We measure sustainability by evaluating a product’s carbon footprint and waste footprint.
Measuring a product’s carbon footprint
Our methodology is derived from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the gold standard for computing carbon emissions. When evaluating a product’s footprint, we look across its supply chain and measure the following:
Material and ingredient choices
Manufacturing of product components and e-commerce packaging
Transportation of materials and packaging components between vendors
Transportation of the product from co-manufacturers to distribution warehouses
Distribution of the product to retail or Direct to Consumer (DTC)
Measuring a product’s waste footprint
We examine two factors when measuring a product's waste footprint: Recyclability and degradability–these are tracked for both the product itself, as well as the downstream packaging required throughout the supply chain. We use the How2Recycle framework to measure recyclability. Then we make sure the product gets credit if its packaging is dissolvable or compostable, while also taking into account compostability and recycling rates for the types of materials used.
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How our process works
We measure sustainability by evaluating a product’s carbon footprint and waste footprint.
Data collection
Collecting data can be the hardest part of starting on the road to a more sustainable product. Many brands we work with are small teams, so we work with them to fill in the gaps of the limited information they might receive from their vendors. Then, we often connect directly with their vendors to validate the information.
As for the type of data we collect, we help brands gather information on the following:
Product: The product’s weight, fill claim, INCI list for formula fill, and expected number of doses
Packaging: The size, material, and weight of each piece of packaging, as well as information on whether the product is refillable, reusable, dissolvable, or compostable
Supply Chain: How the product travels (by air, sea, or truck), the location of the vendor’s manufacturing facilities, and the location of the brand’s warehouses for storage and shipping
Version changes: Changes a brand makes in any of the categories above for new versions of the product
Benchmarking
Once the data is uploaded into our software, we categorize the product and verify with the brand that we've chosen correctly. An example of this categorization would be comparing a product to how similar products are packaged. Another would be examining how the supply chains are laid out for brands of a similar size.
This categorization enables us to measure the data collected against market averages for the product type. These averages are stored in our benchmark database, which is updated regularly as new trends emerge in the market.
In other words, we categorize products to make sure we’re measuring apples to apples and fairly assessing a brand’s carbon and waste footprints.
Sensitivity analysis
Before we conclude our evaluation of a product’s carbon and waste footprint, we run a sensitivity analysis to ensure the accuracy of the results. This analysis is a pressure check of our benchmark data as well as the product data. To do this, we pose the following questions:
How often will the average consumer use this product? For example, we already know a product can have lower impact if it's reusable — but just how much lower depends. If that product is only used once per month, it's not the same as if someone would use a product once per week.
The more times someone would likely use a reusable product, the more disposable versions they're not buying. And that means a bigger win for the reusable product.
Are similar products using the same materials as the one being evaluated? There are times when we find that an average product is already using more sustainable materials than were used in the past. In that case, a product using those materials is still having a low impact, but it wouldn't equate to a lower impact than average.
What would happen if the manufacturing or vendor locations differ from those of similar products? Like materials, if a brand's manufacturing and vendor locations are in the best possible locations for impact, that's good. But if the average brand is using similar locations, then the results won't show a lower impact than average. Conversely, if we find that a brand's locations are less favorable than average, then it will appear to have a higher carbon impact.
Are there areas of the supply chain we didn't measure that would significantly change the results? This part of the sensitivity test is to cover what our software doesn't yet do automatically. Right now, our software measures product packaging and key ingredients from the extraction, mining, or agriculture phase through to distribution. It also accounts for the transportation of the packaging and finished product to its distribution center, and downstream distribution of finished products. For beauty products, this measurement accounts for 40-80 percent of all carbon emissions.
However, until our software can account for every element of the supply chain, our sensitivity analysis covers the rest. That way we can dig deep into all impactful areas for a product.
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Impact measurement
Creating a more sustainable product is a process, as can be seen in the steps outlined above. To help, we created an impact measurement feature that shows brands instantly where their impact falls. This feature also enables brands to model different options for lowering their impact. They can then visualize the potential results and weigh the options against each other.
Modeling like this means brands can test ideas without spinning up large-scale changes that take months to create and then measure. In other words, no more deep and costly analysis paralysis. Impact measurement helps brands instantly see various ways to lower their carbon and waste footprints.
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Sustainability terms to know
Benchmarking
A benchmark is a baseline against which something can be measured. Here, we talk about benchmarking in terms of the data we’ve collected to understand various aspects of the products we work with. The benchmark data helps us measure a product's carbon and waste footprint against the average.
Equivalencies
Equivalencies are a way to make data more tangible. For example, we might compare a carbon footprint to how much carbon is used in a popular flight. Or we might compare a product's waste to how many trash bags or dumpsters it would fill.
Fill claim
Fill claim is the amount of functional product inside of its packaging. For example, this is the amount of moisturizer inside of the packaging. This is the same as the amount you can see printed on the packaging.
PCR
PCR stands for post-consumer recycled percentages, or recycled content.
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Version history
1.2
Added the following items to emissions calculations:
Downstream, Direct to Consumer (DTC), and retail shipping emissions
Ingredient emissions for the product fill
Packaging emissions from E-commerce packaging
Added the following items to waste calculations:
Downstream packaging weight, recyclability and disposal
Added to data collection:
Product: The product’s ingredient list for formula fill
Packaging: The size, material, and weight of DTC (direct-to-consumer) packaging, as well as information on whether the shipping components are refillable, reusable, dissolvable, or compostable
Order size: The average number of items in e-commerce orders
Supply Chain: How DTC and Retail Distribution is broken down (by percentage), and the expected shipping time (express vs. ground shipping) for downstream shipping