LUMI’S SUSTAINABILITY PHILOSOPHY
At LUMI, every decision we make is governed by three principles: an adherence to cutting-edge science; embracing and cherishing nature; and always striving for balance. Science, nature, balance – LUMI in a nutshell!
It should be no surprise, then, that we find ourselves continually dismayed by the ongoing climate crisis the world finds itself in. We want to play our part, both in protecting the world from further damage and repairing the harm already caused.
To this end, we constantly strive to make decisions that aren’t just good for our customers, but also good for the planet. Whether this means growing our own hemp, finding new and innovative suppliers creating organic alternatives to common artificial ingredients, or cutting down on the amount of packaging we use, we’re constantly on the lookout for fresh methods of reducing our environmental impact.
Interested in learning more? Let’s take a look at how our sustainable philosophy affects everything we do here at LUMI!
Grow Your Own
When sourcing ingredients for our skincare products, we first ask: ‘can we grow or forage it ourselves?’ If the answer is yes, then we do exactly that, and if we cannot, we look for someone in Estonia who can produce it instead. Over 95% of our ingredients are grown domestically – a figure that we are incredibly proud of, and always looking to increase!
By operating with a pro-local mindset, it’s easier to ensure the quality of our ingredients and keep supply chains short. This latter point is essential when trying to operate sustainably; it’s estimated that, on average, over 90% of companies’ emissions come from supply chains. By choosing sustainable producers that are locally based, we cut down on production and shipping emissions and keep our environmental impact as low as possible.
We think it’s important to talk about every ingredient that ends up inside a LUMI bottle, including sharing information on their provenance. Remember – sustainability without transparency is simply empty words!
Seeking Innovative Growers
Because we’re always following the latest scientific breakthroughs in skincare, we’re often searching for ingredients that are not commonplace yet. There may not be anyone growing or producing these ingredients in Estonia, or they may require a different type of climate altogether.
In these situations, we need to look further afield. We intensively research companies from around the globe when it comes to making supplier choices, and we are uncompromising in our commitment to finding ingredients that are both perfect for our customers and sustainably produced.
Our searching has unearthed some truly breathtaking results. We’ve found and utilised Swedish algae-derived silica alternatives, zero-wastage shea butter collection that supports small African communities, and cruelty-free clay that is both ecologically and socially sustainable.
We hope that as more and more consumers realise the benefits and untapped potential of science-led, organic skincare, demand for these fantastic ingredients will increase, and domestic suppliers will start to enter the market. When that happens, we can shorten our supply chains even further, resulting in even less environmental impact moving forwards. It pays to think big and innovate!
Packaging
At LUMI, we believe that the best packaging is no packaging! Unfortunately, we have to concede that some kind of packaging is inevitable for a company of our size that delivers to thousands of customers across the world. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t been doing everything we can to minimise our packaging’s environmental impact!
An incredible 90% of our customers either choose recycled paper packaging or forego paper packaging altogether when possible. This greatly lowers the amount of fresh paper products that are being created on our behalf, and greatly diminishes our environmental impact! We’re grateful to each and every one of you who choose these options – you’re helping us make a tangible difference and you’re protecting the planet by doing so. So, from all of us at LUMI – thank you!
Of course, there is always more that can be done. At present, plastic bottles are a necessity due to our products being preservative-free and thus needing airtight seals. However, our dream for the future is to move to fully sustainable containers for our products, such as using ocean-recycled plastics or biodegradable hemp fibre bottles.
And we’re nearer than you might think! Every day, new breakthroughs in research help us get closer to viable packaging solutions that are completely carbon neutral or negative. We’re optimistic that these advances, coupled with an ever-increasing number of eco-conscious consumers, will soon make our dreams a reality. We’ve got everything crossed!
Finola Hemp – Natural Carbon Capture
At LUMI, we always strive for more. More skin problems solved, more smiling customers, and more positive impact made on the world. That’s why we don’t think that simply lowering our carbon footprint is enough – we want to do our bit to repair the damage already inflicted on the planet!
One of the most effective ways that we can achieve this is by planting more of a superstar crop called Finola hemp. Finola hemp is strong, nutritious, and extremely versatile, having hundreds of potential uses across industries as diverse as skincare and construction.
Arguably Finola hemp’s greatest strength, however, is its natural carbon-capturing ability. One hectare of Finola hemp removes up to 22 tonnes of CO2 from the air each year, making it one of the most efficient natural air purifiers in the world. This is alongside the immense benefits the plant brings by enriching soil with nutrients that other crops gradually strip away.
With every LUMI purchase, we plant 1m2 of Finola hemp, cleaning 0.8kg of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year. That really adds up! This initiative, coupled with our short supply chains and other sustainable efforts, means that your LUMI purchases are carbon neutral, and often even carbon negative