Sustainability and the protection of the environment were already important to pharmacist Alexander Ehrmann when he founded Saint Charles and have always been a decisive influencing factor in product development. Regional products from herbal medicine should be packaged in an environmentally friendly way and achieve an optimal effect through high quality and freshness. Whether for external or internal use.
Waste prevention in product design
Saint Charles products are mostly made of 100 per cent natural ingredients, without any additives. Therefore, high-quality packaging is also needed to ensure shelf life. That's why we use more than 90 per cent brown or violet glass bottles as packaging for our products. These materials protect the often sensitive natural ingredients from harmful UV light and from oxidation. In addition, glass is 100 per cent recyclable. Plastic or PET bottles often contain plasticisers and other toxins that risk interacting with natural ingredients (such as essential oils).
A courageous step, which was not always easy to implement, is the renunciation of over-cartons for our own products. Legal labelling and information for our customers thus often have to be accommodated in a small space. Products that are designed for global trade could be packed more easily with overcartons and would therefore also be stackable. However, we are convinced that we will continue to do without over-cartons for our own products in the future. Practical experience shows us that minimalist but high-quality packaging with brown or violet glass is also possible without over-cartons and is also appreciated by our customers. Anyone who buys a Saint Charles product in our pharmacies or from our partners therefore immediately feels the direct contact with high-quality materials and the reduction to the essentials.
Plastic-free shipping
If products are shipped, they must be appropriately well padded and packaged. This year, we also took an important step in the direction of waste avoidance in shipping via our online shop. New logistics and thus more space for products, but also new innovative packaging machines, enabled us to implement our plan in terms of "plastic-free packaging". Since the beginning of 2018, we have been packaging exclusively with recycled paper when shipping to our end customers and have dispensed with 100 per cent plastic for filling materials or inserts. Plastic adhesive tapes are also no longer used for our standard cardboard boxes.
We are convinced that we can make a positive difference with our philosophy and our products. Reduction to the essentials, coupled with high-quality and sustainable products, will continue to determine our actions in the future.
