🌱 Sustainability Secrets for Indie Beauty Brands: Steal our Playbook

November 04, 2025 Cinder Trout

🌿 Sustainability isn’t a buzzword — it’s our mission. Lip balm and love for the planet, let’s go!

Fun fact about kale: In the late 90's and early 2000's, Pizza Hut was one of the largest consumers of kale in the U.S. Any guesses what they did with it?

They didn’t serve it. They used it as a garnish to decorate their salad bars — and no one ever ate it. (smh emoji) The healthiest thing in the entire restaurant was never even consumed. How wild is that?

Why am I telling you this in a blog about sustainable beauty? Because sometimes we already have the tools, suppliers, and systems to do a lot of good, we’re just not using them to their full potential.

Indie beauty brands are scrappy by nature. We stretch every penny, every ounce of packaging, every square foot of workspace. But when it comes to sustainability, it can feel overwhelming— packaging, traceability, energy efficiency, carbon impact… all incredible goals. But how do you get there when you’re just trying to make payroll and ship orders on time?

Here’s the truth: you don’t have to do it all. Sustainability for small brands isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. Small, intentional moves matter. And often, there are opportunities sitting right in front of us, already.

I know I’m not doing it all perfectly, but I’m committed to making choices for our little family-owned lip balm brand that feel responsible and aligned with our values. I’m always learning and improving a little more each season. I’m sharing what’s helped us so far, in hopes that you might find something useful too, and cheer you on with the mindset that small shifts can make a big impact. When we share ideas and resources, we can move faster together.

Plastic- Free Packaging: Where We Started

👉 Did you know? In 2024, the world generated an estimated 220 million tons of plastic waste with nearly 70 million tons leaking into the natural environment. The U.S. alone contributes 35–48 million tons annually, yet less than 6% is recycled; the rest goes to landfills or incineration. The ocean bears the brunt, with about 11 million tons entering seas each year, the equivalent of a garbage truck dumping its load every minute.

Beauty has its own heavy footprint, contributing an estimated 120 billion units of packaging annually, with over 90% discarded after use. Over 1 billion plastic lip balm tubes are produced and discarded annually. Most of which are non-recyclable and can take 500 years to decompose in landfills, or worse, end up in the ocean. Plastic simply isn’t the answer, we need alternatives.

Before founding ABATURE, I was a design teacher. Educated as an architect, I taught Design + Build at a local high school in Boulder, Colorado, where I encouraged students to see the world as pliable… a place they could shape. I firmly believe, and often say: “Waste is a design problem.” Good choices in design are the first step toward sustainability.

We started with glass jars and cork lids, plastic-free and ecologically safe. Glass poses no harm to ocean life, and cork has its own beautiful sustainability story: 100% natural, rapidly renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, and harvested in a way that helps cork oak trees absorb more carbon dioxide.

Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that glass isn’t as eco-friendly in practice: it’s heavy to ship, breakage rates were high, and manufacturing tolerances led to too many defective jars. Cork also posed problems because it can’t be manufactured to exact specifications, many lids didn’t fit, leaving us with unusable inventory. Ugh, wasteful.

Instead of being rigid, we adapted… quickly. We shifted to aluminum and wood, and we’ve been thrilled with the results. Out of a shipment of 10,000 units, only four were damaged. This combination hits the sweet spot: plastic-free, durable, precise, and able to return to the ecosystem with no harmful effects.

Sustainability in business is multi-faceted. It’s not just about the end consumer seeing “plastic-free packaging.” It’s about manufacturability, shipping costs, carbon footprint, defect rates, and ensuring components actually fit together.

We didn’t stop at plastic-free. We added magnets to encourage reuse, and a small FSC-certified blank paper sticker inside each box with a note that reads: “Please join us in our mission to reduce single-use packaging by reusing your ABATURE container. xx Cinder + Tori.” Customers now repurpose jars for vitamins, DIY skincare, and travel essentials.

Our outer packaging evolved, too. We once used round tubes (pretty, but impractical). They were made from black paper, which limited our ability to use non-toxic inks. They couldn’t be flat-packed, shipped inefficiently, and wasted space. Now, we use square boxes that ship to us flat, assemble easily, and maximize space in outbound shipping.

The point is: even with the best intentions, you can get it wrong. And that’s okay. What matters is being open to iteration and growth, and not being afraid to think outside the box (literally).

