Pangea Organics News

Pangea Organics: Ecocentric Products with a Mission

2009-11-19 00:00:00

Pangea Organics is a company that is determined to encompass the needs of the world community into its products and mission. A company that is considerate of the Earth yet ambitious in its goals to be the best in its line. They take a page from the history books (Pangea was what the supercontinent was called before it broke up), as they push forward to bring the world together, one delicious product at a time.

Pangea was incepted and is headed by, Joshua Onysko, who was inspired by his yaras spent living and traveling across Asia and the simple art of making soap. Today, the company is the largest cold-processed, organic soap manufacturer in the United States. But soap was just the beginning; the company also creates what Onysko calls Ecocentric body and skin care; a line of organic, handcrafted, products that includes lip balms, hand/body lotion, facial scrubs, cleansers, masks and more.

“Our best selling product is the Acai Goji Berry Mud Mask,” says Onysko.

Pangea, which is based in Boulder, Colorado, has been recognized repeatedly, winning 33 awards since 2006, award ranging from ‘best product performance to environmental and social stewardship to innovation in packaging and design’. Their products are manufactured both in Boulder and Taos, New Mexico. The products are ‘never made using petrochemicals, parabens, GMOs or other synthetic or harmful ingredients. All Pangea products begin to biodegrade within 48 hours of use’. The labels are screen printed onto the containers and a unique feature—any boxes used are biodegradable and have planting seeds embedded into the fiber so all you have to do is soak the box and plant it in the ground.

But there is more to this company than meets the eye. Onysko had a simultaneous revelation upon conceiving what would become Pangea: He intended to create the Pangea brand to fund his ultimate goal—The Pangea Institute. “I created Pangea to help the world see our challenges, and through this vision we will see how many solutions we can create...I assure you there are many more than we think.”

But what exactly is the Pangea Institute and how will it benefit others?

Onysko explains, “At some point the Pangea Institute will be a brick and mortar institute researching and studying corporate sustainability on a social, environmental and financial level...Right now, 5% of our profits will be going to Women for Women International.” (Pangea plans to fund micro-loans for women in post-war countries.)

Onysko has retained private ownership of Pangea and when asked how it feels to be in the thrusts of the sustainable business movement, one simple word describes it for him: “Fabulous!” He describes his journey, from waking up each morning and realizing he is running this amazing company: “Waking up is amazing, its hard to explain what it feels like to be on a path that you are 100% sure is right in every way, the responsibilities stretch far beyond that of just any business, I feel like I have a responsibility to inspire others to make changes in their lives to align themselves with a global movement to expand the infinite possibilities of all beings. If we want to progress as a race, we must work to empower each other and learn to use the ego for progression and not for regression.”

And he added that ‘having the right intention’ is the most important advice he would give anyone who aspires to build a sustainable business in today’s business environment. Pangea Organics and Pangea Institute, are on the right path...the path back to purity, intelligent consumerism and creating products with integrity and a determined mission.

You can find Pangea products natural foods and specialty retailers world-wide or order via their website: www.pangeaorganics.com

Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai and Goji Berry Face Mask

2009-11-17 00:00:00

(via Glam MAN)

I know some of you guys use this stuff… and for those who do, I have some good news. For those who don’t, I’m going to introduce you to a mask that detoxifies, cleans deep, exfoliates, tones, moisturizes, and even helps reduce wrinkles.

Here’s the good news: Pangea Organics, the organic, earth-friendly skincare company is introducing the JUMBO size Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai and Goji Berry Face Mask. Yup, bigger IS better. This six-time award-winning mask is now available in an easy-to-use 4 oz tube for the same price as the original size. That's right, double the mud, same price.

This is a natural and “muddy” mask so the texture might take a little while to get use to. Spread over your clean, moist face and neck. The key is to leave it on for 10 to 30 minutes, let it do its stuff, then rinse. Once a week should do the trick.

The formula includes:

ACAI – revitalizing • Excellent source of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids • Essential Amino Acid Complex with valuable trace minerals vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration

GOJI BERRY– anti-aging • Contains up to 21 trace minerals • Richest source of Carotenoids, including Beta-carotene • Contains B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin E

MATCHA TEA – soothing & energizing • Helps prevent free radical damage • Contains Vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, and K

PANGEA ORGANICS: “ECOCENTRIC SKINCARE”

2009-11-16 00:00:00

(via Lyra Mag)

BEAUTY/GROOMING LINE THAT ENHANCES AN ECO LIFESTYLE

Words, Judith Ecochard

Anyone who can drop out of school, back pack around the planet (7 years!!!), return home, pick up mom’s book on how to make soap, make said soap, head out west, start the biz in a garage, sell out…and launch a brand…AND turn it into a multi-million $ enterprise…

Gets our attention.

WOW.

