Environmental Responsibility
At Beardy Pete’s Shaving Emporium we take environmental responsibility very seriously; we care about the planet, love animals, hate waste and are always open to suggestions on how we can further reduce our impact on the world’s natural resources.
Ever since childhood days of watching Captain Planet on a Saturday morning in his pyjamas, Pete has had a sense of environmental duty and been a bit of an eco-warrior. He doesn’t go around chaining himself to trees, but he understands the need for us to look after this planet and is a strong advocate of recycling. The packaging boxes we use are, of course, recyclable. We also try to re-purpose bubble wrap and other packing materials where we can, to reduce our plastic consumption as much as possible.
Zero-waste Shaving
DE razors are zero-waste, and are much better for the environment than the mass-produced plastic alternatives. They were once the standard, having revolutionised shaving when they replaced straight razors as a more efficient and safer way to shave.
A decent DE razor will last a lifetime, and is all-metal. Zero plastic. Although you still have to replace the blades, they are steel, and are therefore recyclable (see below for how to safely recycle razor blades). Compare that to the billions of unrecyclable plastic blade cartridges and disposable razors we smash through every year.
Many of the fine shaving creams and soaps available are made from natural ingredients, and many are not tested on animals. Shaving soap pots can be reused with soap refill blocks, recycled or repurposed. They’re great for storing paperclips.
Recycling
In this day and age environmental preservation should be at the forefront of our minds in everything we do, so why anyone would continue to use disposable shaving products is beyond us. Due to the mixture of materials used in their construction, blade cartridges and disposable razors can’t be recycled. Billions are disposed of each year, going to landfill sites or ending up in our oceans. It’s outrageous, incredibly wasteful, environmentally destructive, not to mention expensive, and entirely avoidable.
Recycling the blades takes just a little bit of consideration and effort; they obviously can’t be put loose with other recycling for safety reasons, and storing them can be an issue too. Luckily we have a simple solution, in the form of our all-steel, 100% recyclable razor blade bin from the Zero Waste Club. It’s neat and compact, and can hold up to 100 blades. When it’s full, just tape it up and put it with the metal recycling.
Alternatively, you can make a simple blade bin from a standard tin can. Buy a cheap tin of liquid (that comes in a food can, not a ring-pull drinks can, such as coconut milk). Use a tin opener to cut a small slot under the rim, rather than cutting all the way around. Drain the liquid and rinse it out. You now have a little bin that you can slot your used blades into, for safe storage and recycling.
Zero Waste Club Razor Blade Disposal Tin
Make your shave truly zero-waste with this recyclable steel blade bin.
Animal Testing & Ingredients
The testing of stuff on animals is a big no for us. Sadly it’s not always avoidable in the world of cosmetics, but hopefully one day it will be a thing of the past.
Many brands whose products we stock do not test their wares on animals, and many more products are made from natural ingredients, not derived from animals.
Be aware, though, that each company is different, with different environmental practices and manufacturing processes. As such, some products may contain ingredients sourced from animals. Badger hair brushes, obviously, contain badger hair, and some styling products contain ingredients such as beeswax.
Other animal-derived constituents such as collagen, gelatin and glycerine may also be present in some product ranges.
Product Information
We’ll give you as much information as we can so that you can make an informed decision about your purchases. Where possible we have listed the ingredients of individual products in the descriptions.
On the product pages you will find a tab labelled ‘Additional Information’. Click that. Where appropriate, and where the information is available to us, we have included details about the environmental and ethical virtues of specific products.
If you need to know anything more about a particular brand or product, please get in touch. If we don’t know the answer we’ll do our best to find out for you.
Vegan & Vegetarian
Many products on our site are made from responsibly-sourced ingredients or materials that are not derived from animals.
Cosmetic products, such as shaving cream and beard oil, that are suitable for vegans or vegetarians are labelled as such in the ‘Additional Information’ tab. We have also done this for the shaving brushes that are made from synthetic bristles.
Where a product is obviously not made from animal materials, such as all-metal razors, blades, or scissors, you will not find vegan/vegetarian listed among the attributes.
All information regarding a product’s ingredients and materials is obtained via the manufacturer/supplier. We would urge you to check the product packaging if you have any concerns.
View all vegan creams, soaps, shaving brushes and beard-care products.
Brand Ethics
Below is some information about ingredient and material sourcing, and stances on animal testing, pertaining to specific brands. Where available we have quoted from their sites.
It’s important to note that, while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the below information, it has been obtained directly from the relevant product supplier’s website. Beardy Pete’s Shaving Emporium doesn’t not have any input or involvement in the the sourcing or manufacturing processes of any product. Check the product packaging if you have any specific concerns.
Proraso
Proraso products do not contain any ingredients of animal origin. The only exceptions are The Shaving Brush that is made of natural bristles, and the Moustache Wax that contains beeswax. Furthermore, in compliance with European Cosmetic Regulation 1223/2009 no product is tested on animals.
All products, apart from their shaving brush and moustache wax, are suitable for vegans. No products tested on animals.
The Bluebeards Revenge
The Bluebeards Revenge is totally against animal testing! We couldn’t actually find any guinea pigs, beagles, lab rats or rabbits daft enough to volunteer for product testing so we resorted to testing on real human beings instead! Luckily the boys in the lab had done a fine job and all the chaps survived the experience and have suffered no ill effects. You can use all The Bluebeards Revenge products with no fear and a totally clear conscience!
The Bluebeards Revenge has a great sense of environmental responsibility, and is quite possibly our most conscientiously ethical supplier. Absolutely none of their products are tested on animals, and all of their products are vegetarian-friendly, with over 75% of them also being vegan-friendly. They are constantly reviewing their environmental practices, and continuously strive to improve upon them.
All ingredients and raw materials that go into The Bluebeards Revenge products are ethically and sustainably sourced. Where applicable, products are cruelty-free, paraben-free, and SLS-free. Sodium Laurel Sulphate; a chemical present in many health & beauty products. It can cause particular problems for those with skin conditions and, in toothpaste, increases the risk of mouth ulcers.
The Bluebeards Revenge is forward thinking and innovative in its efforts to further reduce their carbon footprint. This is superbly demonstrated with the introduction of the Liquid Wood Beard & Moustache Comb, which replaces the previous, all-plastic comb. Liquid wood, dubbed ‘the plastic of the future’ is made from by-products of the paper-making process. Instead of going to waste, the bits of tree that don’t get to be paper are instead given a new destiny; pulped and then moulded into something useful, like a beard and moustache comb. The end product is also recyclable and biodegradable.
And, of course, the majority of the packaging used by The Bluebeards Revenge is also recyclable.
Taylor of Old Bond Street
At Taylor of Old Bond Street, all our toiletries are vegetable based and they do not contain any animal products. None of our products are tested on animals.
No products tested on animals. No animal ingredients in their cosmetic/toiletry products, such as shaving creams, soaps, and even their moustache wax.
Edwin Jagger
Shaving Creams and soaps are paraben-free and contain all-natural ingredients.
The Brighton Beard Company
…our beard shop is honest, simple and cruelty free.
The Brighton Beard Company are against animal testing, and all of their products are cruelty free. Absolutely no animals are groomed in the making of their handcrafted beard oils and balms.
Balbo Beard Co.
Products made from all-natural ingredients. Their beard balm contains beeswax.
Zero products tested on animals.
Cyril R. Salter
All Cyril R. Salter shaving creams are 100% free of animal-derived ingredients, and the grades contained in all Cyril R. Salter shaving creams are 100% plant-derived in origin.
Natural ingredients, suitable for vegans. No products tested on animals.
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