That’s a bold statement. What does it really mean?

For us, it means that we care deeply about the environment and what we see going on around us everyday; Pollution, rampant chemical production, a pharmaceutical industry operating seemingly without restrictions, and a cosmetic industry that is practically unregulated. It’s scary when you really stop and think about it, but for us at Monave it’s personal.

It’s reflected in the mirror and the mirrors of all of our customers when they wake up in the morning. It’s reflected in our hair, our skin, and our eyes. It’s heard in the breaths of our children, and seen in the color of the sky overhead. It’s in the bodies of the fish of the streams and waterways near our homes. So how does that translate to how we operate at Monave?

We purchase our products from responsible supply houses. This means that we are given the opportunity to choose pthalate-free plastic jars from our jar supplier. It means that we can choose paper for our printer that is made from recycled paper goods, not newly cut trees. It means that we choose not to send paper catalogs to every person that asks, but encourage them to use our internet store whenever possible, since it does not require ink and paper to see it.

It means that every cup, bottle and plastic container goes into a specially marked blue bin to be put out twice a month for recycling. It means that excess paper and cardboard get put out as well, diligently and faithfully. It’s a policy, not an option. It means that we turn the heat down at night to conserve energy, and that lights are left off in rooms that are not in use. Energy facilities, especially coal-fired ones, are responsible for much of the mercury that has now poisoned our waterways.

It means that our pigment suppliers do not do animal testing. It doesn’t mean that they never did, since it was common 60 years ago, but any supplier that currently either engages in, or contracts out to have animal testing done, does not get our business. It means that we opt for animal-friendly ingredients, and continually strive to improve our formulas to meet those standards. It means that we absolutely do not purchase ingredients that are manufactured with toxic chemicals, such as dyes, or ingredients that are harmful to our health, such as paraben preservatives. Our ingredients are either inert (minerals),  or beneficial (cold pressed, organic coconut oil) to the human body. That’s it.

Simple, clean, and caring. It’s our world and our legacy. If we don’t protect it now, there won’t be anything left. As it is, our air, water and food is polluted. We believe that each and every person is the starting point for change, so we’re doing our part to change the way that businesses operate, one face at a time.