Sunniemade
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The Shifting Gaia rating evaluates brands based on sustainable practices, ingredients and materials, and social responsibility, among others. Below are a few factors influencing this brand's score:
overview
about
Sunniemade is a Colorado based soap and hair-care company that focuses on creating non-toxic plastic-free bars to reduce waste. Highlights
• 100% plastic-free
• Carbon neutral shipping
• Soy-based inks
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• Small, woman-owned business
• Simple, limited, toxin-free ingredients
sustainability
details:
Packaging
Sunniemade has completely done away with plastic. All their packaging is made with 100% recycled paper and soy-based inks. They offer carbon-neutral shipping by offsetting transport emissions through Shopify Planet.
Material Sustainability
Sunniemade uses minimal ingredients that are almost all sourced from low-impact crops. There are some minor exceptions, including cocoa butter, which is organic (meaning grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers) but not necessarily sourced through sustainable farming practices like agroforestry. There is some room for improvement in ingredient sourcing transparency.
Energy Use and Footprint
There is little information regarding Sunniemade's operations' energy use or carbon footprint. The brand is a small business, and operational emissions are likely low overall because of this. However, we found little publicly available knowledge on the specifics of production. Sunniemade does offer carbon-neutral shipping by offsetting the emissions of their lightweight shipping, and this helps to reduce their total footprint.
Waste Management
There is limited to no public information regarding waste management in production. Sunniemade produces bar soaps and shampoos, which are inherently less wasteful than liquid soap alternatives. They've made efforts through mill pressing to improve the durability of these bars to make them last even longer, which helps to reduce overall waste.
Business Model
The brand's business model clearly prioritizes slow, intentional consumption. They avoid trend-driven, seasonal, or limited-edition products. Their inventory consists of a well-curated evergreen collection with minimal product churn.
non-toxic
details:
Sunniemade's products are free from SLS/SLES, parabens, and phthalates. The solid bar format for their haircare allows for omitting harmful preservatives. The ingredients are limited and clear, and the few synthetic ingredients used are non-toxic.
social responsibility
details:
Sunniemade is a small business with limited production and employees and is at low risk for fair labor violations. Regarding ethical sourcing, it's unclear whether potentially high-risk ingredients like cocoa butter are sourced ethically to guarantee fair labor practices throughout the supply chain. They are members of 1% for the planet, and all products are vegan and cruelty-free.
