Shattering sustainability
By Natalia Jaramillo
The glass has been shattered.
There are thousands of little broken shards of sharp pieces glistening on the dark wooden floor as this brave solitary figure stands above holding the baseball bat.
Those shards represent those brands lagging behind on sustainability and that slight figure is London-based perfumer Miller Harris who ‘swung the bat of sustainability’ and shattered the standard of green that existed before.
Miller Harris has reworked their previous bath and body collection from sort-of environmentally friendly into a full climate-action revolution.
The small perfumery company is expanding rapidly and when it comes to expansion we often see less sustainability alongside the growth. Miller Harris has changed that. The British perfumer has completely upped the ante by revolutionarily changing its packaging, formulas, sources and even weight of products to come as close as possible to be a 100% sustainable brand.
The simple yet mind-blowing concept is that something is better than nothing to help the planet, we all need to do our bit. But it is truly life-changing when a niche brand such as Miller Harris takes multiple steps towards sustainability. It shows the way all brands can go, it leads the field, it deserves more than mere praise, it deserves to be heralded.
The company is setting the standards high for sustainability: the new packaging is all made with 50% post-consumer recycled product, therefore making the plastic bottles fully recyclable, lighter in weight than glass which means less environmental impact for transportation and no manufacturing of new plastics. The size, weight and even the production process for the line have been reduced. Foil-free cartons that are more easily recyclable are used to package the already green bottles. Miller Harris has even changed their formula to include responsibly sourced palm oil and coconut extracts.
“The Bath and Body collection has been reimagined for our luxury consumer, with recyclable packaging and luxury formulas that are responsibly sourced and sustainable for future generations,” Miller Harris CEO, Sarah Rotheram said.
The collection of body washes and creams, hair mists, hand creams and soaps come in different fragrances derived from natural ingredients. scherzo, Rose Silence, Tea Tonique, Étui Noir and Lumière Dorée are just some of the scents the collection comes in. A few of the collection’s fragrances, Nettles, Honey and Lime and Rhubarb and Peony, were derived from one of Miller Harris’ original perfume ranges, Forage.
The very sustainable collection has been in the works for a long time and has amped up the company’s philosophy that 80% sustainability is better than waiting for a perfect 100%. Keep watching this space as the company is committed to continuing to move forward on their sustainable journey, which helps us all make far better choices.
