Sustainable Spotlight: Lush Creates Fresh, Ethical Products

If you’re a fan of colorful bath bombs and delicious smelling soaps, visiting a Lush store is like being a kid candy store. The fresh, handmade products are not only pretty, but the brand is also guided by a strong ethical and sustainable philosophy. Lush creates products that are made from transparent ingredients and supply chains, while also committing to charitable organizations and sustainability. We caught up with Katrina Shum, Manager of Sustainability, to learn more about the brand’s history and the role its core values play in product offerings.

Katrina Shum, Lush Manager of Sustainability

What inspired the founders to launch Lush?

Lush began as a single storefront in Poole, England in 1995. It was started as a values-driven business by six co-founders who wanted to bring their passion and knowledge in the cosmetics world to life. From the beginning, they placed an emphasis on vegetarian, handmade products, fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables, ethical buying, fighting against animal testing, and combatting over-packaging by developing products that can be sold ‘naked’ to the customer without any packaging.

Can you share a little about your background and what led you to the company?

I was really looking for a company that was founded on and led with its values. A company inspired by innovation and a willingness to push the boundaries to rethink how we do business and the role businesses play in the world.

I was also drawn to the unique structure at Lush. Not only is our company privately held and family owned, but we are also a vertically integrated business. We invent our own products, manage our own supply chains, grow some of our own raw materials, own and operate our manufacturing and distribution facilities, run our own retail shops, and develop our own brand communications. This puts us in a unique position to do some really interesting work while embedding our values throughout the value chain.

Prior to Lush, I worked on sustainability in food services and food systems for higher education (colleges/universities). In many ways, there were similarities in moving from the culinary kitchens of campuses to the cosmetic kitchens of Lush – sourcing fresh ingredients, energy efficient equipment, engaging staff. I started my career with environmental NGO work in Washington DC, community-based ecotourism work with nomadic reindeer herders in Northern Mongolia and indigenous communities in Laos, and then sustainability work with culinary kitchens and dining facilities across the Midwest US before joining the team at Lush.

What steps does Lush take towards being sustainable?

When it comes to environmental sustainability, we look both internally at the impact of our own business and supply chain as well as externally toward supporting and building movements and policy reform for larger systemic change. Internally, we look at both behaviors (actions, decisions, culture) and the efficiency of the buildings we operate in. We focus on climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our manufacturing, distribution, and retail. In addition, we minimize our freight emissions, focus on packaging innovation, circularity and waste diversion, improve water conservation stewardship, and meaningfully engage staff and customers along the way. As a business, we put a lot of focus on ethical buying and look at earth care, people care and fair share when it comes to our raw material supply chain.

Is there anything you want customers to know about the ingredients in Lush's products and how they are sourced?

A lot of care goes into the selection and sourcing of ingredients in our products. We have a strong focus on creating fresh products with fresh, quality ingredients that have high impact benefits on skin, hair, and body.

Anything customers should know about Lush's commitment to Ethical Buying?

When sourcing ingredients for our products, transparency in our supply chain is key -- where they come from, how they’re made, and how they impact the communities that produce them. Our dedicated Ethical Buying team works hard finding natural raw materials, safe synthetics, 100 percent recycled packaging, or alternatives to harmful ingredients like microplastics.

Working directly with farmers and communities gives us a better understanding of the materials, where they’re from, how they’re produced, and what the potential labor or environmental issues might be. We believe in buying from small-scale producers, which gives us the opportunity to drive positive change, encourage sustainability, and form long-lasting relationships with people all over the world.

Does Lush support any non-profits and can you tell us a little about why they were selected?

Yes. In 2007, Lush created Charity Pot Body Lotion, where 100% of the purchase price (minus the taxes) is allocated to grants supporting human rights, environmental justice, and animal protection both in North America and around the world.

The program currently runs in over 35 countries around the world. As of October 2020, Lush has funded over 2,800 projects and given over $52 million in grants. Organizations can apply for a grant through our website, and those chosen are often involved in challenging mainstream opinions and fighting for causes that are frequently overlooked by funders.

Is there a signature or most popular product? Do you have a personal favorite?

We have many bestsellers from across our ranges – everything from massage bars to fresh face masks.

Probably our most popular sustainable product (and my personal favourite is the shampoo bar. Just one packaging-free bar is the equivalent to 80 washes, saving the equivalent of three small plastic shampoo bottles. Since 2005, we’ve sold more than 41 million shampoo bars, saving 124 million plastic bottles from ever being produced.

Are there any upcoming product launches we should be watching out for?

We have a couple of exciting launches on the horizon but you’ll have to keep your eyes on our website and social channels for more details as soon as they’re available.

[Images courtesy of Lush]

Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy

beautyLizzy ShermanMay 21, 2021Lush, lush cosmetics, Sustainable Spotlight, sustainable bradsComment