Our Commitment to Transparency
At Guests on Earth, we believe in radical transparency. With more customers asking where our products are made, we want to share an inside look at the realities of a global supply chain—from sourcing plant-based ingredients to packaging our refillable cleaning essentials.
We know that sustainability isn’t a fixed destination—it’s a continuous journey. By sharing the realities of how our products are made, we hope to empower customers to make informed choices. We remain committed to refining our supply chain, reducing our footprint, and prioritizing small formats and circularity.
The Reality of a Global Supply Chain
A truly sustainable product isn’t about sourcing everything locally—it’s about sourcing responsibly, for the overall product lifecycle and end game. Supply chains are complicated and interdependent. For example, global events like pandemics, political conflicts, or natural disasters can significantly disrupt the flow of goods, leading to shortages and price fluctuations.
Our Packaging
Packaging is one of the most complex parts of any global supply chain. At Guests on Earth, we are committed to reducing waste through reusable and refillable systems. We search extensively for domestic options, where possible, and continue to do so.
In the meantime, the reality of a global supply chain and global core competencies means that most of the glass and aluminum you purchase from brands as packaging is sourced from China.
Here’s what goes into making our sustainable packaging:
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Refillable Aluminum Bottles: Aluminum is infinitely recyclable and light to transport. The vast majority of aluminum in the formats of our products comes from China. We identified a few in Europe, but with much longer lead times and significantly higher minimum order quantities. Same story goes for the United States suppliers, who have many options for cans (think sodas, beer), but not our product types. We have done a carbon assessment, and the transportation by sea of our packaging makes up a very small percentage of carbon emissions
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Glass Concentrate Bottles: See above, this is the same for glass.
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Compostable Refill Pouches: The composition of pouches matters. Since plastic pouches are not recyclable*, it is important to us to create pouches made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. Our pouches are made from 50% PCR and are shipped to us FLAT, which saves the weight, size and amount of packaging needed to get these to us.
*Through ongoing research, we believe that even if a product says #4 recycling, it is most likely not going to be recycled. #1 and #2 recycling are the most likely to properly be recycled. Our aluminum vessels and glass vials fall in the #1 category. - A Note on Third Party Sellers: There are a number third-party sellers who sell glass, aluminum and plastic domestically. However, their sources for these materials also seem to be mostly China.
The Journey of Our Ingredients
Every bottle of Guests on Earth cleaning concentrate is made with high-performing, premium biodegradable ingredients sourced from around the world. Our formulas are made with premium, clean ingredients that are sourced globally for their efficacy and sustainability. Here’s why:
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Essential Oils: Many of the essential oils that create our signature scents are grown in diverse climates. Our scent partner sources our premium essential oils worldwide to maintain quality and consistency in our scents.
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Surfactants & Cleaning Agents: The plant-based surfactants that power our formulas often originate from coconut-derived sources, primarily from Southeast Asia and South America.
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Preservatives & Stabilizers: To maintain safety and shelf stability, we incorporate biodegradable preservatives sourced internationally. These ensure our formulas remain effective while meeting the highest environmental and safety standards.
Have questions about our sourcing practices? Reach out to us—we believe the more we all know, the better choices we can make for the planet. You can read more about our supply chain here.
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