Sustainability Practices

Sage & Ylang is an environmentally conscious brand, which simply means that we are committed to making all efforts we can to make our brand sustainable. Because the word ‘sustainability’ is not regulated, as an ethical brand, we want to clearly state our mission in this grey area. 

We have identified 6 areas of commitment in order to cultivate sustainable practices. Our work towards sustainability is ongoing and despite not being perfect, we are making baby steps forward. We believe that everyone, brands and consumers alike, can play their part to protect and preserve our planet. 

While practicing sustainability to reduce global warming in itself is noble and responsible, we would like to share another compelling reason which makes us totally passionate about this. We believe in responsible stewardship, meaning one should take care of the resources placed under his or her care. The earth is aging, and we can’t reverse this to what it was decades ago. However, with everyone playing their part as a good steward of the resources available, the world can definitely be a better and more comfortable place to live in. 

Here are 6 areas of our commitment to sustainable practices:

1. Creation and Formulation

This step is crucial in focusing on who we are and what we set out to do. As we conceptualized our product lines, this mindset helps us steer away from ingredients that are known to have a negative environmental impact. In addition, we have to match sustainability and efficacy. We have to ensure that our products benefit the skin – but not at the expense of impacting the environment.

2. Selection and Sourcing

Our choice of raw ingredients is guided by these factors:

Renewable sources:

– We avoid petrochemical-derived ingredients.

– We opt for surfactants derived from renewable sources.

– We use 100% cold-pressed plant oils. 

Biodegradable ingredients which do not harm biodiversity:

– Instead of microbeads that harm marine life, we choose plant-based exfoliators.

– We use: plant or clay derived thickeners

                Vitamin E as an antioxidant

                plant-derived emulsifiers

We choose to avoid controversial cosmetic ingredients:

– No PEGs due to the ethoxylation process that releases a chemical called 1,4-dioxane

– No synthetic fragrances

– No EDTA

– No GMO ingredients

– No animal-based ingredients

– No sulphates

– No formaldehyde releasers

– No Phenoxyethanol or Parabens

– No silicone

If we do use synthetic ingredients, here are our guidelines:

– Impeccable safety profile

– Skin-friendly

– Will deliver cutting edge efficacy in areas such as wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, dark eye rings, increased collagen production, etc.

– Preservatives used are approved for use in COSMOS certified organic skincare products

– Mineral and coral safe UV filters

Ethically sourced with traceable supply chain:

– Sage & Ylang’s mica pigment is not sourced from India where child labor controversies are prevalent.

– We use certified organic, fair trade, ethically wild-crafted ingredients whenever possible.

3. Manufacturing 

All Sage & Ylang products are made in our GMP manufacturing lab in Singapore. We source for the best ingredients from all over the world and ensure that our suppliers hold membership to credible organizations that help provide supply chain transparency around environmental and ethical efforts.

All of Sage & Ylang’s products are manufactured using the cold process method which allows us to reduce our carbon footprint. Conventional methods of manufacturing use the hot process where temperatures as high as 80 Celsius are used to heat up raw ingredients. By using cutting edge plant-derived emulsifiers, we are able to play our part to reduce our carbon footprint.

4. Packaging

This is the most obvious area in terms of sustainability. Over 70% of S&Y packaging is made from glass. Instead of the usual glass, We have chosen a special type called the Miron Violet Glass. The glass material has the ability to preserve the freshness of our products, and on top of that, they are recyclable! We use recyclable PET for the rest of our products. We are looking forward to using bioplastic in the future.

We have done away with outer packaging but offer biodegradable jute bags for bundle purchases. Delivery by post is packaged in recyclable postage boxes and cushioned with wood shavings to protect the bottles from potential damage.

5. Education

 A recent survey done by the biotech firm, Genomatica, shows that there is an increasing number of consumers who look at ingredient labels when shopping; however, the majority reported that they are not able to understand the chemical names. With the ever-increasing greenwashing, Sage & Ylang is committed to educating our customers in the area of safety, efficacy, and sustainability in skincare. The purpose of education is to help customers make informed decisions when purchasing personal care products.

6. Community

Sage & Ylang is a founder-led business, and the core of who we are is rooted in finding ways to inspire and make a positive impact in this world. We feel strongly that giving back to the community is part of sustainable business practices. Hence, we set aside 10% of our earnings to donate to charities and causes that inspire us. We do so because we want to pitch in and do our part in aiding the less fortunate. Whenever you purchase Sage & Ylang products, you are also donating to impact people’s lives.