Quick Tips for Sourcing Packaging

Think refillable/reusable: Even if you can’t launch a refill program yet, design packaging that encourages reuse. A beautiful jar is more likely to live a second life.
Ditch the excess: Skip shrink wrap on paper boxes. Use a small paper sticker for security instead. And don’t overbuild- design containers that hold just enough product to be used within a two-year shelf life.
Consider solid or powder formulas: Bars for shampoo, lotion, or cleanser cut packaging to a minimum, or eliminate it entirely. Less water will save on shipping and reduce your reliance on preservation systems that commonly utilize unsafe chemicals.
Design, design, design! Smart design is your biggest sustainability tool, and your best chance at differentiation in a crowded beauty space. Off-the-shelf packaging won’t set you apart. Hire a designer, create something beautiful and functional, and build packaging that tells your story while setting you up for long-term success.
Design packaging for manufacturability: Shifting to a square outer box that can be shipped to us flat was a game changer. Avoid paper tubes, and boxes that come assembled. Every supplier has a library of quick assembly lock bottom box designs in their arsenal already. We work with Xander (xander@idealcustomboxes.com) at Ideal Custom Boxes,they have in-house designers that can help you design for manufacturability for any shape/size product you have.
Choose materials carefully: Look beyond plastic. Try FSC-certified papers, non-toxic inks, aluminum, wood, recycled/post-consumer materials, bamboo, PLA, sugarcane, and mushroom-based packaging. Glass can also be a great option- just make sure to work with suppliers who have their tolerances dialed in to minimize waste and defects.

Consumers notice when small brands are thoughtful, even if it’s just small steps. In fact, they often trust us more than the giants, because they see us working harder and designing smarter to make a difference.

Practical Moves We Make at ABATURE: Steal Our Playbook

Sustainability isn’t just big gestures— it’s daily habits, systems, and choices. Here’s our running list of practices, partners, and resources you can borrow:

🌍 Request non-plastic shipping from suppliers: Ask vendors to swap out peanuts, plastic wrap, and bubble padding for cardboard or paper-based protection. You’d be surprised how often they say yes—sometimes you just have to ask. We’ve even had suppliers thank us for nudging them in this direction because it pushed them to improve systems for other clients too. [Here’s the email template we send]
🌍 Run a supplier sustainability survey: Don’t just ask for pricing, ask about sustainability practices, certifications, sourcing methods, energy use, packaging, even long-term goals. Supporting their efforts and celebrating their wins builds stronger partnerships while giving you the data to make better choices. If you’re choosing between two avocado oil suppliers, sustainability answers might tip the scale. [Download our PDF template]
🌍 Prioritize traceability + regeneration: Work with suppliers who use regenerative farming and provide transparency about their origin trails. For example, we love Natural Plant Products, a U.S. supplier of Meadowfoam Seed Oil, because they share details about their growers and sustainability practices openly. Also, look for full-circle ingredient suppliers who use food byproducts to create beautiful natural oils. [https://www.upcycledbeauty.com] [https://meadowfoam.com/]
🌍 Rethink Beeswax: Consider Vegan Formulas
Some companies claim beeswax is cruelty-free, but as a family, we don’t see it that way; and for that reason, we don’t use it in our formulas. Beeswax is taken from hives that bees rely on for survival, and large-scale harvesting often disrupts colonies and damages their ecosystem. Even “sustainable” beekeeping practices can be difficult to verify at scale. For those of us formulating vegan lip balm and clean skincare, the most transparent and sustainable path is to use plant-based waxes instead. They replicate beeswax’s structure and stability beautifully, no animals required 🐝
🌍 Source regional where possible: Whenever possible, print, pack, and fulfill with local partners to cut transport emissions and support your community. Our Colorado crew includes Corazon (printing), Leaping Lizard & Primeflex (labels), and J.Elle Innovations (manufacturing).
📦 Reuse what you can: Some raw ingredients, like natural oils and butters, require plastic liners or bubble wrap during shipping to prevent leaks. While you can’t always control what arrives, you can control what happens next. Salvage the clean pieces, stash them in a reuse bin, and give them at least one more life in outbound orders. It’s not perfect, but it keeps plastic in circulation a little longer before the landfill. We use this rolling fabric postal bin to keep things organized.
📦 Skip plastic shipping supplies: Use foldable tab-lock cartons instead of taped boxes—they assemble quickly, close with a tab, and seal with a sturdy paper sticker. Swap plastic mailers for paper honeycomb liners, which cushion products just as well. Peanuts and bubble wrap are easily replaced with honeycomb packing paper. [Here’s the link to our favorite envelope supplier] [BOX USA foldable shipping boxes] [honeycomb shipping paper]
📦 Shrink the inserts: Think about the paper you send out with every order—specials, coupons, thank-you notes. Do they need to be full-page flyers? Print on business-card stock instead: less paper, less shipping weight, less waste. Or go digital using mini inserts with QR codes linking to a landing page. It saves materials, boosts SEO, and lets you update promos anytime. [Pro tip: try Moo, our favorite business card supplier, they have square cards perfect for QR codes with the option to print an unlimited number of unique designs on the back of every card in a single order, for free! The link will get you $25 off your first order. We aren’t affiliated, they just offer a referral code to every customer]
📦 Ditch plastic displays: The beauty industry standard is plastic shelf talker frames, but they’re wasteful and bulky to ship. Switch to heavy cardstock signs with stickback paper easels. They’re plastic-free, ship flat, and save storage space. [We order ours here].
📦 Ink matters: It’s not just the material, ink matters too. Choose FSC-certified labels and eco-conscious inks. Our favorite partner is Ali at Primeflex Labels, who stocks sustainable papers and helps align packaging with sustainability goals.
👩🔬 Batch smart: Run larger batches to save water, energy, and labor time. Bigger runs also minimize tank cleanings, which reduces waste. Power up large equipment, fans, and cooling trays only when in use. Simple habit, huge cumulative savings.
👩🔬 Think light! Many raw materials are light-sensitive, which is why our lab and storage areas are intentionally window-free. It protects ingredient integrity and keeps the rooms naturally cooler. Everywhere else, however, we follow a daylight-first philosophy. Choose office spaces with abundant natural light and reserve task lighting for focused work only. Not only does this reduce energy use, but it also supports employee health and mood, people simply feel better working in sunlit spaces than under artificial bulbs.
👩🔬 Reusable lab tools: Invest in tools that last. We use aluminum and silicone spatulas, and refillable glass spray bottles in the lab. They replace single-use plastics and hold up for years. [links to stainless steel spatulas, glass spray bottles]
👩🔬 Rethink disposables: Use wax-lined papers instead of plastic measuring boats for dry ingredients, waxes, and butters. They go directly on the scale and compost afterward. For oils, we repurpose one-gallon jugs from distilled water shipments. Once they’ve served their purpose, recycle them [find wax paper squares here].
👩🔬 Dust-free towels instead of paper towels: Lab-grade paper towels must be dust-free, making them expensive and resource-heavy to produce. Use them only when necessary, and swap in dust-free microfiber cloths whenever possible. Durable, washable, and far less wasteful [my favorite brand is FoxTrot].
🌱 Restore more than you use: Offset wood usage through the GSN Planet + WeForest initiative. They don’t just plant trees, they grow them, nurtured in regions with the greatest proven climate impact while supporting local communities. Their research-driven model ensures trees survive and thrive where they’re needed most. [Plant & Grow a Tree here]
🤝 Share resources: Find partners you can grow with, whether it’s splitting bulk raw materials, trading time on a filling line, or sharing lab space. It reduces costs, environmental impact, and it's how we built some of our most meaningful partnerships.

