Despite its concern for the wellbeing of people, the health and wellness industry often fails to consider the welfare of the planet. But the incredible brands awarded here in the Health & Wellness category of the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards are on a mission to set that right.
From the first climate-positive CBD patches, to period pants that are significantly reducing the number of single-use disposable hygiene products ending up landfill, these deserving winners recognise that a healthy future for the environment makes for a healthy future for everyone.
Here are the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards 2021 Health & Wellness winners…
Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards Health & Wellness winners
Best CBD Brand
Winner: Una Patches
Despite being three months old, Una Patches is a brand that’s already making waves in the health and wellness industries. Biodegradable, vegan and sustainably packaged, its patches have impressively earned the company the title of first climate-positive CBD brand.
Also boasting a completely traceable pipeline and carbon neutrality, the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards judges were impressed by Una Patches’s commitment to making high-quality CBD that doesn’t negatively impact planet or people.
Don’t let that have you believe that the product is any less effective, though. “I literally love these. Fuss-free and really effective, the patches are the best CBD product I have tried,” says Holly Rains, Marie Claire UK‘s Digital Editor and Sustainability Awards judge. A winning endorsement for a winning brand – we can’t wait to see what Una Patches does next.
Highly commended: KLORIS
Best Sustainable Supplement Brand
Winner: Ancient + Brave
It isn’t hard to see why Ancient + Brave was recently declared the number-one bestselling health and wellness brand at Selfridges. The ingredients in its nutrient-rich supplements are sourced from environmentally conscious, sustainable, and organic suppliers where possible, and transparency is at the heart of everything it does.
Touted as a brand that “seems to be ticking all the right boxes” by MC‘s Health, Sustainability & Relationships Editor Ally Head, Ancient + Brave is also a proud member of the ESG Mark and 1% for the planet, and has recently submitted an application to become a certified B Corporation.
There are thousands of supplement brands out there that purport to be sustainable, but Ancient + Brave truly has the eco credentials to back it up. And frankly, we can’t get enough.
Best Sustainable Fitness Supplement Brand
Winner: Form Nutrition
In a wellness industry intent on looking inwards, Form goes against the status quo by striving to bring social conscience to its customers. The first and only UK B Corp-certified supplement brand, Form aims to allow people to be the best version of themselves – both through taking care of their body, and by caring for the earth.
The latter is made all the more easy by Form Nutrition’s fully sustainable packaging (you won’t find an ounce of plastic here) and commitment at the UN Climate Change Conference in 2019 to accelerate the reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions to reach net zero by the year 2030 – that’s 20 years ahead of the 2050 targets set in the Paris Agreement, FYI.
Favoured by Dr Marta Antonelli, sustainability expert and MC Sustainability Awards judge for being “mindful of others and of the planet”, Form Nutrition’s sustainable smarts continue to impress.
Best Sustainable Accessory Brand
Winner: LARQ
LARQ’s vision is simple: to combine innovative technology with inspirational design to help people across the globe access pristine drinking water easily and sustainably.
The brand’s flagship product, the LARQ Bottle, purifies water on the go using chemical-free and non-toxic UV-C LED light, along with patented PureVis technology, to neutralise 99.9999 per cent of germs, protozoa, and other harmful, odour-causing bio-contaminants in just 60 seconds – hello, gym water bottle of dreams.
On a mission to disrupt our dependence on single-use plastic water bottles, LARQ also support a number of global efforts to address the climate crisis, and has so far saved one million ocean-bound single-use plastic bottles and prevented 3.3 million pounds of plastic waste.
It has also introduced carbon-neutral shipping to reduce its carbon footprint by a staggering 7.8 million lbs. Pioneering in both design and ambition, our Sustainability Awards judges agreed that it was a no-brainer that LARQ should take home Best Sustainable Accessory Brand.
Best Sustainable Period Brand
Winner: Modibodi
Chances are you’ve heard of (or already own several pairs of) Modibodi’s leakproof underwear. Offering customers the opportunity to make a positive impact just by changing their undies, the brand has so far sold more than 3.5 million pairs, and saved billions of single-use disposable hygiene products like pads and tampons from landfill in the process.
Crafted from sustainable materials like bamboo, Merino wool, organic cotton and recycled nylon, Modibodi works with environmentally and ethically-sound producers to create pants that are not only of exceptional quality, but are planet-friendly from conception to consumer too.
“Modibodi has long been doing great work to reduce the plastic waste from conventional period products,” says Malaika founder and our judge Noëlla Coursaris Musunka. “They have a strong commitment to using lower impact materials and ensuring its suppliers are audited in line with third-party certifications, and they use compostable packaging too. Its sustainability strategy also aligns with the UN Global Goals.”
Highly commended: Mooncup
Highly commended: Aisle
Marie Claire UK have determined the award winners in accordance with the judging criteria and with the information provided by the entrants. All information provided by the winning brands are published in good faith.
