At Sanitas we’ve always had a strong commitment to creating eco-friendly skincare that works. You’ll see that commitment reflected in the way we source ingredients, how products are packaged and our minimal use of non-renewable resources.
To us, separating people and planet is impossible. We constantly evaluate our manufacturing processes to not only ensure the end result is eco-friendly and the highest quality (PERIOD!), and we also take into account how these processes affect the people on our team involved in the production.
We understand that our customer base is really savvy when it comes to standards for ingredients and manufacturing, which has made it imperative for us to be completely transparent—and, in turn, to ensure we are working only with ingredient suppliers who can match that transparency.
Here’s more about how we “walk the walk” when it comes to creating sustainable beauty.
Conscious Sourcing
Our formulators know what ingredients work and it’s important that we include those in our formulations – but not at any cost. So no matter what, we carefully vet our ingredient sources and make absolutely sure that our ingredients are sourced from ethical suppliers – in fact, the majority are certified fair trade or ECOCERT.
A lot of European suppliers (where we source many of our cutting-edge ingredients) know that people are demanding certifications like these, so they rarely create products that don’t make the cut. The industry as a whole is very aware that the world is moving toward a desire for sustainability and transparency, so it makes it easier for us to ensure we’re sourcing environmentally and ethically sound products.
In addition, the ingredient manufacturers we use are required to adhere to a Supplier Code of Conduct that guarantees respect for human rights and also requires the company to provide certifications for purity and manufacturing dates. If we can’t find a supplier that meets these standards, we simply won’t use that ingredient. Instead we’ll reformulate until we can produce the same results without it.
We also source as many ingredients domestically as possible. For example Jojoba oil is usually sourced from countries in the Middle East, but we have long worked with a small farm group in Arizona to get ours. And our amino acid-based surfactants come from Tennessee! We stick with domestic sources when we can because it reduces the inevitable environmental impact of transportation.
Minimizing Resource Use
Boulder County, where we manufacture all of our products, is already very conscientious about water and resource use. That’s why we’ve developed a manufacturing process that utilizes a low volume of water and limits the use of water in our final products. In fact, many Sanitas products are 100% water free.
In addition, we manufacture all of our products on a campus that relies primarily on solar power and utilizes wind power credits to offset the remaining energy usage. In our office, we have worked hard to reduce the amount of paper used in our daily operations and have shifted to digital marketing materials and mailings when possible. Around our headquarters you’ll find plenty of recycling bins and places to compost food scraps – and we’ve eliminated the use of disposable dishes and bottled water (It’s a pretty great place to work!)
Using Recyclable Packaging
We know that plastic packaging = plastic waste – and our oceans can’t take much more. That’s why the majority of Sanitas products are delivered in either glass or recyclable plastic. We’re also currently exploring sources of post-consumer recycled plastic, including ocean waste, to use in the future.
In addition, we’re proud to have found a carton printer in California with a very eco-forward perspective. A lot of printed papers end up being non-recyclable, but our paper packaging uses biodegradable inks that make them fully recyclable. Packing materials used at Sanitas are also biodegradable (think potato starch-based packing peanuts), cardboard boxes are always made of post-consumer recycled paper and we are careful to reuse shipping containers to limit waste.
We’re proud of the fact that we have a boutique manufacturing operation that allows us to control so much of how we source and produce our own products. This will continue to allow Sanitas to be the sustainable skincare brand it already is – all the while still ensuring you receive the highest quality, most effective tools for maintaining your skin health.
