On the 27^th of March 2022, LUSH Malaysia and Coralku (a conservation non-profit organization) collaborated on a Coral Planting Campaign. During this campaign, a total of 450 coral fragments were rescued and secured onto 9 coral frames, in addition to 25 coral fragments that were cultured by Coralku in their coral nurseries and divers from LUSH Malaysia got to outplant the fragments during a leisure dive at Karang Nibong Reef.

The campaign started early in morning as the tide was slowly rolling in. A total of 28 dedicated individuals gathered at Summer Bay Resort, Lang Tengah Island and joined the event. After receiving a briefing on the beach, the group from LUSH Malaysia helped Coralku’s scientists to attach opportunistic coral fragments (broken corals collected from the seabed) onto the coral frames. These coral frames are used in the absence of natural reef substrate to act as a steady base for the corals to regrow, and are used by Coralku in areas where coral reef degradation has reached critical levels.

Once the frames were completed, divers from LUSH Malaysia headed out to propagate coral fragments at the designated restoration site at Karang Nibong Reef. Coralku has started its restoration efforts at this site in 2021, and intends to plant 15,000 coral fragments here until 2025. The group secured the fragments with the novel coral clips, which are an innovative propagation tool that was developed by Australian marine scientists to enhance the scale of reef restoration. Luckily, the clips are easy to use and even untrained divers can help with coral clip propagation.

Within a day, almost 500 broken coral fragments were rescued, and all event attendees got to learn more about coral reef ecology, conservation and climate change. Coralku will continue to monitor the growth and health of these corals, and we hope that such events will rally more Malaysians to support ongoing coral conservation and restoration efforts to mitigate the decline of precious marine biodiversity.

Direct impact of the project

Both restoration methods are equally important to ensure the survival of coral reefs around Pulau Lang Tengah. The coral reefs surrounding the island are already under severe stress from constantly rising ocean temperatures, that lead to mass coral bleaching (a direct result from man-made climate change). Development on the island has also degraded large sections of the reefs, reducing them to isolated patches, which are thus at great risk due to the movement of sand and dead coral rubble. Without interventions efforts, the remaining coral patches would continue to decline and this campaign by LUSH Malaysia and Coralku particularly aimed at mitigating the ongoing decline of coral colonies by rescuing broken fragments.

Why this project is important?

Many of today’s coral reefs have irreversibly changed. What once were epicentres of life with stunning displays of colours and shapes, are now barren landscapes of dead coral rubble. Secondary coral assemblages, that are far less complex and diverse, have replaced the original and structurally complex coral reef that has evolved over many centuries. Just like shrubs that grow on a deforested land, these secondary reefs do not have the same ecological and economical value. Much of this change is attributed to human activity, and the worst is yet to come if we do not intervene.

Climate change & coral reefs

Ocean heatwaves are becoming more severe and frequent, inevitably triggering mass coral reef decline in a process known as ‘coral bleaching’. Coral reefs are the ‘canary in the coal mine’, as saving coral reefs means saving the climate altogether. To ensure successful preservation and restoration of coral reefs, a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is necessary. However, as emissions trajectories are currently unfavourable, scientific interventions are needed to find those coral reefs and species that are the most adaptable and adjustable to increasing temperatures. Time is running out, but our recent research suggests there is hope, as several coral species have shown signs of higher thermal tolerance.

Teluk Cempedak, 1st March 2022 – Lush Malaysia and Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort, recently collaborated for a Beach Clean-up Campaign to spread Awareness on Saving our Oceans from Plastic.

Every year tons of garbage end up in the oceans due to indiscriminate disposal of waste. Sixty percent of this waste is plastic. Plastics are very hazardous to marine life, killing more than a million birds and over 100,000 seals, turtles, whales and fish in our oceans.

A total of 55 people, (Influencers Azfar Heri, Jestinna Kuan, May Ho, Adriana Adnan, Shalma Ainaa, Lovell Jia, Nicole Lai, FuYing, Mya Zulkifli, and Volunteers) joined the organizers to participate in the beach clean-up. Within 1.5 hours, we collected a total of 60 kg and 1,600 pieces of trash comprising mostly plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic containers, cigarette butts and sweet wrappers. All of which are supposed to be thrown into recycle bins but instead, ended up in our oceans and beach.

