↓ ZO ZERO'S IMPACT ↓

Zo Zero's ambition is to avoid single-use (plastic) products and to produce as little waste as possible. Most of the products in our range are completely plastic-free, but there is always room for improvement. We make an exception for some products for which no good alternatives are available yet. In our opinion, these are currently the most sustainable option.

Think of a toothbrush with nylon bristles. The only alternative to nylon bristles are bristles made of pig hair, which is not an option for us as a vegan shop. Also, many jars and bottles contain plastic liners for product shelf life, and unfortunately no affordable alternative has been found for this at the moment.

As soon as completely plastic-free alternatives are developed, we will of course include them in our range.

Checkout our collection plastic-free-products for all products that are completely plastic-free.

Palm oil is an edible plant-based oil, derived from the fruit of oil palms. About 85% of the world's palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia. Palm plantations are a huge driver of deforestation of the rainforest, causing loss of habitat for locals and endangered species such as the orangutan. Deforestation also contributes to global warming due to the huge amounts of CO2 released.

Certifications for 'sustainable palm oil' exist, but the report 'Destruction: Certified' by Greenpeace shows that despite a sustainability certification, companies are still associated with the destruction of the tropical rainforest. And they are also still often involved in human rights violations.

For this reason, we choose not to offer products containing palm oil. All products on our website are completely palm oil free.

Veganism is a lifestyle that avoids all animal foods, animal derived products and, as far as possible, products tested on animals. There are many different reasons why people go vegan, but at its core, veganism is about compassion: compassion for animals, for the planet, for ourselves and for our fellow human beings.

In the livestock industry, animal-cruelty is unfortunately still the order of the day and, animal products also have a huge impact on the environment.

Fortunately, these days there are many alternatives that are just as good as animal products, so there is no need for animal ingredients at all, and we at Zo Zero want to show you that!

There are still a few products with beeswax on our website, but otherwise Zo Zero is completely vegan & cruelty-free. Once these products are sold out, we will continue as a fully vegan store.

Read more in our blog Veganuary & why a vegan lifestyle is so important.

Many products contain ingredients that are harmful to ourselves or the environment.

Plastic often contains substances like BPA and heavy metals. These ingredients can be harmful to your health and the same goes for parabens and phthalates found in many personal care products such as shampoo.

In addition, many cosmetics contain ingredients like petroleum jelly, which causes your hair or lips, for example, to become "addicted" to the product so that you'll have to use more and more of it. A good sales technique, but not so kind.

For this reason, at Zo Zero you will find as many products with natural ingredients as possible. If a product is not 100% natural, we mention this on the product page. An example is perfume; natural perfume often contains allergens and is difficult to produce in solid form, which is why some products contain a (non-harmful) synthetic perfume.

Because transportation also has an impact on the environment, we try to sell products that are locally produced as much as possible. Check out our collections 'made in NL' and 'made in Europe' for all products that have been produced in Europe. Our product pages show where each product was produced.

We also sell products produced outside Europe. Some sustainable raw materials like bamboo are particularly common in countries like China. In that case, we think it's better to produce products locally so that only the final product needs to be transported.

Besides that, for some products, like stainless steel bottles and stainless-steel lunch boxes, it is not possible to find locally produced products, because there simply aren't any factories in Europe that make these products.

We dedicate a lot of time selecting our product range and set strict requirements for our products and our suppliers. We only sell products from suppliers who prioritise sustainability in their operations and production process and who require the same from their producers and suppliers.

We believe it's important that raw materials are extracted and processed in a sustainable manner with respect for nature and people. Among other things, we look at working conditions, fair wages and whether the chain is child labour free. Child labour is often used in the mining of mica (a raw material used in many cosmetics). If our products contain mica, we request confirmation from our suppliers that they use synthetic mica or that their mica is guaranteed child labour-free.

In addition, we only choose products made from organic cotton, for example. This is because for the production of regular cotton harmful pesticides and huge amounts of water are used.

We send our packages in recycled packaging as much as possible and with recycled filling paper that we get from family, friends and other entrepreneurs and companies. Boxes and filling paper that we buy ourselves are fully recyclable or compostable. And we also use biodegradable paper packaging tape.

Zo Zero also asks all its suppliers to deliver plastic-free. The less packaging we receive, the better. If suppliers do not comply with this request, we will enter into a conversation with them and hope to find a solution together. We believe that sustainable products deserve sustainable packaging. If we do not succeed, we will look for an alternative.

To you, our customers, we would like to ask you to reuse, recycle or compost packaging material as much as possible.

Zo Zero thinks sustainable banking is important, which is why we have chosen to open a business account with Triodos bank. Many other banks invest in fossil fuels, arms trade and other issues that Zo Zero does not support.

Triodos Bank is an ethical bank committed to positive social, environmental and cultural change by investing in renewable energy, sustainable real estate, organic farming and the healthcare and education sectors. Triodos Bank also finances opportunities for entrepreneurs in developing countries through microcredit.

Triodos Bank's debit cards are made from plant-based raw materials and are biodegradable.

As an online store we are responsible for the shipping of products and the impact this has on the environment. This is why we partnered up with Cycloon (previously Fietskoeriers.nl). They provide a green parcel delivery service in the Netherlands, with bicycles covering over 80 different cities. They believe the city is the bike’s domain, with fit couriers racing to pick-up and deliver packages from one place to the next. Any transportation outside of the city is taken care of by green gas cars. This ensures less traffic pressure in the city, and they limit CO2 emissions to a minimum. We like the way they roll!

At Zo Zero, we do as much as possible digitally and use as little paper as possible. We send our order confirmations and invoices digitally and encourage our suppliers to do the same. For this reason, we do not send a physical invoice and packing slip with our packages.

You also won't find a thank-you note in your Zo Zero package. We are extremely grateful for all orders and your support, but we don't want our gratitude to create more waste. That's why we write or stamp a thank you note in the box!