How to give new value to scraps?

Lifestyle

Preserving our planet's biodiversity is one of our priorities. That's why, throughout the manufacturing process of Carlotha Ray perfumes and shoes, we strive to give a second life to materials that are often destined to be thrown away, turning them into quality raw materials.

Recycling is the most effective way to avoid wasting these precious resources. But do you know exactly what we recycle? And do you know the difference between upcycling and recycling? We explain!

Upcycling consists in using an object, a glass bottle for example, to create a new item: a candlestick, a lamp, a vase etc.

At Carlotha Ray, we mainly use scraps or materials from other industries to give them a second life.

Recycling implies transformation. Let's take the same example of the glass bottle. By recycling this bottle via an industrial process, the glass is crushed, then melted in glass furnaces and finally blown in molds to become a perfume bottle or other glass packaging!

To make it easier to differentiate between these two concepts, remember that to give an object a second life, upcycling tends to use an artisanal process, while recycling uses an industrial one...

In the Carlotha Ray manufacturing processes, we use both upcycling and recycling.

Shoes:

- We reduce our own waste by using rubber scraps from one collection and reintroducing them into the production process of future models.

- Using the eggshells from food industry waste not only reinforces the rubber soles, but also provides the white pigments that dye your favorite flip flops!

- A large proportion of our vegetable colorants come from raw materials derived from agricultural waste: olive, pomace, artichoke, pepper, pomegranate, mint, almond hull, walnut stain etc.

Fragrances:

- Our fragrances contain up to 20% upcycled ingredients. How do we do this? By recycling waste from the food industry! Citrus or apple residues used to make juices or purées are used to obtain orange, lemon and apple essences, while woody-sandalwood notes are obtained from paper pulp manufacturing waste!

- The glass in Carlotha Ray perfume bottles is made from 40% recycled glass, which preserves the shine and transparency of haute parfumerie glass. What's more, the bottle is 100% recyclable. We've come full circle!

- The same goes for our cardboard boxes, which are made from 25% recycled fiber and with 100% recyclable packaging!

If you'd like to find out more about our commitments and our sustainable manufacturing processes, please visit our Sustainable Fashion and Haute Parfumerie section.

More articles