We strongly believe that the only thing that should be left on our beaches are our footprints. As the saying goes, “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Fresh ingredients are intrinsic to Lush – it’s at the heart of our philosophy

Eating an apple picked straight off the tree is of course best for a healthy body…. and fresh, handmade cosmetics are much like food in the way that they provide goodness to feed your skin. The finest fresh ingredients have a far more nutritious and effective action on the skin, hair and mind than long-lasting, heavily preserved beauty products. Fresh raw ingredients which have not broken down or aged have ACTIVE properties, especially the vitamins, minerals and enzymes with wonderful benefits. Essential oils are also most potent and effective when freshly extracted from the plant or flower source.
Natural ingredients, plants, clays, butters and essential oils have been used for hundreds of years because they have a proven history of effective, safe use and are much kinder for the environment. In contrast, science, chemicals and claims of miracle formulas may sound exciting and offer promises of anti-aging etc but how safe and effective are they and what evidence supports their claims?

At Lush we have been working with fresh produce for many years and have vast experience of how to formulate, manufacture and look after products that incorporate whole fruits and vegetables, organic wherever possible. We have discovered that using the whole fruit or vegetable is infinitely more beneficial than isolating a property and removing it from a fruit, vegetable or natural material and adding it to a cosmetic product to try to recreate its function. At Lush we minimise the use of synthetics and preservatives – 65% of products are self-preserving. We take special care to ensure we use only the safest and mildest preservatives we know. Our fresh masks are as nutritious as fruit smoothies for the face – 100% natural, totally unpreserved – they are the centre piece of our shops.

We believe that customers have the right to know exactly what is in the products they buy, and our ingredients are therefore quantitatively marked on all labels. Our products are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans – this information is clearly marked on labels for customers to chose which products are suitable for them.

Over years of gaining knowledge and expertise, and listening to our customers needs, we have created a comprehensive range of carefully formulated products that are as fresh and effective as they are pleasurable to use… and many are lots of fun!

In manufacturing Lush products

• Careful ordering of ingredients from ethical sources to ensure freshness and quality.
• Products made by hand, with care and attention – to maximise quality and minimise wastage.
• Batches honestly labelled with date and makers names – transparent information for customers.
• Products made to order, little and often, so they reach customers when they are really fresh.
• No stock piling of ingredients or large stock- holding of products – get products out to shops and Mail Order fast and fresh.
• Controlled factory waste stream – reduce and recycle.

Lush do not test on animals, do not use materials that contain animal derivatives that are unsuitable for vegetarians and only buy raw materials from companies that are not involved in the use of, or commission the use of, animals for testing and have no plans to do so in the future. We believe that animal testing is not acceptable. We recognise that customer safety is of importance but that this can be assured without the use of animals.

We will not knowingly purchase ingredients from suppliers that have conducted, commissioned or been party to animal testing after our fixed cut-off date 1st June 2007 unless the supplier commits to no further animal test in the future and using for Lush acceptable in-vitro (refers to the technique of performing a given procedure in a controlled environment outside of a living organism) alternatives.

Whilst we recognise the unavoidable exception of REACH legislation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals), Lush wishes to continue to encourage suppliers to test for safety using non-animal testing methods and to fund the development of non-animal test methods.

We have built Lush from day one using this policy – and we believe this shows that it is possible to invent, manufacture and bring to the market an entire range of products without any involvement in animal testing. Our founders launched this policy in June 1993, whilst still running their previous company, Cosmetics To Go. So when they started Lush in 1995, it began life using this policy and has stuck to it ever since.

This year, why not strip off the excess packaging? Plenty of beautiful massage bars, bath bombs, soaps (and more) are available completely stark naked. They’re now better for the environment while still being as brilliantly effective for you.

Down to Earth

Going naked is much better for the great outdoors and Lush customers have been doing their bit to support our naked revolution. During the festive period of 2017, you bought 780, 959 naked shower gels, body conditioners, body scrubs, body lotions, sparkle jars and lip products which meant that nearly 800, 000 pieces of packaging were never even made, let alone wasted.

