VINOBLE COSMETICS not only stands for high-quality cosmetic products in the premium segment, but also sets new standards in terms of sustainability and environmental protection.

In our conversation with founder and CEO Luise Köfer, we will gain deeper insights into her vision, her innovative approaches and the role of sustainability in the cosmetics industry.

 

What does sustainable thinking and action mean to you at VINOBLE COSMETICS?

For us at VINOBLE COSMETICS, thinking and acting sustainably means taking responsibility for our environment, our community and our products. We have always been committed to combining beauty and care with environmental awareness, taking a holistic approach. This is reflected in several key elements - from the selection of raw materials to sustainable production and plastic-free shipping of products. We don't see sustainability as a trend and a temporary thing, but have long-term goals and a clear roadmap to continuously improve and expand our sustainability efforts.

 

Can you give some specific examples of sustainable initiatives or products?

On the one hand, we rely on natural ingredients that are not only effective, but also environmentally friendly. This means that we avoid harmful ingredients and are therefore free of parabens, paraffins, PEG substances, synthetic dyes and hormone-activating substances. In addition, our products are free of animal testing and vegan and registered with the Vegan Society.

On the other hand, we attach great importance to sustainable sourcing of our raw materials. This includes short transport routes and supply chains, which is why almost all of our raw materials come from regional suppliers or suppliers from Central Europe.

In addition, we invest in the development of environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Our products are therefore made of glass, wood and textile and does completely without an outer carton. In addition, with July 2023, we launched a sustainable tube made from 95 % renewable raw materials - consisting of 85 % sugar cane and 10 % FSC-certified spruce wood waste. Just like PET and glass bottles, these can be 100 % recycled. In this way, we ensure that the packaging can be easily recycled at the end of its life cycle. This helps to reduce the amount of waste and minimize the environmental impact.

 

Besides using recyclable materials, are there other sustainable solutions to improve the disposal of your packaging in terms of the environment?

At VINOBLE COSMETICS we consider the disposal of our product packaging to be a crucial aspect of our sustainability efforts. We have developed a holistic approach that allows us to not only design or recycle packaging in an environmentally friendly way, but also to promote its reuse.

One of our main initiatives is the upcycling of our packaging. We therefore design them in a way that they can serve a second function. For example, our glass bottles and jars or their lids can easily be reused as flower vases, tea light holders, elegant coasters for wine glasses, or as practical kitchen aids such as spice storage and vinegar and oil dispensers. This gives our customers the opportunity to use our packaging creatively and sustainably instead of simply disposing of it.

 

To what extent has the COVID 19 pandemic influenced your sustainability efforts in the cosmetics industry? Have there been any new challenges or opportunities that have arisen from this situation?

We have all seen that the Corona lockdown has had positive effects on the environment. Now the challenge is to continue to sustain and push forward. One example of this are online meetings - at VINOBLE COSMETICS we also had to be flexible due to the lockdown and handle our appointments and training digitally. This has shown us that business travels are not always necessary and that we can make a positive contribution to the environment by traveling less to customers or partners. In addition, we are currently in the process of converting our company vehicles to electric cars in order to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible in this area as well.

Of course, the pandemic also brought challenges, for example with regards to the changing demand of customers. Increased awareness of health and hygiene has further raised interest in sustainable products and the purest ingredients. This has inspired us to launch a new product line. With VINOBLE COSMETICS pure, we have developed a line especially for allergy sufferers, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with neurodermatitis, and immunocompromised individuals. Nine facial care products with the purest COSMOS-certified active ingredients and 0% critical ingredients were therefore added to the existing vegan line.

 

What advice or recommendations do you have for other companies in the cosmetics industry looking to improve their sustainability efforts?

Start by setting clear and achievable sustainability goals for your company. Also, be transparent and communicate openly about your production processes, ingredients and packaging. This builds trust with customers. It is also essential to invest in training your employees on sustainable practices to raise awareness throughout the whole organization. Not all initiatives and solutions need to be implemented at once, but a clear roadmap can help implement changes incrementally to achieve your sustainability goals. Of course, this takes a lot of time and effort, but offers long-term benefits for the company, the environment and society.