PANGEA ORGANICS is the brainchild of Indiana Jones like Joshua Scott Onysko, who has taken the green beauty/body care biz seriously as a way to make a sustainable life and living.

But perhaps for some, the real reason to buy Pangea Organics skin or bath items is that the products work and REALLY smell great.

“Smooth not smothering” is how the creams are billed…and we tried the Facial Cream with the anti-inflammatory French Chamomile and astringent Orange Blossom for oily skin. Awarded a Best Beauty trophy by Redbook Magazine in 2007, we thought, ok. Right off, we liked how the three pumps we massaged in from the neck up--- sunk in without leaving a slick coat of anything...

PLUS: Our skin, the largest organ of our body come to think of it---- felt more protected against the elements, and moist (a good thing) … we didn’t feel like stripping it off with an alcohol soaked cotton ball ---a typical reaction we have to most products that just grease us up. (2 fl oz $36)

We go through toners quickly…and the Facial Toner- French Rosemary With Sweet Orange, actually left us feeling refreshed with clean skin. And the toner actually nourishes with antioxidants (the rosemary), calms inflammation with essential oils like lavender--- and has a pleasing aroma too.

Smart idea to spray lightly on one’s face after cleansing. Hint---close your eyes, first. ($26)

Pangea Organics has whole line of cleansers, scrubs, hand and body care (gels, soaps etc)…in addition to gift sets (hello holidays).

ADDED PLUS: Genius packaging…soak the 100% post consumer made without glues or dye… molded fiber box the goodies come in… for a minute …and plant it an inch down deep in soil. And up sprout spring medical herbs, a spruce tree depending on the product. Cool.

FYI: The Boulder Colorado Pangea Organics facility is wind powered, has a 3000 square foot organic garden for employees paid to grow produce, and is tricked out with non VOC carpets and paints. Work the green mantra.

INFO: “Pangea” refers to the super continent, before Plate Tectonics divided the landmass into the seven continents of the world that exist today.

Available in lot’s of brick and mortar locales like Whole Foods, Ricky’s, Wegmans

The Radiance Gift Set Featured On NYMag's Gift Guide

2009-11-16 00:00:00

Click here to see New York Magazine's Holiday Gift Guide, featuring the Pangea Organics Radiance Gift Set.

14 Beauty Products That Just Make Scents!

2009-11-16 00:00:00

(via Beauty Junkies Unite!

It makes perfect sense: we tend to make our buying decisions based on emotions we’re having at that very moment– directly relating to the sensory experience the product itself evokes. When it comes to beauty products, the chances are that we’ve taken a whiff, loved it, and now we can’t live without it. We’ve just unknowingly created an immediate emotional relationship! Our sense of smell is such a powerful purchase motivator, and we can’t just turn our noses off and on. It would be nice if I could turn my nose off whenever I walk by an Abercrombie & Fitch store! The fragrance they are piping in that place reminds me of not a single pleasant thing in this universe and doesn’t exactly make me want to open up my wallet on that premise alone. See what I mean about the emotional impact of a fragrance?

Maybe you’ll discover something new that makes you feel more “at home”, lifts your spirits, or takes you to a dreamy place among these fragrant indulgences:

Fabulous & Floral: sensuous, luxe, elegant, feminine Pangea Organics Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom Lip Balm — This organic beeswax and shea butter lip balm uses organic lavender and cardamom oils to heal and protect delicate lips. The texture also makes it a great lip primer!

Sustainability: Luxury Brands' Friend or Foe?

2009-11-13 00:00:00

(via Brand Packaging)

Under regulatory threat, brands work to demonstrate that eco-luxury is possible.

As children, we learn the difference between right and wrong. We learn that lying is bad, and telling the truth is good. Or that bullying is wrong, and standing up for someone is right. These morals are even reflected in the TV shows and movies we watch. The “bad guys” are normally in trouble for stealing money or plotting to take over the world, while the “good guys” are there to set things right again.

When it comes to naming the good and bad guys in the consumer packaged goods industry, however, it’s not that black and white. Legislators across the world are beginning to implement laws on packaging, aiming to reduce the amount of materials going into landfills. While this ought to benefit the environment, there is fear over how some of these laws might affect package design and consumer experiences with luxury brands.

For instance, earlier this year, China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision (AQSIQ) issued legislation against excessive packaging, regulating the size, volume, material and cost of food, beverage and cosmetic packaging. The law states that free-space between the product and outer packaging layer may not exceed 55 percent; a product may not have more than three layers of packaging (excluding the primary package); and the cost of the packaging should not exceed 12 percent of the product cost.

In France, the government has passed a law limiting packaging to only what is required to guarantee product safety, hygiene and logistics. Basically, just enough packaging to protect the product. And unlike past laws, the French government omitted two very important words in this new legislation: consumer acceptance.

