What We Drain Matters

Why Does It Matter So Much What I Put Down The Drain?

What Small Changes Can I Make To Contribute Less To The Problem?

What Is Surf Soap Doing About Our Waterways?

If you're reading this, we know you care as much as we do about what's in our waters. 

 

Surf Soap has been and will always be an ever-evolving company, and as such, we are developing new formulations right now in order to fully remove the mainstream surfactant ingredients from our bars. 

Let's tackle the big stuff first: Ingredients.

If you've looked at ours, you may have noticed we used a majority of natural ingredients coupled with biodegradable surfactants. Even though these are biodegradable, and we've tested them to ensure that they are, in fact, ocean-safe*, these are still ingredients that are derived primarily from coconuts, palms or are synthetic in some way.

Surf Soap has been designed from the ground up to be the most sustainable, ocean-friendly hair and skin brand on the planet. And along with that, the products must work and deliver salon-quality hair right on the sand. 

This is the biggest difference between Surf Soap and any other shampoo bar. We have studied and researched endlessly to ensure that our bars won’t make Nemo sick. 

What is wrong with using normal shampoo/soap at an outdoor shower or groundwater drain?

When we use detergent in soaps - often called in the chemistry world "surfactants", these ingredients break the surface tension of the water. This is helpful on our scalps, as the surfactant basically squeaks in between oil/dirt and our scalps to help wash it off, but it's not so great for our sea life, who depend on delicate surface tension and chemical balances in their homes - our oceans, lakes, and rivers. Long story short: broken surface tension makes water "wetter", and reduces the oxygen level in the water, which causes harm to the aquatic wildlife. 

On top of that, certain types of surfactants are much better at this than others, and cause a lot more harm with a lot less ingredient. 

We all know by now that even the tiniest marine animals are important to a fully functioning water system on our planet. With this knowledge, we also know that many of our chemicals make it past our water-processing plants and into our oceans, and this is why it is imperative to educate ourselves on better options - not only for the planet, but for our bodies. 

Our Sustainability Focus Points:

• Ocean Safe. Sulfates, certain surfactants, silicones, and other synthetics all make a negative impact on our oceans. The foaming agents in the majority of soaps coupled with the other synthetic ingredients that foam, cleanse, and make your hair soft are highly dangerous and toxic to not only our reefs but our aquatic life, too. This is the most important focal point of our product line - to make sure it works AND that it’s groundwater safe. You’ll learn more about our focus points and practices in your Shaper newsletter. 

• Plastic free. Everything we use is plastic free, from our labels (made of biodegradable plant matter), to our tins, our mailers...all the way into not including plastics or byproducts of plastics in our ingredients. 

• Biodegradable. Our bars, balms, and creams are all completely, truly biodegradable. Everything we ship and package our products in is biodegradable or recyclable.

• Sustainably Sourced and Produced. We choose scents that are the most sustainable and widely available. We forego most “natural” fragrances and completely leave out any synthetic fragrances or preservatives. We choose not to use waxes obtained from bees, and work hard to ensure that most (if not all) of our products are vegan.

What Can I Do To Help?

• Make eco-smart lifestyle changes such as refusing plastic straws, reusing and recycling packaging, supporting local eco-friendly businesses, and using biodegradeable household and personal care items
• Wearing slow fashion made from 100% organic cotton or other plastic-free material, upcycling and recycling clothing wherever possible
• Walking, cycling, or using public transport when able
• Educating yourself and your communities about our impact on the earth and what we can do to clean up our act as humans, so we can make this a beautiful place to live for generations to come

Thank you for supporting our cause and our mission, and keep checking back for updates on our newest formulations as we scour the earth for ocean-friendly biosurfactants and naturally occurring cleansers made from trees and plants instead of in a lab. We'll see ya out on the break!

xoxo,

The Surf Soap Company

 

 

 

*Our bars are ocean-safe when used as directed and in the directed amounts. Some of the ingredients we use, although completely plant derived, are still earmarked in certain Safety Data Sheets as either toxic in large amounts, or untested and unknown when it comes to aquatic toxicity. It is imperative to know that we have calculated the average use per bar, and we are confident that the amounts used are groundwater safe, and the ingredients we use thus far biodegrade within 24-48 hours in saltwater. SDS sheets differ between manufacturers of raw ingredients, and we ensure our suppliers use safe processes and no additives to our ingredients.