Why Are Fresh Water Test Results Important When Buying Glitter?
In recent years, there has been a public outcry for eco-friendly glitter options since it has come to light that regular glitter is made of plastic (PET) and contributes to oceans' pollution. Nonetheless, simply buying something because the glitter company says it is "plastic-free" or "100% biodegradable" is not enough! Testing and certifications are essential to set real biodegradable glitter apart from dubious products.
Traditional glitter is made out of a plastic core (polyester PET film) coated with aluminum and then covered with another thin layer of plastic. Due to its size, glitter falls under the microplastic category, which is a certified source of pollution of our oceans, disrupting marine life.
Even though there is no hard scientific evidence on glitter being bad for the environment, glitter would likely show similar results to those on other microplastics. After all, plastic glitter is practically a non-recyclable and a single-use product that can take up to a hundred years to degrade.
Hence, switching to biodegradable glitter as an 'eco-friendly' option has become the latest eco-trend in town. However, this has opened the way to so-called 'green' glitters that are anything but environmentally friendly. So, keep reading to find out everything about Bioglitter™, the real ecoglitter you must buy!
Glitter Greenwashing Among Unexperienced Customers
There has been a big upsurge in the number of glitter manufacturers trying to get on board the "eco-friendly bus." Unfortunately, this has proven a perfect opportunity for unscrupulous companies to take advantage of uninformed yet well-intentioned customers eager to contribute to the green cause.
Most of these glitter companies are simply lying about the true nature of their product or performance, even presenting counterfeits test results. They are just trying to profit from the initial confusion as consumers are unfamiliar with the terms and eco-glitter technology.
Understanding that knowledge is power, to fight off greenwashing, increasing awareness and knowledge around the subject is essential for the customers to make informed decisions.
So, don't let yourself be greenwashed into buying fake eco-glitters, and learn everything there is to know about biodegradable glitter.
What Exactly Does "Biodegradable" Means?
Biodegradability can be unknown territory for some, and terminology can be a bit confusing.
Many customers think that biodegradable glitter should be able to break down, causing no harm to the marine environment. Others might believe that biodegradable glitter would cause LESS damage to the environment compared to regular plastic glitter if it were littered.
Hence, biodegradability is a complex matter and is plagued by a lot of questions!
Also, biodegradability should apply to the natural environment- and not just special conditions like composting facilities. So, the environmental factor is key, but also the time and the percentage of biodegradation are essential components.
Understanding biodegradability performance is a matter of where, who much, and how long. It must be measured and easy to replicate and verify.
Also, biodegradable testing can't be performed on a portion of the product. It must consider the final item. For example, the WHOLE Bioglitter™ product, including core and coating, has been proven to biodegrade into harmless substances in the natural environment quickly.
Breaking Down the Fresh Water Test
Biodegradable products need to meet specific standards to make the cut as truly eco-friendly. Among the many types of glitter brands claiming to be biodegradable, only the true Bioglitter™ can prove it degrades in the natural environment.
The biodegradation test, aka the fresh water testing, shows the biodegradability of the samples being tested by exposure to microorganisms under laboratory-controlled conditions. This scenario is similar to the natural environment where glitter might end up after being discarded, such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and landfills.
It is not only that Bioglitter™ passes the fresh water test. It is willing to show you the test results at any time! If a glitter company doesn't show the results, it most probably is lying about the nature of the product.
Is Bioglitter™ Really Biodegradable?
Bioglitter™ is an innovative eco-glitter that uses plant-derived eucalyptus cellulose instead of a plastic core. Bioglitter™ PURE is the first 100% plastic-free glitter in the world.
Our Bioglitter™ is the only glitter proven to biodegrade under natural conditions with the help of heat, oxygen, and microorganisms. It degrades just a leaf as soon as it touches the ground, achieving up to 92% degradation in four weeks, reducing into harmless particles like water, biomass, and carbon dioxide.
Here at Today Glitter, we are happy to inform you that Bioglitter™ holds the OK Biodegradable WATER certification, the highest third-party certification for biodegradability worldwide!
This means that Bioglitter™ doesn't contain microplastics. Also, it is Verified Microplastic Free by EU, ECHA Microplastic Proposal (Jan 2019).
The Importance of Third-Party Certifications
Products certified for OK biodegradable WATER are GUARANTEED by TÜV to biodegrade in natural, freshwater environments and thus substantially reduce pollution in rivers, lakes, or any natural freshwater.
TÜV is a recognized, independent testing organization that provides biodegradability certifications worldwide. Also, Bioglitter™ has been independently tested by OWS, a world-leading company in the biodegradability and compostability testing of products and materials.
OWS suggested that Bioglitter™ had to be tested according to the ISO 14851 standard (which is for biodegradation in marine water). Also, Bioglitter™ achieved >90% biodegradability Vs. Control (microcrystalline cellulose) in less than 56 days.
How to Make Sure You Are Buying a Biodegradable Product
The key is to look at the independent test data, which should reveal the true nature and degree of biodegradability of glitter. Test results are the core of eco-credentials.
Also, TÜV certification can be easily verified, and it must be linked to a serial coded logo UNIQUE to the glitter manufacturer owning the certification and products it's related to.
Actually, either the Logo Serial number or the individual certificate number can be entered and verified into the TÜV certification check web page. For example, Bioglitter's unique TUV logo serial number is S0933, and you can verify it!
Additionally, we have arranged for most companies that now sell our genuine biodegradable glitter or incorporate it in their products to put our Bioglitter™ logo on the packaging itself or their website.
So, always look for the Bioglitter™ logo when purchasing biodegradable glitter. We are the real deal and have the eco-credentials to prove it! With us, you get, and environmentally-friendly glitter that you can use for beautiful makeup looks without the fear of polluting the planet.