A Story of Shared Space + Shared Strength

My friend and mentor, Jamie, is a highly educated chemist, toxicologist, and esthetician. Aka: Total bad ass female scientist. A few years ago, she was laid off from her lead chemist position at a skincare brand in Colorado, just after returning from maternity leave.

Suddenly, Jamie needed to start over. At the time, I was working out of a tiny 600 sq. ft. lab with my very first filling machine, trying to build my little lip care brand almost entirely by myself. (Tori was still in high school, busy with theater and everything teens do.) Jamie asked for help, and I welcomed her into my lab space to work for free until she could get back on her feet.

She rebuilt her career there, starting with R&D projects, then expanding into manufacturing for other small skincare brands.

As ABATURE grew, I no longer had time to fill my own products. So we started trading: Jamie would run ABATURE on the line for an hour, then another brand’s products for an hour. No money exchanged, just collaboration. We ordered raw materials in bulk, shared equipment, electricity, and climate-controlled storage.

That scrappy setup has since blossomed. Today, Jamie runs J.Elle Innovations, a full-scale manufacturing and fulfillment business serving multiple clean beauty brands. She’s built a system with multiple filling lines, ultra-efficient fulfillment, and inventory tracking designed to reduce shelf-life waste.

What started as an unfair layoff turned into a thriving, female-led, sustainable collective. Sharing lab space wasn’t just eco-friendly, it was synergistic. It proved that sustainability in small beauty isn’t just about products, it’s about people, relationships, and resourcefulness.

Find yourself a partner you can share resources with. It’s a sustainability power move!

Progress, Not Perfection: A Rally Cry for Indie Beauty

Here’s the bottom line: no small brand can do everything. And that’s okay. Sustainability is about movement, not martyrdom. Celebrate the wins you can achieve… plastic-free lids, smaller boxes, ethical suppliers. Every choice adds up.

As indie brands, we actually have an edge. We can pivot faster, innovate quicker, and build creative solutions without red tape. Together, we can show the beauty industry that sustainability doesn’t require perfection, but rather, intention and people who truly care about making a difference.

Sustainability isn’t just about carbon footprints or marketing claims. It’s about community footprints—how we treat people, how we share resources, and how we reimagine beauty together. Don’t gatekeep your wins. Share your story and your playbook, we can all learn faster when we share.

Because here’s the truth: greenwashing always catches up. If you’re going to invest in sustainability, do it with the same passion you have for your brand. Do it for your children, do it because it feels good, or simply… do it because it matters.

Together, indie brands can lead where giants lag behind because we prove every day that sustainability doesn’t require perfection, just passion.

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