When browsing online stores, you’ve probably come across the term eco-friendly. Some people embrace it, while others roll their eyes, arguing that nothing is truly 100% eco-friendly. We see this reaction too - customers questioning the legitimacy of the term, wondering if it's just marketing fluff.
So, why do we use it? Why does it appear on our website and in our messaging? The short answer: education. But let’s go deeper.
Quick links
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The reality - nothing is 100% eco-friendly
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Eco-friendly as a guiding principle
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The misunderstanding around eco-friendly
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Why we choose to educate, not overpromise
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The importance of honest communication and transparency
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How we ensure eco-friendly means something real
The reality - nothing is 100% eco-friendly
Let's start with the truth - no product, not even the most sustainably made one, is entirely eco-friendly. Everything we create and consume has an environmental impact, from raw material extraction to production, packaging, transportation, and even disposal.
A stainless steel water bottle? It requires mining (unless it's made from recycled stainless steel) and energy-intensive manufacturing. A compostable phone case? It still takes resources to produce, and not every composting facility can handle it efficiently. Even digital services - yes, even reading this blog - have an environmental footprint due to data storage and energy consumption.
So why use eco-friendly if it's an imperfect term? Because it's a starting point.
Eco-friendly as a guiding principle
We know that greenwashing, making misleading claims about sustainability, is a real issue in the industry. Many companies use eco-friendly language without real action behind it, and that’s exactly what we want to avoid. When we use the term eco-friendly, it’s not about making broad, vague claims - it’s about being transparent about how our products are designed to be less harmful to the environment compared to conventional alternatives.
For us, it means:
- Using sustainable materials wherever possible
- Designing durable products to reduce waste
- Encouraging repair and reuse over replacement
- Supporting ethical production practices
- Constantly improving our supply chain to lower emissions
We don't claim to be perfect, and we don't expect customers to just take our word for it - we back up our claims with real details. Avoiding the term entirely would mean missing an opportunity to educate, to foster discussions, and to help people make more informed choices.
It's about making progress, not pretending that sustainability is a one-and-done achievement.
The misunderstanding around eco-friendly
A big challenge with the term eco-friendly is that many people don't fully understand what it really means. Some assume it means zero impact on the environment, while others think it's just another marketing word with no real substance. Neither of these interpretations is quite right.
By definition, eco-friendly means "not harmful to the environment." But in reality, no product is entirely without impact. Everything requires resources to produce, ship, and eventually dispose of. The key difference lies in the choices made along the way. A product labeled as eco-friendly should be designed with a significantly lower environmental footprint than conventional alternatives, whether through materials, production processes, durability, or end-of-life solutions.
This misunderstanding often leads to skepticism or even criticism, but instead of avoiding the term, we see it as an opportunity for education. Rather than using eco-friendly as a vague claim, we always aim to explain why something is a better choice, because informed decisions lead to real change.
Why we choose to educate, not overpromise
Sustainability is complex. It's not as simple as labeling something eco-friendly and calling it a day. Every decision - materials, production, packaging, and disposal, comes with trade-offs. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, and that's exactly why transparency matters.
Instead of making sweeping claims, we focus on giving people the information they need to make their own choices. That's why we break down what goes into our products - how they're made, how they compare to traditional alternatives, and what happens at the end of their lifecycle. We believe that when people understand the nuances, they can make more conscious purchasing decisions, not just with us, but in their everyday lives.
Ignoring eco-friendly as a term entirely wouldn't fix the misunderstanding, it would only leave more room for misinformation. Instead, we would rather be part of the conversation, helping people navigate the complexities of sustainability with honesty and clarity.
The importance of honest communication and transparency
As we all know, certain terms in sustainability are often used without full context. For example, many brands label products as compostable without clarifying that compostability depends on specific conditions - such as access to industrial composting facilities or the right balance of heat, moisture, and microorganisms. Without that information, people might assume these products will naturally break down anywhere, which isn't always the case. We know all these terms can be confusing, and that's why we have shared a sustainability terms guide, so you can better understand what these terms actually mean.
So, why don't we avoid the term eco-friendly?
The answer is simple - avoiding it doesn't solve the problem, it only makes sustainable choices harder to recognise. Without clear language, customers may struggle to differentiate between responsible products and those with no environmental considerations at all.
That's why we use eco-friendly as a starting point, not an empty claim. We believe that openly sharing our efforts, as well as the limitations of our products, fosters more trust and transparency than avoiding the conversation altogether. Instead of ditching the term, we make sure it's always backed by clear, honest details about what makes our products a better choice.
How we ensure eco-friendly means something real
Sustainability is an ongoing journey. While no product is perfect, we are always looking for ways to do better by refining our materials, improving production methods, and making our supply chain more sustainable. Here is how:
Using better materials
We prioritise recycled, plant-based, and durable materials to cut down on waste and reduce reliance on virgin resources. One example is PLNTPRTCT™, the plant-based material we use in our phone cases. It took a lot of testing to get it right - strong enough to protect your phone while being a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastic. In fact, 470 of our plant-based cases create the same emissions as just one regular plastic case. That’s the kind of impact better materials can have.
We take the same approach with our thermal bottles and stone paper notebooks. Our bottles are made from recycled stainless steel, meaning no mining and lower environmental impact. And instead of traditional paper, our notebooks are made from stone paper, which uses no trees or water, making them a more sustainable choice.
Designing for longevity
The longer a product lasts, the less often it needs to be replaced, which means less waste and fewer resources used over time. That's why we focus on making products that are built to last, so they don't just serve you well today, but for years to come. A durable product reduces environmental impact and gives you something you can rely on, rather than something you will have to replace in a few months.
Embracing circularity
Through initiatives like agood loop™, we have created a way to keep materials in use for longer. This means customers can send their old phone cases back to us, and we’ll make sure they are reused in future production - giving materials a second life instead of letting them go to waste.
We see eco-friendly as a commitment to constantly improving and making real, measurable progress toward a more sustainable future.
Final thoughts
Using eco-friendly comes with responsibility. We recognise that when a brand makes sustainability claims, people will (and should) question them. That's why we welcome feedback, transparency, and accountability.
We actively share information about our materials, manufacturing processes, and product lifecycles so customers can make informed decisions. If something can be done better, we listen, learn, and adjust. Sustainability isn't about having all the answers. It's about making better choices every day, and that’s exactly what we’re committed to doing.
