With more of us wanting to shop smarter, shop sustainably and put our hard-earned dollar into brands that give back, making mindful choices is more important than ever – and with our Mindful Brands, conscious consumers (like you!) can make choices that align to your ethical values.
Whether it means shopping more locally, looking out for ethical brands that use eco-friendly packaging or supporting brands that are B Corp certified, there’s plenty of feel-good reasons to shop mindfully for your health, for our community and for our planet. With your values in mind, let’s look at 5 simple ways to shop more mindfully.
1. Choose local
Love local? For mindful shopping that gives back to your community, locally made brands are a great place to start. Whether you want to have a lighter carbon footprint or make more ethical shopping decisions, there’s much to love about shopping locally. From regenerative farming practices, sourcing quality ingredients or minimising their environmental impact, discover new favourites with these 10 best-loved Kiwi brands –including top picks to support your wellness goals.
Local brand top pick: BioBalance
Heard of BioBalance? They’re a 100% kiwi business and the first supplement and superfoods range in New Zealand and Australia to achieve B Corp status - upholding the highest standards in social and environmental responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
BioBalance products are formulated with organic, plant-based, and ethically sourced ingredients to help you stay well and find your natural balance. This purposeful brand gives back to the planet and people through tree planting, recyclable packaging, and supporting a women's cooperative in Morocco.
BioBalance top pick: Liposomal Vitamin C
- Highly absorbable liposomal Vitamin C
- 5-star favourite for taste
- Suitable for the whole family
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2. Choose brands that are mindful of nature
If shopping greener is important to you, our Environmentally Sustainable brands have you covered. For mindful shopping that doesn’t cost the earth, you’re sure to love these eco-conscious brands.
From sourcing certified organic ingredients to regenerating nature, and actively reducing their carbon emissions, feel good about where you’re putting your dollar with brands that put the health of our planet first.
Questions to ask your go-to brands about environmental sustainability:
Want to make sure the brands you’re choosing to support, are choosing to take care of our planet? Don’t be afraid to dig deeper and ask the important questions:
- In what ways are [brand name] using contributing to the health of our planet?
- Tell me the details of your environmental sustainability goals? (if they have clear commitments, they should be listed on their website)
- Who are your independent environmental partners?
- How are you measuring your impact on the environment?
Mindful of nature brand top pick: CaliWoods
Eco warrior? CaliWoods leads the way to inspire positive, sustainable change. They're B Corp, New Zealand owned - and, not to mention woman-led. Whether you're looking for eco swaps in your home or reducing single-use plastics, CaliWood's bestselling range of eco favourites make ethical shopping easier.
Caliwoods top pick: Reusable Razor
- Plastic-free, reusable razor
- Unisex & made for smooth shaves everywhere
- Includes 5 replacement blades
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3. Choose brands that are mindful of packaging
Care about packaging that’s planet-friendly? From diverting landfill waste to using recyclable materials and send-back or refill initiatives, our Eco Packaging brands go above and beyond to ensure their packaging is sustainable in nature – so you can continue to shop mindfully and feel good about it too.
For some easy eco swaps in your everyday, you can make a start by reusing glass jars to store household goods (for smaller jars, we recommend filling them with nuts & seeds for easy snacking) or larger jars for meal prep or storing makeup brushes.
Keen to understand different packaging pros and cons, and smarter ways to reuse? See how your favourite product’s packaging measures up with our go-to guide, or discover 15 smart ways to reuse beauty pots and pantry jars.
Looking for a planet-friendly packaging option? Aluminium is highly and indefinitely recyclable, without losing its quality. This means that aluminium packaging can be collected, processed, and reused repeatedly, reducing the need for new materials and minimising waste.
And remember, recycling is now nationally standardised across Aotearoa - meaning recycling rules apply across the country, with only a few exceptions. Under the new rules, no lids can be recycled. You can learn more about the changes here.
Mindful packaging brand top pick: Radiance
Radiance supplements are made for the whole family – and they don’t cost the earth. All their supplements come in eco-friendly, reusable aluminium tins. And you know where their ingredients inside those tins are sourced from - their traceability commitment has stepped up a notch too.
Radiance top pick: Collagen Beauty Gummies
- Supple skin and beauty support
- Sugar free, collagen rich gummies
- Aluminium packaging
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4. Choose brands that are mindful of people
When it comes to putting people first, our Socially Responsible brands make it easy. For mindful shopping that supports the wellbeing of others, you’re sure to appreciate these compassionate brands. Whether it’s through community initiatives and charity commitments or adopting fair-trade practices and paying their team a living wage, caring for our community is at the heart of these brands.
Questions to ask brands about social responsibility:
Want to know how to find out whether your favourite brands are looking after their people? Start with asking them important questions like...
- Does the brand have a social responsibility policy? If they do, you should be able to find it easily on their website.
- Do they confirm that they don’t use child or slave labour in the sourcing of their ingredients?
- Do they have relationships directly with farmers/growers or go through a broker?
- Do they have any charity commitments? What are they?
- Do they pay staff a living wage?
Mindful of people brand top pick: Gaia Herbs
Since 1987, Gaia Herbs has lived our mission of connecting people, plants, and planet for healing. Their commitments speak volumes about their dedication to ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship. As a certified B Corp. Gaia Herbs have meaningful, responsible partnerships with their farmers and are committed to regenerating soil health and ensuring fair and ethical treatment of their seasonal farm workers. Their organic herbal range
Gaia Herbs top pick: Rhodiola Rosea
- Supports mental, physical & emotional wellbeing
- Rhodiola for stress support
- Vegan liquid phyto-caps
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5. Choose brands that are mindfully transparent
These days, it’s more important than ever to dig deeper – and understand the ins and outs of a brand’s supply chain. That’s why we believe in being open and honest – through and through, and partnering with brands who are committed to transparency, traceability, and truthfulness.
For us, transparency means knowing where your products come from, how they’re made, and their holistic impact. So, whether you're choosing skincare products, supplements, or making mindful choices, knowing the ins and outs of your products helps you choose well.
Three questions to ask a brand to understand their commitment to transparency:
- Do they supply a full ingredient list?
- Do they disclose where the products are sourced?
- Are they cultivating a meaningful relationship with raw material suppliers?
Mindfully transparent brand top pick: Ethique
Regenerative beauty brand, Ethique, leads the way in transparency. As a certified “Best for the World” B Corp, they’re recognised within the top 5% of B Corp businesses worldwide (similar to their company size). And if that isn’t impressive enough, their commitment to cruelty-free, vegan, and palm-oil free products top the list. Not to mention, their range is proudly plastic-free and home-compostable – good for you, and our planet too.
Ethique top pick: Calming Solid Shampoo Bar - Heali Kiwi
- Calming shampoo bar
- 80 uses per bar
- Zero-waste, compostable paper packaging
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When it comes to your ethical values, finding simple ways to shop more mindfully is key. Whether it’s giving back to your community or making a positive difference on people and planet, these Mindful Brands are here to give you a helping hand along the way.
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