Working on a green tomorrow together
We wholeheartedly try to preserve our planet, whether it’s through our sustainable production, our biodegradable ingredients, our up to 100% natural formula, the absence of harsh chemicals in our products, or our bottles from 100% recycled plastic.
For us, sustainability means being one step ahead. That’s why we always try to find even better solutions to protect the environment. Our R&D tirelessly works to find new solutions to save valuable resources and to make the ecological footprint of our products even smaller.
bottles from 100% recycled plastic
The vast majority of our bottles are made from 100% waste plastic. This means that no primary raw materials, such as petroleum, are used in the process. Our bottles from 100% recycled plastic can be used again and again, forming a closed cycle.
Concentrated formula
All our products are concentrates, as this means less packaging waste and fewer resources needed in the production process. Concentrates also help reduce emissions for transportation and storage.
Cartonnage from recycled paper
Our cardboard boxes are FSC-certified and consist of 90% recycled material. The wood pulp used for production is from sustainable forestry.
Labels and inks
Our labels are from recyclable material and printed with mineral oil-free inks and vegan glue.
Certified sustainability
Our DIN ISO 14001 and EMAS III certifications showcase our sustainable business and production. Every year, we pass the annual audit with great success.
Natural ingredients
The vast majority of our products contains nothing but 100% natural, plant- and mineral-based ingredients, also from organic cultivation.
See for yourself where & how we practice sustainability
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing all of humanity. It has already left irreversible damage in many parts of the world. It is therefore a matter close to AlmaWin's heart to counteract the advancing climate catastrophe with all available means.
All our measures, which we have been promoting for several years now, are aimed at achieving the greatest possible reduction in operational CO2 emissions: The use of only green electricity, heat recovery, our many innovations to reduce and use recycled materials in packaging, encouraging recycling economy and our commitment to biodiversity, to name just a few. It is important to us that we will not let up here and continue to reduce our CO2 emissions.
We offset most of the remaining CO2 emissions by supporting forest reforestation projects in Uganda and Uruguay and a cooking stove project in Tanzania.
The fact that we can also improve the social and economic situation of the local people with these projects is particularly close to our hearts.
With our environmental guidelines, we commit ourselves to being mindful of the environment and our fellow human beings. A large part of our energy needs is covered by 100% green electricity from hydropower. Our building is heated and cooled by a climate-friendly heat pump. Heat recovery, LED lighting and green roofs help to save energy. By using used plastic bottles, we have been able to save around 185,000 kg of new plastic so far.
All this contributes to reducing our ecological footprint.
Without water, there’s no life. We need (clean) water to survive. To protect our aquatic resources as much as possible, the vast majority of ouyr products are made to 100% from natural ingredients. We don’t put any harsh chemicals in our products, and refrain from touching genetically modified enzymes, nanotechnology, synthetic dyes and fragrances, synthetic preservatives, mineral oil and petrochemical-based surfactants. To protect our oceans, all our products are without microplastic and liquid polymers.
To make sure our impact on our rivers, lakes and oceans is minimal, our products are 100% biodegradable, meaning that they will remain in our environment long.
This is our contribution to protect our lakes and oceans and its habitat. Good to know it also protects you, too!
Already since 2015, as one of the first in the industry, we have been using PE and PET bottles from recycled plastic. Why? Because we thereby don’t need any virgin plastic, saving heaps of petroleum (- the main raw material used for new plastic bottles).
The recycled plastic that ends up becoming our bottles is collected from the household recycling system in Germany. This means that your old yoghurt cup (or your old AlmaWin bottle) might become your new AlmaWin bottle! And the next one, as plastic can (in principle) be recycled endlessly, just like glass.
Have you noticed the sticker with our environmental hero on your AlmaWin bottles (available in selected countries)? It shows that your bottle is from 100% recycled plastic!
In order to protect our resources, we also offer eco-packs and refill bags, which save up to 80% of new plastic. With your help, we could already save 185,000 kg of new plastic – meaning less petroleum, water, energy and fewer emissions, too.
Since all our products are highly concentrated – in some cases, 500 ml detergent is sufficient for 50 (!) washing loads –, we need fewer resources to make, store and transport them. And it saves garbage, too.
With our bulk canisters for self-filling, we support and promote the idea of unpacked stores. For this purpose, we offer numerous products in canisters that can be cleaned and reused.
Preserving and protecting biodiversity is close to our hearts. We need an intact nature to lead a healthy, happy life. Yet, the vast loss of biodiversity and the extinction of plants and animals advances rapidly. Especially the rapid decline of bee and insect populations is worrisome, as, trough pollination of crops, they supply much of our food, thereby sustaining our livelihood.
In order to support a well-functioning ecosystem, we have started a huge bee & insect pasture next to our German headquarters. The result: a sea full of flowers, in the middle of the industrial area. The wildflowers there help our insects to eat, rest and gain strength, supporting their survival in times of massive insect population decline.
Our certified quality
Relax, you’re using eco-certified, dermatologically tested quality Made in Germany!
AlmaWin’s products are not only made with the finest natural ingredients, but they are also all eco-certified by independent institutions, following some of the strictest standards. To make our products, we do only comply with some of the most advanced national (German) and international (EU) laws, but also have our products’ safety for you and the environment re-established in our annual audits.
All our products are successfully dermatologically tested by independent institutes in Germany, certifying that they can be used even on sensitive sin.
At AlmaWin, since 1993, we have made sure you only clean and wash with the best products. You have our word – and our certifications.
Have a look what the many certifications, tests and labels stand for.
