Why: We created Organica Deluxe because.... we wanted a beautiful place to buy eco-friendly and organic for ourselves and our friends...we recognized that organic companies often miss the gorgeous and even miss the green when creating packaging....we love chocolates and wines and wanted others to know organic choices are amazing...it is annoying to get a box within a box when receiving a gift...it is wonderful to bite into a cookie knowing it is delicious and made with the finest organic ingredients....we were tired of smelling flowers that were super-charged with pesticides...we wanted our babies to be clothed in pure organic cottons...we like companies who care about customers and put that caring into each gift package...we want to support eco-friendly artisans and farmers... we like to spoil ourselves and our friends with the extraordinary.
Who: Wendy James is the inspiration behind the Organica Deluxe concept. She has eaten organic and avoided pharmacueticals (in haute couture clothes) for her entire adult life. She loves all things beautiful and has a passion for life and her loves. She votes with her dollars and supports all things green.
Jane Hunter is a new-comer to the organic and green way. She is learning all about how economic choices do impact our world. Jane is an entrepreneur who loves to give gifts. She has helped blend our goals of green, luxury and caring into all things Organica Deluxe.
Packaging
Mission Fact: The negative impact of the paper and packaging industry on our environment is enormous. When you open a box, take a few seconds to consider climate change, energy and water consumption, biodiversity and land use, the dispersment of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, air pollution, waste management and deforestation.
While giving gifts, especially beautiful ones, is one of life’s greatest pleasures, we must begin to consider how they are packaged and what that packaging is doing to the environment. Organica strives to acquire the finest gifts and deliver them in the most responsible and attractive manner.
Single Box Delivery
As many companies ship their gift boxes in an additional outer shipping carton, we are choosing single box delivery for almost all of our gift packages. This one practice alone serves to reduce paper consumption by more than 50% and eliminate thousands of pounds of additional landfill waste every year.
Post Consumer Recycled
Signature Aqua Wrapping: While most recycled paper contains 10% recycled materials, our inner tissue wrapping paper is made from 75% post consumer recycled paper. We use this paper to wrap and protect all Organica Deluxe gifts. We are mentioning that here because when you see it, all you will think is beautiful.
Cornstarch Peanuts
Our vegetable-based packing peanuts are made from natural cornstarch. Unlike traditional Styrofoam peanuts, this material is water soluble, completely biodegradable and contains no CFC’s that are harmful our ozone layer. One of our team did eat a cornstarch peanut but we recommend that you reuse them for other gifts or you can even put them in your compost pile.
FSC and Rainforest Alliance Certified
Our signature mini-catalogue and personal notes are all produced on environmentally sustainable paper. We follow the latest movement in commercial paper production under the guidelines and monitoring of The Forest Stewardship Council – a non-profit organization committed to the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. Along with the FSC certification, our collateral paper is also Rainforest Alliance certified.
Wind Power
In 2008, Organica Deluxe will continue to add new products and packaging materials that come from Certified Green-e Renewable Energy. These products are produced with wind energy – America’s fastest growing source of electricity. This certification strives for the reduction of each product’s carbon footprint and helps alleviate our country’s dependence on foreign oil.
Carbon Credits
Organica Deluxe donates to the Carbon Fund Foundation as our way of reducing the climate impact of shipping and business operations. Organica Deluxe customers are also welcome to donate on carbonfund.org to offset individual carbon footprints.
Cause Connection
Each season our Organica Deluxe team will pick an important cause to connect with one of our gift boxes. We will donate proceeds on all sales of that package to the chosen charity.
In honor of our children, we have selected Our Favorites package as this season’s gift box. A percentage of proceeds will go to the Autism Foundation of the Carolinas.