The Grenelle law enables the French government to decide which products are using too much packaging. Had the French ordinance included wording of “consumer acceptance,” it would have allowed a brand called out for using too much packaging to argue that it was necessary to sell the product.

Although many luxury brands use complicated layers, substrates and finishes in their packaging, they do it because it adds to the brand experience—and it’s what consumers have come to expect.

“When you’re buying a luxury product, you’re expecting that not only the formula be good, but you are, to some degree, paying for the packaging,” says Taya Tomasello, director of beauty innovation-Americas, Mintel International.

In some instances, the packaging is so entwined with the product that a change could substantially alter the product experience.

“I would be interested to see the reaction of French consumers if suddenly the traditional champagne bottle was ordered to be replaced by a lighter weight container on the grounds that it did not comply with the [new Grenelle law],” says Julian Carroll, managing director, The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN). “Similarly, conventional packaging for high priced luxury goods, an important element of the French economy, could also be ruled illegal.”

To put the Grenelle law into place, the French government must issue a decree, which it hasn’t done yet. But what will happen to the French luxury industry if it does?

“The fear is that it could open the door for very zealous officials or bureaucrats to call into question the amount of packaging and the style of packaging used for products,” Carroll says.

And while it’s not clear what the future will bring, luxury brands would be wise to get ahead and preempt such regulations by working to make their packaging more sustainable.

But how can a premium brand be sustainable and still remain stylish? Thanks to the category’s knack for innovative, fresh design, it’s clear that sustainability is becoming just another variable for designers to work with.

Make It Refillable

Take the idea of refillable packaging, which can be a healthy compromise. Because consumers enjoy showing off their beautifully packaged products, brands have an opportunity to create luxury packaging that consumers will want to keep and reuse. It might be a bit pricier upfront, but luxury refills can be much less expensive from there on out.

In the everyday luxury category, for instance, Method uses refillable soap pumps to save consumers money, and help the environment.

“They do a really good job of making their hand soap really attractive; something that you can put out on your sink,” Tomasello says. “Then they just sell the standup flexi pouches for a refill. You get more for your money, and you’re not wasting all the additional plastic by buying the same thing over and over again.”

Keep It Light

To reduce packaging waste, it may be appropriate for some brands to eliminate some of their outer bulk. But it’s not for everyone. Many luxury packages use multiple layers to enhance the consumer experience: The package might consist of the primary packaging and several different forms of secondary packaging that all work together to tell the story of the brand.

So, if multiple packaging layers are a necessity, brands can turn to other options.

“It is important to understand material selection and manufacturing techniques,” explains Denis Boudard, president and founder of QSLD Group. “Effective manufacturing techniques can help to reduce packaging waste and excess, as well as streamline the production process. By using primary and secondary packaging composed of post-consumer goods, we are able to reduce waste while also using product-appropriate packaging.”

For instance, when QSLD designed the packaging for Zirh Skincare, a natural skincare line for men, it chose primary packaging made from post-consumer recycled materials and recyclable secondary packaging.

Use Recycled/Recyclable Materials

Of course, it only takes one universal symbol to let consumers know their packaging is environmentally friendly: the recycle symbol. From glass to (most) plastic and aluminum, recyclable materials can offer manufacturers a greener way to package luxury products.

Aveda is a good example. The company has been a leader on the sustainability front, and is known for pressing the limits of plastic production by using as much recycled content in its products as possible.

“In many cases, our skincare lines are 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET; Our shampoo bottles are up to 96 percent high density polyethylene,” says Dean Maune, executive director of package development for Aveda.

Aveda even started a Caps Recycling Program, asking its salons and stores, along with schools, to collect the closures of water, soda, detergent and shampoo bottles made of polypropylene plastic (which isn’t widely recycled). Once collected, the caps are sent to a plastics recycler to be ground and molded into new caps.

The first product to make use of these 100 percent recycled caps was Aveda’s Vintage Clove Shampoo. But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. The caps collected were all different colors, resulting in a range of tints for the new cap. To work with the variation, the design team created a distinct color scheme and gave the bottle a vintage appearance.

“We worked very closely with our package design group to try and blend in the package design in the colors to achieve that luxury look,” Maune says.

Make It Biodegradable

Although creating biodegradable packaging may be more difficult than recyclable packaging, and less common, it is a path some luxury brands are taking as a way to be more sustainable.

**Pangea Organics offers compostable, biodegradable and plantable packaging, thanks to its molded fiber box made from 100 percent post-consumer newsprint and used across the luxury brand’s bar soaps, skincare line and massage and body oils.

For instance, Pangea bar soaps are packaged in seeded boxes and the soaps contain seeds of flowering Amaranth. When consumers are finished with the packaging, they need only soak it in water for one minute and plant it one inch deep in soil. Within days, the package will begin decomposing and the medicinal herb will start to sprout.

