L’Occitane en Provence has boosted its ethical-trade credentials by creating the first sun care line to be made entirely in Brazil.
Ingredients for the L’Occitane do Brasil range are harvested in the northern state of Pará and processed in and around São Paulo.
Once packaged, the products are shipped to their destination, consuming less fuel than air transportation – paying heed to the environmental considerations of many consumers. L’Occitane has ensured that paper is also kept to a minimum by printing the ingredients on the recycled outer packaging, rather than on a paper insert.
There is no Fair Trade equivalent certification for those who harvest wild ingredients but L’Occitane works with an independent grower who runs a co-operative training local farmers, meaning they don’t have to move away from home to earn a living.
The range consists of five sun protection products, an after-sun and two sunless tan products. The organic oil that is used in the products is Ecocert-certified and comes from the buriti tree, native to Brazil.