SPOTLIGHT ON: ECOSTORE
We are always on the lookout for innovative products and companies to add to our offering and often the place to look, is to our friends on the other side of the planet. Maybe living geographically ‘far’ from neighbours and among some of the most stunning natural environments of the world gives our antipodean cousins more of a profound appreciation for the planet, or they have been more instantly
affected by the ozone layer crisis of the 90’s – Whatever it is, New Zealand and Australia often seem a few steps ahead in terms of living more sustainably and embracing new systems, natural alternatives and change.
COMPANY
We first heard of Ecostore and their amazing range of products a few years ago and realised what a great fit they would be to our Yachting range. If you are from Nz/Australia you will probably have already heard of this super popular brand.
The Ecostore ethos started in an eco-village in 1993 has always been to put people’s health first and give them the choice to live clean. Their first store opened in 1997 offering bulk, refillable toiletries and cleaning products, long before it was trendy.
PRODUCT
They have Cleaning Products and Toiletries, all available in small containers with refillable options that are as kind to the planet as possible at every step. All products are produced in a carbon Zero certified factory in Auckland, with carefully selected gentle plant and mineral-based ingredients. All palm oil and palm derivatives come from certified sustainable resources.
Fragrance wise, Ecostore uses components of natural essential oils and whenever possible on our website we list each of these fragrance components individually for maximum transparency. They explain that "due to the proprietary nature of many fragrance blends from our suppliers, we are not always able to disclose all fragrance components so when applicable, they list ‘Parfum’ under the Fragrance Ingredients, to indicate there is a blend in addition to the listed fragrance components. EWG gives the label ‘Parfum’ a default rating of 8 (high hazard) as many brands use this term to disguise potentially harmful synthetic fragrances. Most of our fragrances are components of natural essential oils which carry a 1-2 (low hazard) rating".
We would be lying if we pretended we haven’t had some conversations about the product travelling such long distances, but in the end we are very happy to be working with a local distributor here in Mallorca who ensures that the product reaches us in large container loads and via sea to ensure maximum efficiency and least impact. This means that there is no waiting time to supply these products as everything is kept here – we have done extensive research into brands and products and believe that Ecostore offer a fantastic solution on board Yachts.
PACKAGING
This is one of the things about Ecostore products that makes them stand out as a sustainable cleaning product brand.
They really look at every aspect of their business and try to do the best they can for the planet. Although their concept is that all small bottles should be refilled, we know this is not always 100% possible. Many companies are now switching to various ‘bioplastics’ packaging and using this to market their product in a positive way. Bioplastics in different forms have some benefits (we will go into this complicated issue in depth soon!), but one of the biggest problems with this new technology is that they cannot currently be recycled amongst traditional plastics, in fact contaminating the batch.
What sets Ecostore apart from other similar brands is that their packaging is made of Sugarcane Plastic from a renewable source, making it a better and more sustainable way to make plastic, without using petrochemicals. The important thing about this particular process is that sugar plastic bottles are also 100% recyclable through kerbside collection (unlike other bio-based plastics which can’t be recycled this way), so they can be remade into new bottles.
Currently, the 4.5kg, 5kg, 5L and 20L bulk formats are made from standard HDPE but they are working towards an alternative to this at the moment. Also if you are within NZ/Australia you can return bottles to their shops to be part of their closed loop recycling.
MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS
Lemongrass Hand Wash
This year the Lemongrass Hand wash has been a big hit, with a refreshing clean scent and available in small pump bottles to accompany the refills, these are flying off the shelves.
Fragrance-Free Dishwasher Tabs
Finding a good dishwasher tab with a dissolvable wrapper and no harsh fragrances wouldn’t appear to be that difficult. Ecostore provide not only the only option that ticks these boxes but the BEST dishwasher tab I have used for a long time.
It is great to welcome this long-established trustworthy and transparent company into the Viveco Yachts family. If you have any questions or feedback or would like to order samples of their products or your Yacht please get in touch.