You also picked up 836,288 Knot Wraps during the same period, saving over 2000 pieces of disposable gift wrap from landfill every day. Now that’s Christmas spirit.

Wondering exactly how much plastic you save by opting for a bubble bar rather than liquid bubble bath? Us too. Thankfully naked project co-ordinator and analyst Charlotte Nisbet has done the maths. She explains: “If you use roughly 75ml of bubble bath per bath and the average liquid bubble bath is sold in approximately a 500ml bottle, then you’d get about seven baths out of each bottle of bubble bath. This means that Lush customers picking up products from the Christmas 2017 range kept approximately 1,248,503 bottles out of production.”

It’s not shops that have gone naked either. When you order online, your products are popped in a recycled and recyclable cardboard box and nestled in simple nuggets made from potato starch called Eco Flo: a squashy material that can be biodegraded in both water and soil. In fact, tests conducted by Brunel University and the University of Humberside, UK concluded that Eco Flo is better at keeping products secure and protected against impact during transit than polystyrene alternatives.

Nature’s finest

Going naked also increases the likelihood of a product being self-preserving. Self-preserving means that products aren’t filled with preservatives to keep them fresh. Bacteria need certain conditions to grow, including water. Solid, naked products like body butters and massage bars are formulated with little to no water and are therefore often innately self-preserving. They are also packed full of Fair Trade organic cocoa butter which remains solid at room temperature, making it difficult for bacteria to flourish. Fantastic, versatile ingredients like clay, calamine, kaolin, honey and glycerine can then be added without altering the products’ solid form.

You can lavish your hair with the finest lathers without reaching for the bottle too. Self-preserving shampoo bars are packed with powerful natural ingredients and essential oils; the difference is that you add the water yourself by working the bars between your hands in the bath or shower at home. What this means is that each humble bar does the job of roughly three 250g bottles of liquid shampoo, giving you between 80-100 washes (depending on hair shape, thickness and length). They’re also a lot lighter and slimmer than a shampoo bottle – making them perfect for travelling.

And it’s not just in the bathroom that these solid beauties make a difference either. One lorry full of solid shampoo bars holds roughly the same number of washes as fifteen lorries filled with liquid shampoo, meaning less traffic on the roads and a lower carbon footprint.

In fact, chances are if you’ve got a favourite product, we’ve got a solid alternative that’s just as effective. Conditioners, bubble bath, deodorants, toothpaste, mouthwash and even perfume – the list is (almost) neverending.

Lush co-founder Mark Constantine said: “Packaging is rubbish and for too long we had had to suffer excessive amounts of it. Now that the true financial and environmental costs are becoming obvious, customers are challenging manufacturers and retailers to cut the wrap. Companies like ours need to think outside of the box and present customers with innovations that allow them to buy truly naked products.”

The world’s first naked shop

The biggest bid to kick plastic to the kerb so far came in June 2018, when Lush opened the world’s first Naked Lush Shop in Milan, Italy, treating customers to two floors of unpackaged cosmetics, regenerative containers, swag and Knot Wraps. Rather than scanning labels, visitors are instead scanning products using new AI product recognition technology in the form of the Lush Lens app, which delivers all the information you need straight to your smartphone. It’s one step closer to a packaging-free future that serves up the finest cosmetics for out customers and cares for the planet too.
As of 2018, 65% of Lush’s all year round products are currently totally unpackaged and naked… And the rest is on its way!

We believe…

We believe in making effective products from fresh, organic* fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics.

We invent our own products and fragrances. We make them fresh by hand using little or no preservative or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients, and tell you when they were made.

We believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans.

We believe in happy people making happy soap, putting our faces on our products and making our mums proud.

We believe in long candlelit baths, sharing showers, massage, filling the world with perfume and in the right to make mistakes, lose everything and start again.

We believe that all people should enjoy freedom of movement across the world.

We believe our products are good value, that we should make a profit and that the customer is always right.

* We also believe words like fresh and organic have honest meaning beyond marketing.

We believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans. 



Daniel Campbell is one of our Product Inventors, and with his Cosmetic Scientist know-how, he’s here to give you the up-to-date low down on all things soap.

How does bar soap work to keep you clean?

