The story behind the foundation of the "wood-ness" sustainable brand
The founder, Noriko ELIE, moved to France in her 20s to study beauty and cosmetics. France has one of the largest international companies, and I learned how to create a cosmetics brand from scratch. This experience inspired me long-term goal of creating my own cosmetics brand.
Petrochemical ingredients in cosmetics
Back to Japan, while working for cosmetics companies, I learned about the formulation of cosmetic ingredients and wondered why we put so many petrochemical ingredients on our skin. I felt a sense of unwellness. Of course, they are not harmful for the skin, but I began to wonder why we use so many petrochemical products in our lives.
Excessive consumption of petrochemical products
Petroleum and its products, including energy sources , are necessary for our daily lives. However, is it really healthy for our present and future lives and our skin to continue to consume them in excess?
I believed that if I did not stop such excessive consumption, I would not be able to produce quality cosmetics.
This history firmly linked my passion for creating cosmetics, which I had envisioned since my 20s, with the creation of products that did not use petroleum-based raw materials.
As a therapist, I have treated the skin of more than 13,000 people for almost 30 years. From my experience, I realized that the number of people with dry and sensitive skin is increasing every year due to climate, environment and other factors. Many people unexpectedly lack sufficient hydration, which is the foundation of skin care, and I wanted to create a product that would offer easy ways to perfect hydration. I believed that there was no future for cosmetics made primarily from petrochemical ingredients, so I decided to create a brand of cosmetics that is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
CNF will be part of the future!
CNF will be part of the future! I discovered CNF (cellulose nano-fiber), which fulfills my wish, and this was the major factor in the creation of wood-ness.
CNF is a next-generation plant-derived new nano-fiber that is currently being promoted by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan as an alternative to several petroleum-derived raw materials. This nano-fiber is extracted from wood. When added to cosmetics, CNF enhances excellent moisturizing capacity, increases water retention and thixotropy*, and as a result, improves the function of cosmetics.
I have approached a number of CNF raw material manufacturers and manufacturers of cosmetics to conduct trial production, but have been rejected in the middle of the process and had to start from scratch. After about two years of work, we completed the formula, and since CNF is a new material, we adjusted the concentration, fiber thickness, and blending ratio many times to achieve a unique high-concentration** formula that easily blends with other natural ingredients.
*Thixotropy is the characteristic of CNFs to form a network structure in water, which is gel-like under normal conditions but becomes a silky liquid when force is applied. Upon the application of force, the network structure re-forms.
**High level of concentration within our brands
We are committed to creating cosmetics that enhance the benefits of products while contributing to the safety of nature, the environment, and the health of people's skin, now and in the future.
Sustainable Manufacturing
5 Principles of Action
Five Actions for Environmental and Social Safety
Cruelty-Free
No animal testing
Petrol less
Reducing the use of petrochemical materials
Zero-Waste
Promote recycling
Well-Being
Enhance mental and skin well-being
Environmentally Conscious
Use biodegradable materials
The ingredients used in our cosmetic products have a natural origin index of at least 90% (according to ISO 16128), and the use of petroleum-derived ingredients and materials is reduced to the absolute minimum.
We use CNF (cellulose nano-fiber) derived from bamboo or trees from well-managed forests in Japan.
We use biodegradable surfactants and emulsifiers that do not pollute the environment when they enter nature.
Some of the ingredients in our cosmetics are derived from plants and foods that are reused and discarded as byproducts of manufacturing and shipping.
Mottainai means not to waste in Japanese. The container is crafted from an aluminum bottle that is readily recyclable, the label is printed on recycled paper, and the cosmetic box is made from eco-friendly paper derived from bagasse, a byproduct of sugar cane processing. Additionally, the label is designed for easy detachment, allowing for separate disposal.
We do not use animal-derived ingredients (except for beeswax) in our cosmetics, and we do not test our ingredients on animals. We are committed to being friendly to all living beings and to providing cosmetics with fragrances and textures that comfort our customer’s skin and hearts, designs and images we find beautiful, and messages we feel related to.
Photos without editing