As a business, choosing good packaging is a complex decision - for our own ethical harmony and to meet the expectations of our customers. It's not so much about intent to make the best decision, but more that there is no perfect decision and there is also a lot of confusing marketing about packaging.
At Mayella Organics, the decisions we have to make are the same as many other businesses. We encourage everyone to understand the facts about packaging so you can choose wisely and consistently with your own values.
Reusing and recycling are fantastic, but the best possible solution is to reduce or avoid. We package carefully and consciously, making sure your products are protected in delivery, while keeping packaging to a minimum. The less we all use, the less we all waste.
All the packaging, cardboard and materials that come through the Mayella warehouse are repurposed or recycled. We take the time to pull apart the pieces that need separating so that nothing ends up in landfill that can be avoided.
Because of our skincare ingredients, we bottle in glass which helps preserve the contents and avoid the deterioration of the pure essential oils, plant nutrients and bioactive ingredients. It also means that the liquids aren’t sitting in any plastic so no nasties are leached into the precious products. Being made from glass means they’re also recyclable once you’ve finished using them.
The plastic tubs we use for our tisanes and nutritional products keep them as fresh as possible. They are made from HDPE plastic which is resistant to breakdown and mould and is 100% recyclable. They also make great containers to reuse at home for your pantry items, especially if you like buying from bulk bins (where you scoop out the amount you need rather than buying a pack).
Our tissue paper is made from sustainable sources and is FSC certified. FSC certification is the gold standard for wood that is harvested from forests that are sustainably managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious and economically viable.
Our clear packing tape is made from recyclable materials and it breaks down when it goes to landfill or into your home compost (meaning you don't need to find a specific facility for it to break down, as we explained in the first section).
Using biodegradable and home compostable paper and tape is one thing. However, if they’re printed with inks that are harmful to the environment, we’re still using a product that is contributing to unnecessary toxic waste in the world. That’s why the inks on our tissue paper and personalised tape are printed with environmentally-friendly, soy-based inks.
We source ingredients from ethical and sustainable suppliers and producers and maintain personal relationships with them. This allows us to have open and honest conversations with them, bringing up questions as needed, helping us remain confident that their processes align with our eco values.