Soap is a mixture of oil that is reactive with sodium hydroxide to form a stearate (Sodium Salt, aka a soap), which is an alkaline material. The standard Lush soap base is rapeseed and coconut oil – those two oils get mixed with sodium hydroxide to form a soap base flake. We then melt down that flake with palm-free vegetable MPG (monopropylene glycol) or glycerin, sorbitol or various other kinds of syrups, add in fruits, infusions, water, fragrance and colour, pour it into moulds, cool it, set it, done.

In terms of how it works to keep you clean, soap destroys the integrity of Bacterial, Amoeba cell membranes and Fungi cell walls. Imagine these as little jelly discs, with an outer layer that is the wall, which is made of oil. When you apply soap to the walls, the component of the soap that likes oil grabs hold of the oil in the wall and breaks it down by forming an emulsion with the water you are washing your hands with, ripping the Bacteria, Amoeba or Fungi apart and destroying them.

TLDR: Our soap bases are specifically formulated to ensure that we’re breaking down all bacteria, viruses and unwanted yeasts on your skin. Keeping you clean and fresh!

Bar soap VS hand sanitiser?

Both are effective for different reasons.

Firstly, it’s important to understand the difference between bacteria, which is a single cell organism, and a virus which is an intracellular parasite consisting of DNA/RNA, which is encapsulated in a protein coat, which makes them more robust than bacteria. Yikes!

Hand sanitisers are based on rubbing-alcohol or isopropyl alcohol and therefore hand sanitisers disrupt the cell membrane and make it difficult for bacteria to procreate. For viruses (such as the Coronavirus), the rubbing alcohol will help to disrupt the protein coat of the virus. This means that the DNA/RNA inside is more likely to be degraded reducing the pathogenic strength of the virus.

Soaps are physical, they are solid (hand sanitisers aren’t), not only are they highly alkaline which disrupts bacterial cell membranes and fungal cell walls, the alkalinity also creates a hostile biochemical environment for microorganisms. With viruses, the physicality of a soap along with the way in which it is used ensures that the virus can’t stick to your hands (soaps “bashes” the virus off) reducing the risk of transference via contact, hand sanitiser doesn’t have this benefit

In summary – hand sanitiser on its own isn’t as good as soap on its own – but both together make a really powerful partnership!

Are soaps antibacterial?

Yes they are. It’s important to understand the difference between antibacterial – kills bacteria, and antiviral – kills viruses and antimicrobial – and able to kill viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Imagine little jelly discs, with an outer layer that is a wall made of oil (aka Bacterial, Amoeba cell membranes and Fungi cell walls). When applied, soap destroys the integrity of the wall because the part of the soap that likes oil, grabs hold of it. It breaks it down by dispersing very finely in with the water you are washing your hands with, ripping the Bacteria, Amoeba or Fungi apart and destroying them.

Regular soap is not expected to kill viruses, because a virus is not a cell with a cell membrane. Instead it is an intracellular parasite, which must infect a host cell or cells. A virus needs to get into something. Viruses have either DNA or RNA encapsulated in a protein coat, some viruses can persist in villerence even on dry surfaces for weeks or longer. With viruses, soap will help to disrupt the viral particles and help to wash the viruses off the hands.

In a nutshell: Soap IS antibacterial, BUT COVID-19 is a virus, not a bacteria.
It IS important to wash the bacteria, fungi and yeasts off your skin though.

What are Lush soaps made from?

Soap is a mixture of oil that is reactive with sodium hydroxide to form a stearate (Sodium Salt, aka a soap), which is an alkaline material. The standard Lush soap base is rapeseed and coconut oil – those two oils get mixed with sodium hydroxide to form a soap base flake. We then melt down that flake with palm-free vegetable MPG (monopropylene glycol) or glycerin, sorbitol or various other kinds of syrups, add in fruits, infusions, water, fragrance and colour, pour it into moulds, cool it, set it, done. Depending on which fresh ingredients, infusions or essential oils we add in, we can create everything from Outback Mate, full of menthol-goodness, to the creamy-Rose dream of Ro’s Argan Gourmet Soap.

We use the melt and pour method – which allow us to get more effective, beneficial ingredients for the skin into our bars compared to a milled soap bar.

