Eartha Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability

At Eartha, we are committed to transparency and sustainability in every aspect of our brand. Caring for our Earth, our home, was a key driving factor for the creation of Eartha; after searching high and low for a truly sustainable mat - I researched hard, but could not find a mat that met my non-toxic, sustainable and eco-friendly standard, that also looked beautiful, felt luxurious and was super functional…

After finding “natural jute” actually had PVC plastic and nearly all mats on the market were not natural... I took the search further to find a supplier and created a truly sustainable mat that re-wilds earth AND looks divine. Eartha was born with the mission to help people find their calm, and help care for our Mother Earth. 

For every mat and product we sell, Eartha plants a tree and removes ocean plastic… helping to keep our wonderful world just that, wonderful. So you can flow on a mat that’s good for you, and your planet.

We want to assure our Earthan community that our products are ethically sourced and environmentally friendly. You can find us on Ethically Kate’s sustainable brand directory, and details below about our sourcing and sustainability. We have officially been reviewed and recognised by Kate’s high ethical standards, as a brand with the earth at the heart of our mission, to help people find their calm.

Sourcing with Leading Technology: Pioneering Sustainability

Our yoga products are sourced from a leading manufacturer in China that is at the forefront of sustainable practices. While our goal is to move towards local sourcing, there are no manufacturers in Aotearoa New Zealand that could offer the level of quality, materials and volume we needed. Currently, our supplier in China excels in producing environmentally friendly products with materials such as natural cork, hemp, and rubber.

They were the first to use zero adhesives and chemicals, ensuring our yoga mats are 100% biodegradable, achieved through the use of heat and steam only to bind the cork to the rubber.

• Cork Mat: FSC approved, sustainably harvested, natural rubber. 
• Crystal Products from Brazil: Ethically sourced, fair pricing, and supporting local factories.
• Minimal, Recyclable Packaging: Sourced locally in NZ.

Production in China: Certifications and Fair Practices

Our supplier in China, has over 20 years of experience and holds various certifications:

• BSCI Certification: Adheres to international labor standards and human rights. Our suppliers ensure their environments are safe for workers, they are paid fairly and treated well. 
• Material Certificates from SGS: Ensures compliance with European health, safety, and environmental standards.
• CE Certification: Confirms product compliance with European standards. Materials are safe and acceptable to sell in NZ, AU, UK.

We prioritise fair wages and have direct conversations with our team members in China, ensuring their safety, welfare, and happiness.

End-of-Life Sustainability: Closing the Loop

Our mats have a long lifespan and can be repurposed and up-cycled in creative ways:

• Recycled as Door Mats
• Extra padding under pet beds or in pet crates
• Campervan/Camping Trips as extra bed padding during outdoor adventures
• Donate to a local pet/homeless shelter
• Use as anti-slip cupboard liners
• Use as floor linings for lamps, vases, plants
• Compostable: Our mats are 100% biodegradable, decomposing much quicker than PVC/plastic mats which will pollute the earth for thousands of years.

We're looking to introduce a cyclical feedback loop by encouraging customers to send their old mats back to us. This initiative aims to use recycled mats in product development or compost them for customers.

Eco-Friendly Shipping: Planting Trees and Plastic Removal

We take responsibility for our environmental impact:

Tree Planting:

We plant a tree for every mat sold with Trees That Count. Here are some of the amazing tree planting initiatives Eartha has supported. 

Plastic Removal:

Remove 1lb of plastic from oceans with every mat sold through Clean Hub. Here's how it works: 

CleanHub uses technology to keep plastic out of the sea by implementing waste recovery where there is none. Their solution enables proactive brands to fund and advance plastic recovery in coastal communities across Asia and Africa with the greatest risk of plastic entering the ocean. Collection efforts are fully transparent and openly impactful. Its TÜV SÜD ISO-verified AI technology is used to track and trace collection. Unlike alternative approaches that are focused on recovering plastic once it is already in nature, CleanHub is stopping it from getting there in the first place. 

Carbon Neutral Shipping:

Offered through Shopify Planet.

Eartha is on a mission to be a carbon-negative company, with our planted trees estimated to remove about 29 tonnes of CO2 over 50 years.

Team Culture and Diversity at Eartha

We're fostering a unique team culture:

• Flexible Working: No set hours or office, maximum flexibility.
• Shared Success: Team members have the opportunity for shares in Eartha.

Diversity is a key element in our brand:

• Diverse Models: Our brand shoot featured models from various backgrounds.
• Diverse Content: We showcase all shapes and sizes practicing yoga on social media.

At Eartha Life, our commitment to ethical sourcing, sustainability, and fostering a diverse and inclusive community remains unwavering. We invite our Earthan family to join us on this journey towards a more mindful and sustainable future.

Namaste,

Lucy@Eartha

Eartha Founder & CEO