How is Rustic Strength sustainable?
At Rustic Strength, sustainability and safety are especially important to us.
We offer a variety of sustainable, reusable container options for our products:
- 5-gallon Eco jugs: Made from 80% recycled plastic.
- Glass Containers: Available in half gallon and one-gallon sizes.
- Plastic Containers: Offered in half gallon and one-gallon sizes.
- 55-Gallon Barrels: Ideal for bulk purchases by businesses.
Our half gallon and gallon plastic jugs are certified food-grade, meaning they are BPA-free, made with HDPE Resin, and FDA-approved. This ensures our containers are free from harmful PFAS, which are linked to serious health concerns, including hormonal disruptions, immune system suppression, and increased cancer risks.
PFAS are persistent pollutants that contaminate water, soil, and wildlife. Importantly, they can also leach from packaging into the products they hold.
Benefits of our food-grade containers:
- Safe and non-toxic: No harmful chemicals leach into our products or your body.
- Durable: Designed to withstand strong concentrations and last longer.
- Recyclable: Minimizing environmental impact and promoting a circular economy.
- Affordable: Providing a cost-effective and sustainable solution.
By choosing food-grade containers, Rustic Strength ensures the safety and well-being of our customers and the environment.
Eco-Friendly Initiatives: Reducing Energy Use and Emissions
At Rustic Strength, we're all about doing our part for the planet. We keep our energy use low by minimizing the use of heat and air conditioning throughout most of the building.
We also encourage our team to carpool or use public transportation whenever possible. This helps cut down on emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels. Every little bit counts!
Second Chances: Social Sustainability at Rustic Strength
At Rustic Strength, we believe in social sustainability. We actively take part in the Second Chance Act program, providing reentry services to individuals who have previously been incarcerated. This program reflects our commitment to investing in human potential and contributing to the betterment of our community. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to improve their health and make a positive impact on the world. Just as our reusable containers are given a second chance, so too are our employees.
Empowering Our Small Town and Embracing Sustainability
Rustic Strength is a family-owned small business located in a small town with just over 1200 people. Choosing to locate in a rural small town provides numerous benefits to the community.
- Job creation: Rustic Strength employs over 40 members from the local area and is growing every year.
- Economic growth: Our presence contributes to the local economy by generating revenue that circulates within the community.
- Community support: Rustic Strength has donated to many community outreach programs and emergency housing.
- Environmental sustainability: We promote refillable products and sustainable practices that contribute to a healthier environment.
- Local Sourcing: We prioritize local businesses by sourcing essential materials like glass containers, vinegar, and coffee within our community. This strengthens the local economy and reduces the company's environmental impact.
Sustainable Practices: The Bamboo Advantage
At Rustic Strength, we prioritize sustainability in every aspect of our operations. That's why we use bamboo toilet paper and paper towels throughout our building.
Bamboo is a highly sustainable resource. It grows rapidly, requiring significantly less time to mature than traditional trees. This allows for frequent harvesting without depleting natural resources.
Furthermore, bamboo is:
- Biodegradable: It decomposes naturally without leaving harmful residues.
- Hypoallergenic: Gentle on the skin, making it a better choice for those with sensitivities.
- Naturally pest-resistant: Eliminating the need for harmful chemical treatments.
By choosing bamboo, we contribute to a healthier planet and prove our commitment to environmentally conscious practices.
What steps does Rustic Strength take to reduce waste?
Minimizing Our Carbon Footprint:
- Print-on-demand: We minimize waste by printing labels only when needed, especially for seasonal items. Then before recycling label sticker sheet backs, we repurpose them for notetaking.
- Employee Waste Reduction Benefits: We offer products that would otherwise be discarded to our employees at no cost.
- Repurposing Surplus Materials: Surplus materials are either sold to other local businesses or donated to those in need within our community.
- Comprehensive Recycling: We recycle extensively, diverting a wide range of materials from landfills, including product containers, shipping boxes, and other packaging components.
- Upcycling Material: We implement closed-loop recycling practices by shredding boxes and other materials to create recycled packaging materials within our own operations. You can see a video of this process here.
Combating Single-Use Plastic Waste:
At Rustic Strength, we actively combat single-use plastic waste by offering:
- Bulk Purchasing Options: We offer bulk purchasing options for households (up to 5 gallons) and businesses (up to 275 gallons), significantly reducing the reliance on single-use containers.
- Partnerships with Zero-Waste Stores: We collaborate with hundreds of zero-waste stores across the U.S. These stores provide refill stations, enabling customers to bring their own containers and only buy the exact amount they need, minimizing waste and eliminating the need for single-use packaging.
- Reusable bottle options: We offer a variety of keeper bottles meant for refilling and reusing with your favorite products.
- Optional Scoop for Dry Powders: We offer an optional scoop for dry powder products, encouraging reusability and reducing the need for single-use plastic scoops.
- No Automatic Pump Inclusion: To minimize waste, we do not automatically include pumps with most of our products. Customers can choose to purchase pumps separately as needed.
- Circular economy: We prioritize the use of recycled materials, sourcing our bottles, pumps, and caps from other manufacturers' surplus whenever possible. This significantly reduces plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
- Close-the-Loop: Encourages retail and wholesale customers to send back their containers for re-use.
What makes Rustic Strength better than other companies?
Rustic Strength stands out from the competition by prioritizing environmental sustainability and using only the cleanest, safest ingredients.
We adhere to strict guidelines, including:
- FTC Green Guides: Ensuring our marketing and product claims are truthful and non-deceptive.
- EPA and FDA standards: Following all relevant environmental and safety regulations.
- EWG recommendations: Prioritizing ingredients with strong safety ratings.
- COSMOS-Approved Ingredients: EU Standard
Our commitment to transparency and safety ensures that our products are not only effective but also kind to both you and the planet. Unlike some brands that may overpromise on quality and hide their ingredients, Rustic Strength believes in empowering consumers with knowledge.
In Summary
At Rustic Strength, we prioritize environmental sustainability. We strive for low waste by ensuring all our products and packaging are reusable, recyclable, or upcyclable. Our “Closed Loop Program” encourages customers to return containers for proper recycling or repurposing. We also minimize our environmental impact by promoting bulk purchasing, supporting zero-waste initiatives, and offering reusable options. This encourages sustainable consumption habits among our customers.
Rustic Strength positions itself as a company that is genuinely committed to sustainability, prioritizing transparency, using safe and sustainable materials, and actively working to minimize its environmental impact.