If we were to just react to coconut oil and rapeseed oil with sodium hydroxide and make a pressed or milled bar, (what’s called a hot pour soap), you wouldn’t have the opportunity to get any additional ingredients (including naturals) like honey (which is natural antibacterial) or Sea Salt (which is natural antibacterial) in, because the strength of the sodium hydroxide would destroy them. Instead, we make the soap base first, melt it down, add the fresh natural materials (that we’re known for) into it, and then pour it into moulds, cool it, set it, cut it and send it to shops. Job done!

Do Lush soaps have Palm Oil in them?

All of Lush’s hand and body soaps are Palm Oil free. Where we do use a sodium stearate, (Sodium Salt), we use a palm-free version.

(Note: Fresh Farmacy Facial Soap is the only Lush soap with Palm Oil – it has sodium lauryl sulfate)

How are Lush soaps made?

At Lush, we either use a soap base bought from a supplier, this is made from a combination of rapeseed oil for a gentle creamy feel and coconut oil which makes the soap lather. We also have an in-house soap base manufacturing facility which allows us to make a soap base from any oils we want, these bases are referred to as a gourmet soap base. For these we use a pure argan oil soap (used in Ro’s Argan Soap), pure olive oil soap base (used in Olive Tree Soap), or a super blend of cocoa butter, castor oil and coconut oil, we call this the ‘universal soap base’, which give a firm, creamy soap that lathers well. We’ve also experimented with sunflower oil and wheatgerm oil.

With whatever base we choose to use, we then mix that with a humectant (a substance that help to retain and preserves moisture in the skin), which is usually either palm-free vegetable MPG, or glycerin or a sorbitol solution or combinations thereof, along with water, natural ingredients with skin benefits, fragrance and colour. This gets all heated up together, until we get a liquid and then we pour it into moulds, set it, cut it and send it to the shops.

How long does a bar of Lush soap last?

It really depends on how often you use it and on how much you use. The fact that our soaps have a slightly higher humectant and water content, means that they do disappear a little bit quicker than a milled soap, but this is traded off with the nature of being fresh and handmade. At Lush, we like people to use fresh products quickly because we feel it has the most benefits to their skin.

On estimate,100g should last about 6 weeks if used regularly in a bathroom.

Keep an eye on all of our sudsy-soaps, right here.

Is there a proper way to wash your hands?

Yes, there absolutely is! Basically, be thorough, make sure you use soap and get a good lather, and use hot water. We don’t mind what you sing, but give it at least twenty seconds.

How to prevent my hands being so dry?

There are two things that will reduce dry hands from lots of washing – firstly, use soaps that have high humectant, like Honey I Washed The Kids which has loads of honey, or soaps with high amounts of glycerin or agave syrup. One of the benefits of Lush soap is that they lather, they clean your hands but because of the humectant qualities, they are able to maintain moisture in your skin.

Secondly, use hand cream! After you’ve washed your hands, dry them, apply hand cream (not too much!), rub it in straight away and make sure it’s absorbed before you start touching things.

What are the benefits of a Lush soap?

We can think of one or two…

They’re Palm Free.
They’re self-preserving, which means that the product preserves itself creating an environment where bacteria cannot grow, without the need of synthetic preservatives.
They’re antibacterial, they will dislodge viruses from your hands.
They’re solid and naked, which means they don’t require any excess packaging.
They have a high humectant and natural ingredient content, which makes them have higher skin benefits.
They’re never tested on animals, they smell really good and they’re fun to use!

Well, what more could you want?

A spectrum of bright colours adorns the factory, with powders piled high on work benches. Busy hands scoop up blue, sprinkle yellow and pink, and expertly press and twist what finally becomes an Intergalactic bath bomb. In another room, a caramel-scented liquid is poured into a mould, ready to set into Honey I Washed The Kids soap.

When it comes to Lush manufacturing, people are the main event, and the word handmade has weight behind it. For a company powered by people, restrictions on the freedom of movement also threaten to restrict the business, as borders are put up around vital expertise.

The UK is home to 133,250 manufacturing companies, and Lush is one of the biggest employers – in the top 220 according to EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation.

