Sienna Naturals

Sienna Naturals is a clean beauty and haircare brand founded by Hannah Diop and Issa Rae that places emphasis on sustainable, fair-trade ingredient sourcing.

Highlights

• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Fair trade sourced ingredients
• Non-toxic
• Woman-owned
• Black owned business

Sustainability

Packaging

Sienna Naturals uses fully recyclable plastic bottles, which they note are “curbside recyclable.” They have transitioned to domestic packaging suppliers, reducing transportation emissions, and minimized packaging weight with slimmer bottles. The brand is still heavily reliant on plastic doesn't offer refill systems. However, they are a co-founder of the Pact Collective, a pioneering industry initiative to make beauty packaging more circular by collecting and recycling hard-to-recycle components.

Ingedient Sustainability

Most ingredients are plant-derived, low-impact (aloe, glycerin, coconut oil, baobab, marshmallow, slippery elm). These are typically categorized as Category 1 or 2 natural ingredients under Shifting Gaia's material sustainability index. Coconut Oil and essential oils can be sustainably sourced; Sienna Naturals avoids unsustainable palm oil and uses ethically harvested Amazonian oils.

Essential oils (ylang ylang, chamomile, geranium, rose, blue tansy) can be water-intensive or biodiversity-sensitive, but Sienna states they use ethically sourced, small-batch oils. Traceability is limited but present.

Energy Use and Footprint

There is no public reporting on Sienna Naturals' carbon emissions, energy use, or reduction goals. The brand has taken steps to localize its packaging suppliers (moving sourcing to the U.S.), which helps reduce shipping-related emissions. However, there's no mention of renewable energy, carbon offsets, or third-party sustainability certifications for operations.

Waste Management

Their co-founding of the Pact Collective is a standout initiative that focuses on recycling beauty product components not typically accepted curbside. Internally, the brand avoids waste by shipping out old packaging stock before using new versions. However, there's no detailed information on factory-level waste, water reuse, or ingredient byproduct mitigation.

Business Model

Sienna Naturals maintains a curated, evergreen product line with a focus on a core set of essentials for textured hair. They avoid seasonal launches or trend-based inventory churn. Products are marketed for long-term use and hair health. There's no evidence of overproduction or rapid promotion cycles.

Non-Toxic

Sienna Naturals bans over 2,700 harmful ingredients, exceeding even the EU's regulatory list. Their formulations are free from parabens, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. They prioritize naturally derived, biodegradable ingredients, and their products are dermatologist-tested for sensitive skin.

Social Responsibility

Sienna Naturals sources raw materials through Fairtrade-certified suppliers, which confirms adherence to labor standards and fair wages at the farming level. While manufacturing labor conditions are less documented, the brand states its ingredients are “ethically acquired” and has no known links to labor violations. Based in the U.S., their operations likely fall under standard labor regulations.

Sienna Naturals is a 100% vegan and cruelty-free brand, certified by third parties (such as Leaping Bunny and PETA). They do not use animal-derived ingredients or conduct any animal testing, nor do they sell in markets (like mainland China) where animal testing is required. Their entire supply chain is free from animal exploitation.

The brand launched the Rooted in Care Fund, supporting long-term health equity for Black women. They partner with organizations like the California Black Women's Health Project and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, focusing on systemic issues in beauty, health, and mental wellness. These partnerships are ongoing and strategic, not one-time donations, and align directly with the brand's mission.