But it’s not as simple as choosing new material or eliminating a layer from the existing packaging. Manufacturers must also ensure that their efforts work to strengthen the experience consumers have with the brand.

“Naturally, everyone is concerned about the environment and sustainability issues, but when dealing with a luxury brand image there are many factors that need to be considered,” QSLD’s Boudard explains. “Is this consistent with my brand’s message? Is it a natural progression for the brand? Will it resonate with our current consumers and allow us to reach new ones?”

If the day comes where luxury brands are required to reduce the amount of packaging they use, as it has in China and appears to have arrived in France, companies will have to react—and innovatively. And while regulations may alter traditional consumer expectations, it’s clear that many premium brands have taken steps to prove that eco-luxury is possible.

Eye Have a Solution

2009-11-10 00:00:00

(via Glam)

One of the first places we start to see signs of aging is right around the eyes.

As soon as we see it, we start to panic. Pangea Organics is doing its part to not only help you get rid of those pesky fine lines but to calm you down as well with their Turkish Rose & White Tea Eye Cream. It contains antioxidants and cell regenerators to help keep your peepers looking perky and moisturized without the any of the nasty parabens and sulfates that we don’t need. With this cream, there’s no more need to stress about a few fine lines that need to be wiped away.

Available for $55 at Sephora.com.

5 Ways To Look Great, Fast

2009-10-15 00:00:00

(via Allure)

Whether it's in the morning before work or on your way out for the evening, you don't always have endless time to primp. We talked with Allure beauty director Amy Keller about the best products when you're under the gun.

—Exfoliating is the quickest way to get fresh, glowing skin. We love Pangea Organics Facial Scrub because it's gentle and softens skin instantly. Another alternative: a plain washcloth.

Win Pangea Organics Facial Cream!

2009-10-13 00:00:00

Win A Pangea Organics Gift Certificate and More at My Beauty Bunny!

SMOOTH, NOT SMOTHERING. Pangea creams are designed to protect, balance, nourish and provide just the right amount of moisture. Ingredients such as Argan Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Rice Bran Extract and Shea Butter are hand-picked for their anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, EFA and vitamin-rich, cell regenerating, and natural sun protecting properties. No matter the skin type, hydration is always a good idea – whether you drink it in or smooth it on. Actually, doing both is best. Feels smooth rather than smothering. Creamy and moisturizing? You betcha.

PRIZE:

One lucky winner will get: All 5 Pangea facial creams --

Italian Red Mandarin with Rose

Nigerian Ginger, Sweet Lavender and Thyme

French Chamomile and Orange Blossom

Malagasy Ylang Ylang and Linden Flower

Egyptian Fennel with Rosemary and Mint

AND a $25 Eco-Store gift certificate!

For details and to enter, go to MyBeautyBunny.com

Beauty and the Budget: Great natural skincare at prices that won’t break the bank

2009-10-12 00:00:00

(via Healing Lifestyles & Spas)

When times are tough, the tough get back to basics. Recessionista beauty is all about beauty fundamentals: a clear complexion that’s toned, moisturized, and radiant. Who needs vibrating mascara wands, lip plumpers, and primers when your skin looks even better without makeup?

And you don’t have to sacrifice high quality, toxin-free skincare just because budget-conscious is your new bottom-line. Since the latest trend in beauty consumption, according to Mintel (a beauty market research company), is only buying effective, necessary products, we’ve focused on the skincare essentials that we, at least, can’t live without. We’ve found 12 picks in eight categories that comprise a standard beauty routine, and most are under $30.

Our search, by no means exhaustive, required brands that used natural or organic ingredients and none of the nasties: parabens, synthetic fragrances, petro-chemicals, sulfates, artificial colors, or other carcinogens.

Lina Hanson, makeup artist and author of Eco-Beautiful, The Ultimate Guide To Natural Beauty and Wellness (Rodale, 2009) helped us narrow down our search by weighing in with some sage beauty advice. “Some amazing ingredients to look for in natural skincare are aloe vera, shea butter, jojoba oil, calendula, vitamin E oil, and chamomile, which keep your skin soft and moisturized the all-natural way,” says Hanson.

Tone: Don’t be tempted to skip this underrated step. Toning removes any excess grease, makeup, or cleanser residue, creating a pure surface that easily absorbs moisture. A spritzer/toner combo lets you refresh whenever and tone as needed. Pangea Organics Italian Green Mandarin with Sweet Lime Toner gives you a burst of stimulating aromatherapy, reviving your cells—and your spirit (4 oz; $26).

Moisturize AM: Depending on how dry your skin is, you might want to consider moisturizing several times a day. For parched skin, look for moisturizing superstars like almond, argan, and rosehip oil. Pangea Organics Italian Red Mandarin with Rose Facial Cream stars argan in its hydration arsenal, absorbs instantly, and smells like an English garden (2 oz; $36).