Cork Pots become Lush’s first carbon-positive packaging product
A recent study conducted by Lush on the carbon footprint of their Cork Pots (£7.50 each) demonstrated that they are Lush’s first carbon-positive packaging product. The perfect storage solution for your shampoo bar, Cork Pots are made from the bark of the cork oak sourced from southern Portugal.
The original intention of the project was to design a piece of packaging which, every time it is purchased, directly supports the wider regeneration of Cork Oak Forests in Portugal. Key findings from the study revealed that over 20,000 native trees have been planted in the first year of the cork pot production.
Carbon Neutral Certification In addition, on Monday 12th August Lush Cork Pots achieved certification from the Carbon Trust as a Carbon Neutral packaging product. The certification verified that each 35g Cork Pot sequesters over 33 times its weight in carbon dioxide, removing approximately 1.2kg CO2e from the atmosphere. This carbon sequestration is achieved through the growth of the cork oak trees, the bark of which is harvested for the raw material of the Pots. The Carbon Trust’s Carbon Neutral label demonstrates that a product has achieved certification to PAS 2060 – the internationally recognised standard for carbon neutrality.
its weight in Carbon Dioxide
Striving for Regeneration
As part of Lush’s mission to become a regenerative business, the Lush buying team are dedicated to looking at ways in which they can reduce the environmental impact of Lush’s supply chain.
As a non-timber forest product, cork is harvested by stripping the bark off the trees in a rotating system. The bark grows back over the course of nine years when it is ready to be harvested again. Not only does this process not harm the trees, but it also encourages wildlife to flourish. Beyond the positive benefits of cork, this particular project reinvests a percentage of profits in ecosystem restoration. Lush has been using Portuguese cork to produce Cork Pots since November 2017.
Lush has always championed a minimal packaging approach (currently naked products make up around 50% of Lush’s core range). Where Lush does use packaging, they ensure all gifts and products are packaged sustainably – most of the materials used are recycled or from organic fibres and are recyclable, compostable or reusable at end of life.
When Lush started working with cork, we knew the material was very capable of sequestering greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. But we didn’t realise just how much until we came to study it more closely and found that a Cork Pot was actually removing more CO2 than it was emitting over its lifecycle. It was a groundbreaking moment and we were delighted to work with the Carbon Trust to confirm that a single 35g cork pot is sequestering over a kilo of CO2e. Packaging that is quite literally fighting climate change.
% natural, reusable and biodegradable, the cork pot is a carbon positive piece of packaging
Lush Cork Pots • £7.50 each Cork naturally wicks away moisture and drains easily which means a shampoo bar that is even more enjoyable to use and lasts longer too. The humble shampoo bar has been a staple in plastic-conscious bathrooms for decades – Cork Pots are what your shampoo bar has been dreaming about for years!
Lush Cork Pots are available from uk.lush.com and select Lush Shops throughout the UK and Europe.
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For further information on Lush Cork Pots, interview opportunities or to view the full Lush carbon study please email elizabeth@lush.co.uk
Carbon Neutral Certification The Carbon Trust looked at the full emissions lifecycle of the cork pots. This included the carbon stored in the cork forest from which the raw materials originate, the manufacturing process, transport emissions (road freight), retail and end of life. The footprint of this product was certified against the international PAS 2050 standard.
The Cork Pot project is the culmination of 2 years of work and collaboration with Eco Interventions, an organisation dedicated to assisting farmers and landowners in sustainable management of their land and the rewilding of large areas of Forest Farmland. Lush Cork Pots are a truly "regenerative" piece of reusable packaging which is biodegradable at end of life, giving our customers worry-free packaging that nature can recycle. This is the future for all packaging…..there are many challenges ahead but it is up to the industry to find natural material solutions for all our packaging needs.
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