The united & free standard

“Knowing is the key to caring, and with caring there is hope that people will be motivated to take positive actions.”

Dr. SYLVIA EARLE

We commit to a dedicated amount of 2% of revenue to our partner Mission Blue to further Marine protected areas.

Please click here to learn more about our partner Mission Blue.

Our Beliefs

Earth’s health is my health. Our connection is endless. Vital. As our ocean suffers, temperatures rise, and Earth cries out for help we see our mission. We take action. To contribute less waste. To preserve our oceans—our collective lifeblood. We see a vision of the Super Future. A future where humans and Earth coexist and thrive. Where Earth is richer. Fuller. Each of our body and hair care products are tested for efficacy and made from natural botanical ingredients to treat skin and hair concerns. All products have 3 uses -one container, to cut down on the amount of consumption required to treat our conditions. Products are tested on various humans, as we all have unique skin and hair. Testing on different hair and skin types allows us to offer a broader range of products to our community.

01

UNDERSTANDING OUR COMMUNITY

Your individuality is our celebration. Every person should be free to
express the truest version of themselves. We create products with your individuality in mind. Gender- fluid. For all identities. For every body. For authentic self-expression and creativity. We are all made of the same makeup—skin is skin. You are welcome here.

This is a space for body appreciation. Honouring the form that carries you and connects you to this Earth. You are an important part of this ecosystem.

The power of an inclusive collective brings us closer to the Super Future. A thriving ecosystem.

How can we support you better?

02

FORMULATION & INGREDIENTS

Prior to making a product, we discuss how it’s functionality will be met within the market. This allows us to produce multi- purpose products in a single container. Multiple uses-less waste.

Each ingredient used in our product formulations must be European Union (EU) complaint. EU standards are the most stringent, currently banning over 1,328 chemicals from cosmetics that are known to be harmful in many ways.

We follow a vegan formulation mandate, meaning our products do not contain any animal ingredients or animal-derived ingredients. Our formulations are verified vegan and cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and PETA.

03

PACKAGING & PRODUCTS

Responsibly made products with longevity. Multiple lives. Designed with Earth in mind.

We focus on products with longevity. Rather than products that produce waste. This means choosing responsible materials with qualities that support their life without harming the environment when their life ends.

Our vessel lids are formed using 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. PCR is material made from the items that consumers recycle — in our case, recycled plastic. We expect to manufacture 100% PCR lids by the end of 2022!

united & free is Canadian-owned. We take pride in our hair & skincare products being developed and manufactured in British Columbia, Canada. Our outer packaging and glass vessels are designed in Canada and responsibly manufactured in China. Our tools are responsibly manufactured in China as well. Our shipping boxes are designed and manufactured in British Columbia, Canada.

04

TESTING & EFFICACY

We work with a manufacturing partner in British Columbia, Canada. All formulations are derived in-house and sent to a Health Canada approved lab for manufacture.

First, product formulations are manufactured for a pilot test run. Our team tests each product for at least 3 months to determine efficacy, documenting interactions with hair and skin. We tweak the formulation if necessary and go into a pre-production run. The products go through a series of stability tests to confirm they are ready for production.

All of our glass vessels are tested by SGS to verify that they meet Canada’s glazed ceramics and glassware regulations, prior to being filled with products. SGS testing allows for a complete material breakdown of our glass vessels and tests for elements and heavy metals. This testing allows us to provide a safe
product for market.

05

TRANSPARENCY& EDUCATION

We work with responsible suppliers all over the world to bring sustainable packaging solutions to market. We do our best to vet each partner and research the materials used in our packaging and formulations. We intend to share our findings with you so you can understand how we came to reach our decisions and why we choose specific materials to bring to market. Our focus is use materials from waste, upcycle and create closed loop cycles whenever possible. We still have work to do in this area and continue to make improvements as we learn about the ever-changing market landscape.

Education is key to making buying decisions, and we intend to always be transparent with our process.

01

UNDERSTANDING OUR COMMUNITY

Your individuality is our celebration. Every person should be free to
express the truest version of themselves. We create products with your individuality in mind. Gender- fluid. For all identities. For every body. For authentic self-expression and creativity. We are all made of the same makeup—skin is skin. You are welcome here.

This is a space for body appreciation. Honouring the form that carries you and connects you to this Earth. You are an important part of this ecosystem.

The power of an inclusive collective brings us closer to the Super Future. A thriving ecosystem.

How can we support you better?

02

FORMULATION & INGREDIENTS

Prior to making a product, we discuss how it’s functionality will be met within the market. This allows us to produce multi- purpose products in a single container. Multiple uses-less waste.

Each ingredient used in our product formulations must be European Union (EU) complaint. EU standards are the most stringent, currently banning over 1,328 chemicals from cosmetics that are known to be harmful in many ways.

We follow a vegan formulation mandate, meaning our products do not contain any animal ingredients or animal-derived ingredients. Our formulations are verified vegan and cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and PETA.

03

PACKAGING & PRODUCTS

Responsibly made products with longevity. Multiple lives. Designed with Earth in mind.

We focus on products with longevity. Rather than products that produce waste. This means choosing responsible materials with qualities that support their life without harming the environment when their life ends.

Our vessel lids are formed using 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. PCR is material made from the items that consumers recycle — in our case, recycled plastic. We expect to manufacture 100% PCR lids by the end of 2022!

united & free is Canadian-owned. We take pride in our hair & skincare products being developed and manufactured in British Columbia, Canada. Our outer packaging and glass vessels are designed in Canada and responsibly manufactured in China. Our tools are responsibly manufactured in China as well. Our shipping boxes are designed and manufactured in British Columbia, Canada.

04

TESTING & EFFICACY

We work with a manufacturing partner in British Columbia, Canada. All formulations are derived in-house and sent to a Health Canada approved lab for manufacture.

First, product formulations are manufactured for a pilot test run. Our team tests each product for at least 3 months to determine efficacy, documenting interactions with hair and skin. We tweak the formulation if necessary and go into a pre-production run. The products go through a series of stability tests to confirm they are ready for production.

All of our glass vessels are tested by SGS to verify that they meet Canada’s glazed ceramics and glassware regulations, prior to being filled with products. SGS testing allows for a complete material breakdown of our glass vessels and tests for elements and heavy metals. This testing allows us to provide a safe
product for market.

05

TRANSPARENCY& EDUCATION

We work with responsible suppliers all over the world to bring sustainable packaging solutions to market. We do our best to vet each partner and research the materials used in our packaging and formulations. We intend to share our findings with you so you can understand how we came to reach our decisions and why we choose specific materials to bring to market. Our focus is use materials from waste, upcycle and create closed loop cycles whenever possible. We still have work to do in this area and continue to make improvements as we learn about the ever-changing market landscape.

Education is key to making buying decisions, and we intend to always be transparent with our process.