The people who make the products, compounders, whip up everything from bubble bars and shower gels to fresh exclusives in the Kitchen, as well as supporting global teams. Around 1,000 staff of 40 nationalities make up the UK Lush manufacturing team. When the secret recipes for Snow Fairy and Golden Wonder are dusted off at Christmas, more hands are needed to keep up the pace. A huge recruitment drive is put in place, and around 2,500 staff can be found in the UK factories alone.

Freshness, on a global scale

The world is at the fingertips of Lush compounders, and their skills take them wherever they’re needed. That could mean training, setting up a new factory, or attending events.

With that in mind, some manufacturing is finding a new home in Düsseldorf and Zagreb, to help with supplying fresh, local products to the European market, and in turn reducing the carbon footprint.

As new staff are trained and new units set up, expertise is highly sought after. Jason Muller, the Lush global manufacturing director, says: “It’s easy to find a building, it’s easy to set it up. What’s not easy to do is find the teams to do it, the well-trained staff and the management. Hence, all our business is around the staff – that’s our biggest asset.”

This focus on people means doors are opened to global opportunities, and staff can get a better understanding of the world. Jason says: “This allows trained compounders the opportunity to travel and train other teams around the world. They can relocate to other countries if they wish.”

With freedom of movement under threat, this could all change. Around 56% of Lush’s UK manufacturing staff are non-British. All of them, including British staff, could be impacted by whatever lies ahead as Brexit negotiations get underway.

Why handmade?

Jason explains how a handmade manufacturing process makes a difference to job satisfaction: “If you were cooking a meal at home, I think there’s something much better about preparing a meal, serving it and tasting it – it’s the same thing with production. If it was automated, if you didn’t have anything that you were actually involved with other than pressing a couple of buttons, I don’t think you’d get the same feeling.”

The kitchen metaphor runs deep in the roots of Lush. Back when products were first being invented, everything was done on a small scale. The only tools available were those found in the kitchen cupboards. This principle has been magnified, and the small-scale machinery used is still mostly catering equipment.

Minimal machinery is used, leaving opportunities for humans to develop new skills, and carve out careers. What’s more, employing a diverse range of people brings fresh eyes, new ideas, and a whole range of opinions – that’s something you don’t get from machines.

With humans taking centre stage and machines only given a supporting role, staff have a connection with the product, and quality checks are carried out by human eyes. The face sticker stamped onto a finished product carries more than just a batch code – it’s a seal of approval, a signifier of pride in a compounder’s work.

Borders don’t matter to machines. Finding the right people and bringing them together, now that’s a different story.

At Lush we pride ourselves on our creativity, and this doesn’t stop with our products. Since the beginning our aim has been to use the best, safest and most beautiful ingredients.

We have discovered that if you want the best ingredients, you have to go out and find them yourself in the wider world. Our dedicated Buying team works tirelessly to ensure that’s what we get. Often this involves a great deal of creative thinking and finding solutions to problems, such as sourcing the finest essential oils and absolutes, the best natural raw materials, safe synthetics, 100% recycled packaging or removing Palm oil from our products. Lush has a very strong commitment to the communities and areas from which we buy our ingredients. We feel that our ingredients should be bought in a respectful way safeguarding the environment and the social impact. Lush supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives. We find out what impact our buying has on the people and environment and make responsible decisions regarding from where, from whom and how we purchase ingredients and packaging for Lush.

Ethical Considerations when buying

• Workers rights – unions, collective bargaining, health and safety, freedom to leave, fair pay, working hours, discrimination, no child labour.
• Environment – organic, sustainability, endangered species, production emissions onto land and water, use of resources to process ingredients, no Genetic Modification…
• Animal protection – No animal testing of ingredients. Vegetarian ingredients only.
• Transport – The distance ingredients travel, minimum air freight, packaging materials used.

