“We also set ourselves the challenge of creating an entirely natural and plastic-free store, experimenting with so many intriguing materials along the way. As an example, the mycelium desk–with its panels that can be regrown at any time–is the definition of a renewable piece. We also have curtains made from algae and large stone plinths from local quarries near to our Somerset studio. If you look closely, we also have some pineapple leather in our display cabinet.”
Emma Lewisham, founder of Emma Lewisham
New Zealander Emma Lewisham set out to create a circular, climate-positive brand, and is now natural skincare with evidence to back it up. Her eponymous line, which is stocked at Net-a-Porter, is also the first beauty brand to be endorsed by Dr Jane Goodall.
“We believe a circular and carbon-positive business model has to be the future of beauty–the definition of ‘sustainability’ is to maintain or support a process over time. All of our range is designed to be refilled, and our refill products have a 74 percent lower carbon score than their original vessels. To date, the sales of these refills has saved more than 79 tons of carbon emissions.
“We are proud that we were the first beauty brand globally to be certified Climate Positive, which means that a business offsets more carbon emissions than it produces. It’s not just about offering refills–our returns program also focuses on refilling, rather than recycling. When they’re sent back to us, we sterilize them, refill them and then re-sell them. If it can’t be refilled, we pay for it to be properly recycled through our specialized partner. Being Climate Positive on a business level means you have measured and offset emissions from everything you own and operate, to your energy use, to your supply chains–so we’re incredibly proud to earn this certification.
“Producing single-use packaging that can’t be refilled or curbside recycled is no longer good enough and we–as an industry–have a responsibility to do better.”
Nuria Val, co-founder of Rowse
Rowse’s tagline is “plant-based beauty with a purpose.” Founded by former model Nuria Val, the brand offers sensorial formulas for different skin concerns–every lotion, potion and bar is proof of the power of plants when it comes to skin health.
“I could never really connect with beauty brands, and when I met my co-founder, Gabriella, in 2018, our first conversation was about plants and nature. We spent hours talking about how beautiful the natural world was. We knew that the purest thing you can extract from a plant is an oil – and different plants create different oils, depending on the season and so on. Our first product was our Winter Body Oil, which is made up of plants that grow in extreme winter conditions–they have amazing properties that take care of the skin during the colder months. Working with nature–and the seasons–helped us create a more earth-friendly formula.