Our Sustainability Criteria

Ethic&Co for conscious and mindful shopping

Ethic&Co wants to help you lead a healthy and sustainable life. That's why we offer a variety of natural products that must meet at least two of our sustainability criteria to be listed on our marketplace. You can explore our sustainable framework, which we developed to categorize and choose our products.

With our criteria, we aim to highlight the sustainable aspects of each product and provide guidance for your purchasing decisions. Sustainability takes various forms, and the importance of different aspects can vary from person to person. By using our criteria, you can assess whether a product aligns with your own sustainability standards.

Appart from meeting at least two of our sustainability criterias, all of the listed products are fairly and ethically produced, vegan or vegetarian products, except of certain by-products and disposable items from the production. Both the Ethic&Co Team and members of our community test certain products for quality and design and publish the reviews to give our customers first hand information about our products.

However, we don't stop there; we go the extra mile by analyzing our partners even more extensively than what other marketplaces typically do. Optionally, our partners can be evaluated based on ESG criteria to see how they perform. We can then assist them in the future to further improve their sustainability and social performance based on the evaluation.

Let's shape our future together. Through our marketplace, we aim to give you access to solutions that make a significant impact, even in small ways, and initiate something much larger: a new understanding of conscious consumption – choosing quality over quantity, durability over disposability, and favorite pieces over just another item in the crowd.

Vegan

A vegan product contains no ingredients of animal origin, and there are no animal byproducts used within the supply chain. No animal testing is conducted during the development and production of the product.

Recycled & recyclable

The "Recycled & Recyclable" criterion acknowledges products made from recycled materials and considers how the product can be reused or repurposed at the end of its life cycle (e.g., due to its material composition, the product can be easily recycled). This criterion also applies to upcycling products, where "old" items or waste products are creatively and meaningfully transformed.

Social & fair

This criterion is characterized by fair trade and socially equitable production that go beyond industry standards or legal requirements. For instance, you can mention your membership in organizations such as the World Fair Trade Organization or others. We are interested in learning about the specific measures your company takes to promote exceptional social standards throughout the value chain. How closely do you collaborate with your suppliers and production facilities? It is not sufficient to merely reference locations (e.g., Made in EU) or legal requirements (e.g., no child labor). Donating a portion of profits to social projects is not considered as social&fair.

Pollutant-reducing manufacturing

This criterion is assigned to products whose production reduces the impact of harmful substances on human health, animals, and the environment. This can be achieved, for example, through the explicit use of natural materials (no synthetic ones). Certifications or seals (e.g., REACH) can serve as evidence. Certificates confirming low levels of harmful substances in the end product (e.g., Oeko-Tex 100) may be mentioned, but they do not fulfill the criteria for reduced harm in production.

Regional production

The majority of the value creation for these products occurs in Switzerland/Europe depending of the country of sale. Only regional refinement alone is not sufficient.

Ressource-efficient production

Products with this criterion contribute to reducing resource consumption. Resource conservation in production involves efficient and responsible use of raw materials and energy in the manufacturing process. This can be achieved, for example, through the use of renewable raw materials, resource-efficient production techniques, or the avoidance of overproduction. The supply and transportation chain also significantly influence resource consumption and offer numerous opportunities for optimization. Additionally, products that contribute to resource conservation through their functionality (e.g., reusable solutions) are eligible for this label.

Organic raw material

The raw materials of the products are sourced from certified organic farming. If not all ingredients are sourced from certified organic farming, the non-certified organic ingredients must be clearly identified in the product description. The use of natural raw materials alone is not sufficient to meet this criterion.

Sustainable innovation

Sustainable innovation is about creating new solutions that are good for the environment, society, and the economy. It involves making products, processes, or technologies that reduce harm to the planet, promote social fairness, and are economically viable. It considers the entire life cycle, often involves collaboration, and aims to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly options.

Handmade

Products handcrafted with love and care by Artists and Artisans