What our Ecogarantie certification guarantees:
- Natural, plant- and mineral based ingredients (preferably from organic agriculture)
- No petrochemicals
- No synthetic fragrances, colours or preservatives
- No microplastics
- No nanotechnology
- No GMOs
- No animal testing
- Ecologically sound production processes
- Good biodegradability
Product certified by Certisys sprl. www.ecogarantie.eu
What our Ecocert certification guarantees:
- Natural, plant- and mineral based ingredients (preferably from organic agriculture)
- No petrochemicals
- No synthetic fragrances, colours or preservatives
- No microplastics
- No nanotechnology
- No GMOs
- No animal testing
- Ecologically sound production processes
- Good biodegradability
Natural Detergent certified by ECOCERT Greenlife according to the Ecocert standard available at https://www.ecocert.com/en/home
What our Vegan society label guarantees:
- No animal ingredients in products, packaging and manufacturing process
- No animal testing
- Products support and promote vegan lifestyle
- Products protect the well-being of people and animals
Read more about: vegansociety.com
What our Green Brands label guarantees:
We have been awarded as GREEN BRAND since 2013. This label is only awarded to ecologically sustainable brands that show a whole-hearted, continuous commitment to climate protection, sustainability and ecological responsibility.
Read more about: green-brands.org
What the DAAB label guarantees:
The DAAB label, awarded by the Deutscher Allergie- und Asthmabund, Germany’s oldest and most influential Association for people with allergies and asthma, highlight that the products are safe to use even from people with skin problems and allergies.
Read more about: daab.de
All our products are successfully tested for their dermatological properties. The skin-friendliness of all our products is confirmed by independent institutes, who rigorously test each product scientifically.
EMAS III is the world's most demanding system for sustainable environmental management. As an EMAS company, we continuously improve our environmental performance with the help of a standardised management system.
DIN ISO 14001 specifies requirements for the AlmaWin environmental management system. This commits us to adhering to and optimising environmental guidelines and environmental goals.
Our process-oriented quality management is certified according to DIN ISO 9001. This enables us to further develop processes at all levels.
Our Ingredients
In our products, you only find carefully selected ingredients.
Our products are made following some of the strictest national (Germany) and international (EU) laws in regard to health and environmental protection. In addition, we refrain from using any ingredients we consider to be an environmental or health risk, even if they are legally permitted, such as synthetic dyes, microplastic or silicone.
Our promise to you how our products are made:
- without synthetic fragrances and dyes
- without synthetic preservatives
- without petrochemicals
- without nanotechnology
- without phosphate and chlorine
- without optical brighteners
- without GMOs
- without microplastics and liquid polymers
- without animal testing
Why we do not use the following ingredients
Synthetic fragrances, dyes and preservatives are copied from nature and produced chemically. They are cheaper to produce than natural variants but are usually difficult to degrade and can accumulate in the environment, in animals and in humans. It is also not easy for consumers to see whether the declared fragrances are of natural or synthetic origin, or whether they are a mixture of both, if we do not want to use this.
For good cleaning results, we need surfactants as theses washing-active substances as they mobilise and combine fat and water. Many detergents use petroleum as surfactants as they are cheap. However, this comes at the expense of the environment, as lots of emission are emitted in the mineral oil production process and for transport. In addition, mineral is a finite product that is not sustainable, and may be harmful to human health when used in cosmetics and detergents.
We thus refrain from using any petrochemical ingredients, but instead make our products from plant- and mineral-based raw materials.
More and more products contain nanomaterials. Why? In cleaning products, for example, nanomaterials can seal surfaces so that they become less easily soiled. However, while this might be convenient, it could be dangerous to our health as nanoparticles can be absorbed by the body through the skin or through breathing. While initially, no highly toxic effects can be detected, several studies indicate that nanoparticles could have negative effects on the brain, which may possibly cause Alzheimer's disease.
For decades, phosphates were a central component of detergents and cleaning agents. Their salts serve as water softeners and prevent dirt dissolved in the washing water from settling back onto clothing. However, they harm our environment. If end up in our water (such as rivers and lakes), they act as fertilisers and accelerate the growth of algae. As a result, they deprive the water of oxygen and release toxic gases, which leads to fish dying.
Optical brighteners are used by many conventional manufacturers to give white clothes a particularly bright-looking touch. In the washing process, optical brighteners cling onto the fibres and cause ultraviolet light, which is invisible to the human eye, to be transformed into visible blue light. This additional blue light, together with the complementary colour yellow, makes the clothes look ‘whiter’.
In this process, optical brighteners can be absorbed into the fibres and remain in the textiles, from where they can be absorbed by our skin. Several scientific studies suspect optical brighteners to impact our hormonal system, distorting our body and potentially leading to severe illnesses.
In addition to the long-lasting negative health effect they might have, optical brighteners are hard to biodegrade. Optical brighteners can be removed from wastewater, but most of them remain in sewage sludge, from where they can reach our water systems.
In short: they are harmful to the environment, and potentially detrimental to our health, without having any washing effect. That’s why they’re strictly banned from our ingredient list! Less is more, we believe.
Enzymes in detergents help to wash laundry thoroughly from as low as 20°C by breaking down molecules of protein, fat and carbohydrate soiling. Most enzymes in detergents are obtained from genetically modified microorganisms. By genetically modifying the microorganisms, the enzymes can be made more efficient. However, the long-term consequences of genetically manipulated enzymes entering the environment via wastewater are uncertain.
We deliberately do not use enzymes from genetically engineered microorganisms. Our GMO-free enzymes from GMO-free microorganisms are neither dangerous for us humans, nor for the skin and the environment.
Microplastics released into the environment can potentially impact animal and human organisms through their chemical ingredients (e.g. bisphenol A and plasticisers). It is believed that the increasing amount of microplastics in humans has adverse health effects.
While valid studies on the effects of microplastics on humans are still pending, they are believed to cause diseases ranging from cancer to obesity.