Zero AF Initiatives

Join us in being Sustainable Sluts on our Zero AF mission. 

We are sick👏and👏tired👏 of greenwashing and one-time plastic use in the beauty industry, period. The pervasive use of one-time plastic in the beauty industry is both frustrating and concerning. We are deeply committed to addressing this issue and are disappointed that many other beauty companies, particularly larger ones, have not taken meaningful steps towards reducing their plastic footprint. It's disheartening to see that, even now, the vast majority of beauty products lining store shelves are packaged in plastic, and any attempt at being more "eco-friendly" is greenwashing at best and is having no real impact on reducing waste in the beauty industry.

We believe that it is beyond time for the beauty industry to do better at prioritizing the health of our planet and future generations over convenience and profit, so we have created and implemented our "Zero AF Initiatives" within our internal practices to not only commit to ourselves, but to also inspire other businesses to do the same. Keep reading to learn more. 

🤍 Sustainable packaging and biodegradable labels.

To start, we have implemented the use of lightweight aluminum and cardboard product containers in order to decrease the amount of fuel and carbon required to transport our products to you. But that's just the beginning!

Our choice of aluminum is driven by its impressive sustainability credentials - it is 100% recyclable and can be recycled indefinitely, with a higher recyclability rate compared to glass (as well as being much lighter than glass). For our cardboard containers, we choose a supplier that uses FSC-certified sustainable cardboard constructed with rice glue and a soybean wax lining for safe composting. 

Plus, we have made a conscious decision to incorporate compostable and biodegradable labels made from sustainable materials and biodegradable adhesive on our packaging, so that you do not have to peel them off before recycling or composting. Many companies use plastic labels that will never break down.

To learn more about our How to Dispose instructions, click here. 

Lastly, we have taken measures to make sure that the plastic used in our packaging can be repeatedly reused, instead of being used just once, by offering refills - see below. 👇

🤍 Refill and reuse, or compost.

Our refills are a true gamechanger. Not only do they help you save your hard-earned cash by providing the same amount of product for less money (you save $3 on each refill!), but they also come in fully compostable packaging, even for liquids. This makes them a truly zero-waste option and not just some greenwashing BS. Unlike most "refillable" products on the market, which only send you more product in another wasteful package, our refills allow you to reuse the containers and plastic dispensers from your original purchase without producing more waste to toss away.

When you select the "Compostable Refill," option, you will receive the same amount of product as the original (for $3 less!) in a pouch that is made from plants and is fully biodegradable and compostable, including the zippers. These pouches break down into healthy compost leaving no microplastics and conform to all major compost certifications including OK Compost Home and AS 5810. The label is also home-compostable certified and made from sustainable material and biodegradable adhesive. If you don't compost, that's okay - the pouch and label are also biodegradable and will break down. All of this means our refills have a drastically reduced environmental impact while saving your cash-ola. Major W. 😎 

We do have a few products that we deemed impractical or unsafe for customers to refill. We have packaged these products in compostable and curbside recyclable cardboard containers with biodegradable labels instead, so you can still enjoy these products guilt-free.

To learn more about How to Refill, click here. 

🤍 Exchanges vs. returns.

At Babe AF, we strive to reduce waste in the beauty industry with our Eco AF Exchange Policy. Instead of returning a product, which generates more packaging and emissions, we offer an exchange option to reduce waste. If you aren't completely happy with a product you receive, follow the steps here to exchange a product and find something that better suits your needs while being environmentally conscious. 

🤍 Reused shipping boxes and compostable shipping tape.

In the US, about 70,000 tons of paper and cardboard are discarded each year, with this number increasing since the pandemic. The production of cardboard causes deforestation, making recycling and reusing crucial. While around 70% of cardboard is recycled, 850 million tons of cardboard are still thrown away each year in the US, resulting in roughly 1.4 million trees being cut down. That's not cool with us, so in order to reduce this waste and promote sustainability, we have pledged to reuse Amazon and other collected boxes for at least half of our shipments.

Both our shipping tape and shipping labels are made with FSC-certified material and non-toxic adhesive, and are both home-compostable and curbside recyclable after use.

🤍 Reduced paper products.

With the aim of minimizing paper usage, we have made a deliberate decision to exclude thank you notes and other promotional paper materials from our packages. Additionally, we strive to reduce paper generation and waste by repurposing packaging materials, such as paper and cushioning, from other small businesses and our own inbound supply shipments.

🤍 Sustainable ingredients.

Our company strives to be environmentally conscious and sustainable, and one area of concern is the use of palm oil in our products. While we aim to avoid it when possible, when we do use palm oil and palm products, we source them from the best available options. Our palm suppliers work with Greenpeace International and the Forest Trust, and one has even been voted the #1 sustainable palm oil producer. Our palm kernel producer has had a zero deforestation policy in place since 2001.

Another ingredient we use, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, is readily biodegradable and has high solubility over a wide pH range. This ingredient is non-toxic to cells and genetic material and demonstrates enhanced preservative boosting power compared to EDTA. Produced from vegetable matter, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate is easily biodegradable and consumed by micro-organisms.

In addition to carefully choosing our ingredients, we also partner with a manufacturer that is "Green America" certified, a non-profit organization focused on building a greener economy. Our manufacturer also utilizes solar panels to power their facility, further reducing their environmental impact. We are committed to doing our part to reduce waste and promote sustainability in the beauty industry.

All of our ingredients are sourced through Fair Trade practices. 

🤍 Real change happens with you: vote with your dollar.  

How can we as a community encourage the rest of the beauty industry to make eco-friendly choices? By supporting small businesses like Babe AF that are committed to eliminating one-time-use plastic. Support us and other low-waste businesses and let your purchasing power be a vote for the planet by showing the industry that you prefer to invest in zero-waste products. Together, we can make a difference and push for more sustainable practices throughout the beauty industry.

Love you, Skincare Slut! 🤍