As a brand that prioritises wellbeing, we acknowledge here at Ora that wellbeing extends beyond the self – it also encompasses our impact on the wider community and the environment.   

Since day one, we have taken steps to ensure we as a business are as eco-friendly and waste-free as possible. However, working towards climate positivity is a continuous, lifelong process, and there are many milestones (such as one day being B-Corp certified!) that would require much more work and time to achieve – especially for a young company like ours.   

Still, we’re doing all we can – and are always striving to do more. In fact, we believe sustainability is no longer enough and we are working towards regeneration. We aim to actively reverse the damage done to our planet and commit to the restoration, repair and replenishment of the conditions that will allow the Earth and the communities and ecosystems on it to thrive.  

What We’re Currently Doing

Ingredients

We are committed to creating and formulating great products that only contain the highest quality ingredients. These ingredients must align with our commitment to quality as well as responsible ethical and sustainable sourcing. We thus use organic ingredients wherever possible that can be traced back to their source, and ensure they have been independently tested for potency and purity. 

For example, we have sourced the organic astragalus in our Immune Tonic+ from farms in Gansu Province in Inner Mongolia. The ingredient is then extracted at a top-rated facility which specialises in US-Organic, Kosher, Halal and non-GMO ingredients.

Packaging

Bottles

We have steered clear of plastic bottles and have chosen to go with glass instead across our entire range. Our amber glass bottles are non-leaching and 100% recyclable in a closed loop system, which means a recycled glass container becomes a new glass container – without waste. They can even be reused as a vase or toothbrush holder if you so desire! 

Lids

All our lids are made from polypropylene, which can be recycled in your local council kerbside recycling bin – but please remember to separate them from the bottles before putting them into the bins! While still a plastic, the production of polypropylene has a lighter carbon footprint than other types of plastic (such as polyethylene and polycarbonate) and also takes a comparatively shorter time to degrade.

Labels 

Our labels are made from 95% bagasse, a sugarcane fibre waste, and 5% linen and hemp crops, making our labels completely recycled from non-cellulose fibre. These biodegradable labels require less energy to produce as the waste product would already have been harvested and collected in factories as part of the sugar refining process. This means that less steps are required to manufacture these labels, lowering carbon emissions. By using sugarcane in place of wood pulp, we do a part (albeit small) in preserving our precious forest ecosystems. 

Shipper Boxes

The shipper boxes your products come in are 100% recyclable cardboard, responsibly sourced and manufactured in Australia using FSC and PEFC-certified material from local Australian paper mills. These boxes can be put into your paper recycling bin to be sent to a recycling facility to be processed into renewable fibreboard mediums.   

Environmental organisations

1% for the Planet

We are a proud member and supporter of 1% for the Planet, a global movement of businesses and individuals collectively supporting environmental solutions. Created by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, the founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, the movement connects dollars with doers, bringing together individuals, businesses and vetted environmental organisations to help fight climate change. As a member of 1% for the Planet, we commit to donating 1% of total sales to environmental causes, with 100% of contributions going directly to non-profit partners of our choosing.

Greenfleet

Ora has chosen to partner with Greenfleet, an Australian, community-based environmental advocacy organisation whose purpose is protecting and restoring forests, wilderness and ecosystems around Australia and New Zealand. Where we are currently unable to avoid or reduce carbon emission as a result of doing business, we offset our carbon emissions with Greenfleet, which goes towards sustainable reforestation projects that play a pivotal role in carbon drawdown.