Here we have compiled our answers to the most frequently asked questions. With your help we would like to see this page grow to offer more and more comprehensive and transparent information. You are invited to fill in and send the form in the “Contact us” section and in our Facebook page!
So as not to burden consumers’ pockets. So far we have not been able to find 100% recycled plastic at affordable costs and that is acceptable in terms of tightness, appearance and odour. It may sound contradictory, but when plastic is recycled, it undergoes selection and burning processes that not only emit CO2 into the atmosphere polluting it (hence the need to calculate the overall impact of recycling), but also leave an unpleasant burnt odour in the containers made with such plastic. This odour can counter the pleasant effect of the perfumes we use in our products. We are constantly searching for plant-origin recycled plastics that do not have such defects, always keeping a balance between economic and environmental sustainability.
SkinEco is the International Ecodermatology Association that assesses products to see if they are safe, efficient, pleasant and environmentally sustainable through specific skin toxicity tests (NRU assays). For the first time SkinEco have extended their guidelines to include the cleaning sector, and recognised Winni’s surface care and laundry care ranges to be eco-dermo-compatible. However, not all Winni’s product bear the SkinEco logo; only those that come into direct contact with skin and for which there is a specific protocol.
We are not fond of using the term “ecology”, since there are several definitions for the word and some of them are conflicting. We like being clear and transparent. Therefore, we prefer using with low environmental impact based on the principles of environmental e social sustainability.
Biodegradability is the capacity of an element to decompose and become harmless once released into the atmosphere. Natural microorganisms are in charge of this process. Our final products and the raw materials they are made from are quickly and completely decomposed in the environment and so, they are biodegradable. We conduct specific and rigorous tests; please see the principles of environmental e social sustainability.
As prescribed by law, final products cannot be tested on animals. Besides, we ask from all our suppliers the statements by which they responsibly and officially declare that the raw materials supplied to us are not tested on animals. There are a lot of certifications and all imply some fee is to be paid. We have embraced an ethical stand in line with the principles expressed by Vegan OK, a reliable and accredited certification. This does not mean that there are not any other alternatives just as valid, such as LAV, but this would imply further costs that would be against the principle of economic sustainability of Winni’s.
Until recently there were no alternatives to animal testing to protect consumers’ safety. So in the past, suppliers of Winni’s raw materials used this type of testing. Since the data regarding these old tests available now, they have to be included in the safety data sheets of the products as required by law and by Regulation (EU) No. 2015/830. Our commitment to protect the environment has led us to select only suppliers who can offer the safety data required by law, via alternative in vitro tests that do not involve animals at all.
Assocasa, the Italian Association of Detergents and Specialties for Industry and Home Care, has issued a detailed survey on the impact detergents sold loose and in containers have on the environment. The method used was the Life Cycle Assessment, a technique created to assess potential impacts associated to a process or product intended as a system. That is, a cradle-to-grave analysis of a product’s life, not just the methods used and time needed to make the product and dispose of its waste, but also other less evident factors such as the distances covered to reach its final destination, the number of times a package is reused, the manufacture of empty bottles and tanks for transporting the product, the distribution of full tanks and the collection of empty tanks after the set use cycle.
As regards energy consumption, a reusable bottle (made of very thick plastic in general) needs to be reused at least 3 times so as not to pollute more than what a disposable bottle does. If a one-way bottle is made of 100% recycled material instead, the refill bottle (as the container into which the bulk product is poured is called) is to be reused 6 times to obtain a clearly advantageous effect on the environment.
Another factor to bear in mind is distance: The farther the distributor’s facilities are from consumers and the manufacturing company, the bigger the impact of the refill system is. If 1,000 km apart, a bottle has to be reused 10 times so that the refill is profitable. And since manufacturers in general are located in the north, to have the bulk material in the south is not convenient and, in fact, it is much less common.
