.
Giving back
For every order placed I donate one tree. Together we are restoring our planet with Treesisters, a global network whose mission is to rapidly accelerate tropical reforestation within 10+ major ecosystems around the world. By working with Treesisters, we are embedding restoration into the business. To provide hope for our children and their future generations, we need to do more than just stop deforestation.
When you choose sustainable skincare you're being kind to the planet as well as your skin. Helping people and planet feels pretty good, and these small steps do make a difference. The number of conscious choices can be overwhelming, and you may not know where to start. Don’t feel guilty about what you have or haven’t done, just take one step at a time.
Read more about 5 easy sustainable skincare swaps.
Ready to shop for sustainable skincare?
There's always more I can do...
I'd love to know your thoughts. Drop me an email and let's share ideas.
Thanks for reading!
Sarah x
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How to simplify your skincare routine
How to decipher an ingredient list