02.17.24
Dr. Bronner’s, family-owned natural soap maker, has rolled out nationwide its new 32 oz. soap refill carton package for its pure-castile liquid soap. Now available in multiple retailers across the US the soap refill carton can be used to refill existing bottles or other containers for personal care and home cleaning use.
“We created our Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Refill Carton to reduce the number of plastic bottles we put into the world,” said David Bronner, cosmic engagement officer (CEO). “Ideally, the recycling rate for plastic bottles in this country would be close to 100%. Unfortunately, the rate is closer to 30%, and disposal of plastic packaging in landfills is not sustainable. We commissioned a life cycle analysis looking at what packaging material was most ecological to package our refill offering in: paper carton vs. aluminum vs. glass vs. plastic. The paper carton performed the best on every relevant ecological impact measure even when accounting for the recycling rates of each material, nationally.”
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Refill Carton is made from 69% Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, 5% aluminum, and 26% polyethylene with a polypropylene cap. The carton reduces plastic consumption by 82% per quart compared to Dr. Bronner's 32 oz. PCR bottles.
Typical carton packages for juice or plant-based milks have an interior wax lining, however, soap deteriorates this lining. To address this, the carton has a thin interior plastic lining, which greatly reduces the total amount of plastic needed to contain the soap. The company is actively working to achieve over 90% plastic reduction for the refill cartons within the next year.
“Dr. Bronner’s and our customers are very eco-conscious. We seek to ‘Treat the Earth Like Home’ in all we do. For years, our customers have been asking us to package our soap with less plastic. This new packaging is a crucial step in addressing our plastic use as a company,” added Michael Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s. “About 15 years ago, we were among the first adopters of 100% PCR plastic bottles for liquid soaps, and now are taking the next step by improving our packaging with this Soap Refill Carton option. It is imperative that we reduce our collective use of plastic on Earth.”
“We created our Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Refill Carton to reduce the number of plastic bottles we put into the world,” said David Bronner, cosmic engagement officer (CEO). “Ideally, the recycling rate for plastic bottles in this country would be close to 100%. Unfortunately, the rate is closer to 30%, and disposal of plastic packaging in landfills is not sustainable. We commissioned a life cycle analysis looking at what packaging material was most ecological to package our refill offering in: paper carton vs. aluminum vs. glass vs. plastic. The paper carton performed the best on every relevant ecological impact measure even when accounting for the recycling rates of each material, nationally.”
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
Prior to developing the refill carton, Dr. Bronner’s engaged with EcoImpact-COMPASS to conduct a life cycle analysis to determine the most ecological packaging for a refill offering. The paper carton, even if sent to a landfill, had the lowest packaging environmental impact compared to popular refill options in aluminum and glass. To see the life cycle analysis and learn more about Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Refill Carton, or to utilize the store locator to find Soap Refill Cartons in local retailers, look here.Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Refill Carton is made from 69% Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, 5% aluminum, and 26% polyethylene with a polypropylene cap. The carton reduces plastic consumption by 82% per quart compared to Dr. Bronner's 32 oz. PCR bottles.
Typical carton packages for juice or plant-based milks have an interior wax lining, however, soap deteriorates this lining. To address this, the carton has a thin interior plastic lining, which greatly reduces the total amount of plastic needed to contain the soap. The company is actively working to achieve over 90% plastic reduction for the refill cartons within the next year.
“Dr. Bronner’s and our customers are very eco-conscious. We seek to ‘Treat the Earth Like Home’ in all we do. For years, our customers have been asking us to package our soap with less plastic. This new packaging is a crucial step in addressing our plastic use as a company,” added Michael Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s. “About 15 years ago, we were among the first adopters of 100% PCR plastic bottles for liquid soaps, and now are taking the next step by improving our packaging with this Soap Refill Carton option. It is imperative that we reduce our collective use of plastic on Earth.”