our bottles had a past life
we've transitioned all our clear plastic packaging to 100% recycled recovered costal plastic through SC Johnson's partnership with Plastic Bank*. recycled recovered coastal plastic is plastic that has been collected on land, within 31 miles of the coast, to stop it from ending up in the ocean or a landfill. since 2018, SC Johnson has worked with Plastic Bank to create over 550 plastic collection locations across Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Brazil, where collection members are paid to gather plastic. this program not only cleans up the environment but also provides direct economic benefits to the communities who collect it.
*specific to PET bottles in North America, minus Stain + Odor Treatment and closures.
behind the bottle
a closer look at how Plastic Bank benefits coastal Thailand communities
packaging
designing with
innovation in mind
we are pioneers in using collected and recycled plastic. in 2012 method employees and volunteers recovered plastic debris on Hawaiian beaches to make our bottles. to be more sustainable, we’ve increased our usage of PCR (post-consumer recyclable plastic) over time. for example, our method handwash bottle has been 100% PCR since 2011.
recyclable? check
in full transparency, not everything that seems recyclable is actually recycled. there are several aspects of different kinds of packaging that contaminate the stream at recycling facilities, leading to products not making the cut. that’s why we’re designing products with the end of their life in mind. this includes:
- packaging primarily made with only one kind of plastic
- product sleeves that can be removed
- durable and refillable products that you can reuse over and over again and recycle when you are done with them
- concentrated formulas that require less water, which means less energy needed for shipping
the future, in focus
while we’re doing great things now, there are certain practices that we’re trying to leave in the past. for example: rigid packaging like on our deodorants, or any laminated plastic — like the pouches for our laundry pods — because they aren’t recyclable. with this in mind, we are committed to finding solutions to move away from these materials. innovation is part of that solution. we’re doing our part to create:
- removable shrink sleeves that pass the recycling process
- refill options for all our products
- a plastic collection program that gives back to communities and those who gather it
- pumps and triggers for our bottles without metal (to increase the recyclability of the product overall)
manufacturing
mindful manufacturing
to further our goal of creating a circular economy we set new standards by launching the industry’s first LEED-Platinum certified factory, our southside soapbox. this means our building is cost and carbon saving, and efficient, which makes us a globally recognized symbol of sustainability. but there are even more benefits of the south side soapbox.
- using renewable energy like wind and solar to reduce non-renewable energy consumption by more than 50%
- creating jobs for local residents in south side Chicago
- using natural lighting to save on electricity
- super-efficient delivery trucks that run on a minimum of 20% biodiesel
- conserving 30 million gallons of water over 5 years
- a green roof to grow plants on top of the building that insulates to help minimize heating and cooling needs
certifications + partnerships
certifiably thoughtful
to maintain our sustainability standards, we put our products to the test for a multitude of certifications and partnerships.
- Forestry Stewardship Council - paper certification to ensure better forestry management
- Leaping Bunny - certification against animal cruelty
- Ellen McArthur Foundation - we partner with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to keep plastic out of oceans and encourage circular economy innovations. SC Johnson was a founding signatory of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and became a Global Partner with EMF in 2019.
- Plastic Bank - we’re transitioning all our clear plastic packaging to 100% recycled and collected plastic through our partnership with Plastic Bank. this plastic is sourced from a collection program that gives back to communities
future focused ingredients
ingredients for change
we strive to use thoughtfully chosen ingredients, and despite popular belief, that can sometimes mean moving away from plant-based ingredients. once upon a time, palm oil was seen as a better alternative to synthetic and fossil fuel-based ingredients. we now know that poorly sourced palm oil leads to deforestation and a decrease in biodiversity globally. as a result, we’ve taken several steps towards our goals.
- we use RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil
- In the future we aim to leave palm oil in the past
- we are innovators when it comes to using waste-based ingredients in our products
design with the future mind
design with the future
mind
with all of this in mind, we are going to continue pushing design to maximize our sustainability. we’ll keep on being as transparent as our hand soaps. and while our brand may be fun and colorful, when it comes to making products that are designed for you, the environment and your homes, we couldn’t be more serious. seriously excited to be the best version of our delightfully clean and radiant selves. let’s make the good fight good fun.