We buy…

• 1/6th of the world’s harvest of Orange Flower absolute from small orange groves in Tunisia.
• 1/8th of the world’s Neroli oil, hand harvested from the Bitter Orange trees of Tunisia
• 1/10th the worlds crop of Turkish Rose absolute, gathered by the nomadic Roma people
• 5 villages worth of Benzoin resin from the inaccessible climbs of Northern Laos; one of the poorest countries in South East
• Fair trade Shea butter, supporting 400 women in remote areas of Ghana
• 55 tonnes of organic, fair trade cocoa butter from Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic
• Nearly 1/5th of the UK’s henna imports, a whopping 50 tonnes
• One island in the South Pacific’s worth of sandalwood oil (to avoid kidnappers, mafia and smuggling in India.) it is sustainably felled by the indigenous Kanak tribesmen.
• 1/3rd of Hungary’s entire crop of their best blue chamomile oil
• 150 bunches of flowers a week or about 8,000 bunches a year for use in our fresh products.
• 25 tonnes of organic fruit a year and 50 tonnes of fresh fruit and veg a year, both organic and conventional, locally sourced weather permitting
• Lush has also stopped using approximately 250 tonnes of Palm oil in an effort to save the Orangutan and its threatened habitat in indonesia’s rainforests.

Suppliers we support

For many years we have had a policy of aiming to purchase our materials direct from producers: the farmers, growers and processors, wherever possible, in order to learn the true story of each ingredient. This means that our buying team travel the world visiting suppliers, to meet the people involved. We see first hand how the ingredient is grown, harvested, mined, processed, etc. This allows us to get a better understanding of the raw materials, where they come from, how they are produced, what potential labour or environmental issues might arise and what might impact the cost of the materials (seasonality, crops, climate, etc).

Purchasing our materials in this way, with face-to-face communication also helps us foster good, honest, long-term productive relationships with the producers/suppliers and guarantees uninterrupted supply of good quality materials to make our products. We are able to ensure our suppliers understand the needs of our business and we also understand the constraints of their operations.

Through buying direct from producers we are also able to support and help finance some really worthwhile and forward-thinking projects worldwide that make us proud.

When the Buying Team are not travelling the world and working out in the field, they provide regular updates, reports and presentations of information on:

• The sources of raw materials that we buy to make our products
• Fair Trade and community trade projects
• Suppliers lists
• The status of ingredients
• Sharing their experiences on buying trips (often very challenging!)

This is constantly evolving as the Lush business grows and we nurture more relationships with suppliers all over the world.

Child Labour

Our stance on child labour is alligned with the ILO standards. We believe the minimum working age should not be lower than the age for completing compulsory education locally. We insist that our suppliers do not engage in any employment of child labour. Should suppliers become aware of any child labour taking place, we would expect them to engage in supporting a training and transition programme to support the child back into education.

Lush has a very strong commitment to the communities and areas from which we buy our ingredients. We feel that our ingredients should be bought in a respectful way safeguarding the environment and the social impact.

Here at Lush we have never liked to call ourselves an Ethical Company. We find the term rather a difficult concept, because it seems to us that it is used to describe companies who try not to damage people or planet with their trade practices – when surely this should not be regarded as ‘ethical’ but as normal business-as-usual.

All business should be ethical and all trade should be fair. Individual companies should not stand out simply by not being damaging or unfair. No company should be trading from an unethical position and society has a right to expect as the norm fairness and resource stewardship from the companies that supply them.

We always wish to conduct our business so that all people who have contact with us, from our ingredients suppliers through to our staff and customers, benefit from their contact with Lush and have their lives enriched by it. No company is perfect and we strive daily to get closer to the ideal vision that all Lush people share. We will always want and demand more from Lush, so that our business practices match our own expectations, our staff and customer expectations and the needs of the planet.

These policies are in place in Lush UK and are evolving continuously as we respond to world events, new legislation and our own aspirations to constantly improve. Where Lush has partners in other parts of the world, we encourage them to adopt similar policies.

The registered address at 29 High Street Poole is the same as the Lush Poole store trading address.

The world’s first naked shop

The biggest bid to kick plastic to the kerb so far came in June 2018, when Lush opened the world’s first Naked Lush Shop in Milan, Italy, treating customers to two floors of unpackaged cosmetics, regenerative containers, swag and Knot Wraps. Rather than scanning labels, visitors are instead scanning products using new AI product recognition technology in the form of the Lush Lens app, which delivers all the information you need straight to your smartphone. It’s one step closer to a packaging-free future that serves up the finest cosmetics for out customers and cares for the planet too.
As of 2018, 65% of Lush’s all year round products are currently totally unpackaged and naked… And the rest is on its way!