Eco-friendly, sustainable, and natural products are in vogue, and big and small brands alike are aware of this. Increasingly, it's common to see established brands advertising themselves as natural and sustainable, trying to convince us that they are environmentally committed. But is it real, or is it full-blown "greenwashing"?
"Greenwashing" is a public relations tactic used to appeal to consumers who demand natural and environmentally friendly products.
The use of colors like green, eye-catching messages such as 'more than 95% natural,' or 'this packaging is made from recycled material' are some of the deceptive claims made by certain brands to appear environmentally conscious.
Steps to detect 'greenwashing'
The rush of our daily lives, the headlines from major brands, and the marketing campaigns behind them can lead us to purchase a product that, despite appearing sustainable, may not be.
At Maminat, we highlight the points you should consider to make a responsible decision and ensure that what you are buying aligns with your life philosophy.
Do they use plastic packaging?
Several brands claim to be environmentally responsible, but is this truly the case, or is it just a facade?
At Maminat, we believe that to be environmentally responsible, it's not enough to have a quality product formulated with natural and organic ingredients; it's also necessary for the packaging to be as sustainable as possible.
Generally, major brands that claim to be sustainable and 'green' always opt for plastic packaging because it's cheaper than using glass, aluminum, or wood.
If you are genuinely looking for natural cosmetics and care about the environment, always try to choose brands that do not use plastic in their packaging.
Is it manufactured in another country?
Sustainability touches all business aspects, not just the ingredients used in product formulation. All decisions made at the design, manufacturing, and shipping levels have an environmental impact.
Are the ingredients, packaging, and product manufacturing carried out in another country? Where are the raw materials used for these cosmetics sourced from? Where are the shipments made from?
Many companies hide this information to engage in full-blown 'greenwashing.' Maminat is a natural and organic cosmetic brand made entirely in Spain: the packaging, the raw materials used to make the products, and the logistics center are all located in Spain.
Do you only look at the 'slogan'?
'Cruelty-free' or 'made with natural ingredients' are some of the most common phrases used by major conventional cosmetic brands for their particular 'greenwashing.'
But is it true? Only partially. Many brands advertise themselves as 'cruelty-free' but are part of a much larger, international umbrella brand that does test on animals. Being 'cruelty-free' in Spain does not make you a responsible brand, as animal testing has been illegal in Europe since the approval of REGULATION (EC) No 1223/2009 in 2009.
Regarding the use of terms like 'made with organic products,' 'eco-friendly,' and so on, we must say that to determine if it's true or false, you should look at the percentages and not just the names of the ingredients used in their formulation.
If you have doubts about whether a cosmetic is truly natural and organic, check its INCI, which is the official list of ingredients. There you can see if it contains chemical components and what percentage of natural and organic products it uses in its formulation.
Is everything vegan sustainable?
Generally, being vegan is often associated with being more sustainable. In fact, many companies take advantage of this widespread belief to link vegan cosmetics with sustainable cosmetics.
However, a vegan brand is not always sustainable. A brand can manufacture products whose formulations contain non-animal ingredients but be highly polluting in its manufacturing process.
'Greenwashing' is a reality that is here to stay, so we must pay close attention to the various points explained above.
Maminat, a natural, organic, and sustainable brand
Sometimes being 100% sustainable is very complicated. We often encounter obstacles to do everything exactly as we would like, yet every day we strive to make everything the brand encompasses as sustainable as possible.We do not use plastic packaging, all raw materials come from local producers in Valencia, and the packaging is bought in Spain, with stone paper used for label manufacturing. Now, we are about to take a very important step: having our products in different warehouses distributed throughout the peninsula to minimize our carbon footprint.