Even though luxury fair trade products seem to be popping up everywhere – even in your local malls – Bubble & Balm was the first Fairtrade-certified body care company in the United Kingdom. Their products include liquid soaps, luxury hand-wash, soap in tins and soap bars – all gentle and soothing, suitable for vegans and vegetarians, and packaged in a simple, modern container.
Bubble & Balm was started in the kitchen of Sue Acton, and like many social businesses, Bubble & Balm self-identifies as a commercial business and thus, the company is committed to creating amazing – and sustainable – products. Even as the business has grown, however, the products are still handmade using traditional techniques and the packaging still contains 50 percent recycled aluminum.
So what else makes Bubble & Balm’s products ethical? For starters, all of the ingredients are created from natural plant-based ingredients, which means they contain no parabens, no sulphates or phthalates. In conjunction with the GreenPalm program, Bubble & Balm encourages the production of sustainable palm oil. Bubble & Balm pays a premium on each ton of palm oil, which works toward offsetting the social and environmental consequences that the production of palm oil necessarily entails.
The Kasinthula Cane Growers in Malawi produce all of Bubble & Balm’s fairtrade-certified sugar, which allows the cane growers to earn a fairer income, and work (and live) in better conditions. Because Bubble & Balm uses certified Fairtrade ingredients and all of their products are locally-manufactured, this is an ideal product for many consumers because it fuses buying fair trade and buying local.
During the holiday season, the Guardian deemed Bubble & Balm’s "Soap with Lavender" as "surely the most impeccably ethical stocking filler you could hope to find." And even though the holiday season is over, it’s never too early to think about switching over your generic cosmetic brands for fair trade, sustainable products that have less of a negative impact on the world we live in.
Contact Information:
Bubble & Balm Website
7 Wood Street
Leamington Spa
CV32 4HQ
United Kingdom
Telephone: 0800 917 7367
Fax: 01926 678755
Luxury Ethical Cosmetics
Bubble & Balm Creates Locally-Manufactured Fair Trade Products
Trend Themes
1. Luxury Ethical Products - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create luxury products that are ethically sourced and produced, appealing to consumers who prioritize sustainability and social responsibility.
2. Locally-manufactured Fair Trade - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop fair trade products that are manufactured locally, reducing carbon emissions and supporting local economies.
3. Sustainable Packaging - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design packaging solutions that use recycled materials and minimize waste, meeting the growing demand for sustainable packaging.
Industry Implications
1. Beauty and Cosmetics - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce ethical beauty and cosmetics brands that prioritize sustainable sourcing, clean ingredients, and environmentally-friendly practices.
2. Fair Trade - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build fair trade industries by partnering with small-scale producers, supporting their livelihoods, and meeting the demand for ethical consumer goods.
3. Packaging and Recycling - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative packaging solutions and recycling technologies to address the growing concern of waste management in various industries.