“Environmental protection is a choice. Only by respecting Mother Nature can we achieve sustainability,” says O’right chairman Steven Ko.

Ko believes beauty doesn’t have to be a sacrifice. Bringing natural, pure and eco-friendly to a whole new level is O’right’s philosophy and mission. From product ingredients to packaging, the brand says it cares about consumers’ health and well-being while protecting the planet to achieve zero impact. “We make sure that everything we do on our green path to true sustainability reflects our visions for a greener tomorrow,” says Ko.

“We aim to reduce waste and make good use of the Earth’s resources, fully achieving Cradle to Cradle certification and creating sustainable value for the Earth,” says Ko. The brand’s Recoffee Tree in the Bottle won the Gold Medal and Special Medal at INPEX, and Red Dot Awards in packaging and social responsibility for its unique green innovation.

100% Renewable Plastic Shampoo Bottle

In 2016, the brand teamed up with Da Fon Environmental Technology, an environmental company in Taiwan, and took on upcycling with what they say is the world’s first 100% renewable plastic (post-consumer plastic or post-consumer resin) shampoo bottle to ensure the products are not only safe and healthy to use, but also environmentally friendly, as well.

In 2018, Ko says O’right became a pioneer in the cosmetic industry by switching all their shampoo bottles to 100% renewable plastic to reduce carbon by 80%. “This milestone made O’right the first green beauty brand in the world to fully achieve a circular economy, making history in Taiwan and the beauty sector,” proclaims Ko.

The 100% renewable plastic bottles are made from used food or cosmetic containers that have been sorted, crushed, re-sorted, washed, dried, pelletized and regenerated under strict regulations and standards. Ko explains, “We obtained a third-party product safety certification, proving that our products contain no mercury, bromine, cadmium, lead or chromium to ensure consumer health and safety.”

Following the introduction of their 100% renewable plastic bottles—and with an eye on ocean plastics—they created what they claim to be the world’s first renewable plastic pump.

100% Biodegradable Materials

Much of the brand’s ingenuity revolves around spent coffee grinds. Ko explains how O’right created a formula containing coffee oils extracted from used coffee grounds and designed a biodegradable bottle made from eco-friendly materials including fruit and vegetable waste that can be naturally degraded in a year when buried in soil. The biodegradable bottle can be broken down into CO2 and water in soil, helping to nourish the Acacia seeds placed in the bottle—and grow into a tree. He says the Acacia tree species is most efficient at sequestering and storing carbon from the atmosphere in Taiwan.

Moso Bamboo Caps: A Trendy Sustainable Design

O’right’s handcrafted Moso bamboo caps are inspired by the “remarkable” flexibility of bamboo. “With its natural color and shine, unique, fine veins, and exquisite texture, our Moso bamboo cap is the perfect fusion of over ten years of craftsmanship and green trends, creating new green value to bamboo materials and art,” says Ko.

According to Ko, bamboo can grow up to 120cm a day, reaching maturity and growing to full height in just four years. He says bamboo releases 35% more oxygen than an equivalent area of trees and a hectare of Moso bamboo forest absorbs 35-50 tons of CO2 annually. Its rapid regeneration and ability to produce new shoots even after being cut can contribute to carbon reduction.

In addition, Ko says in Chinese culture, the bamboo symbolizes integrity and loyalty. “Due to its lightweight property, incredible flexibility and superior resilience, each Moso bamboo cap is a unique, exquisite work of art meticulously crafted by hand.”

Zero from the ‘Grounds’ Up

In June 2020, the zero-carbon beauty brand opened its first stores in Japan (at Isetan Shinjuku and Yurakucho Marui 0101), as the country was getting back to business following Covid-19 shutdowns. The Yurakucho Marui 0101 store boasts building materials made from spent coffee grounds to reflect the innovative and sustainable value of O’right’s Caffeine Collection. This was O’right’s second breakthrough in green construction materials following its groundbreaking use of textile waste in eco-storefront signage.

O’right was also counting on The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which unveiled sustainability as the key theme, pushing Japan to make a shift towards a sustainable society. Ko says, “Combining the 2020 Olympics’ slogan ‘Be better, together—for the planet and the people’ with O’right’s ‘Together Greener,’ O’right is ready to embark on this new adventure of taking one of the world’s leading markets for cosmetic and personal care products by storm.”

Hopefully the message will still be as vital when the Games come into play in 2021.