Every brand here earns its place.
Sustainability has been claimed, misused, and stretched beyond meaning by too many brands for too long. So here is exactly what we check, how we check it, and what it actually means for every product you see on Ziracle.
Why we spell this out
Why we spell this out
Most platforms say they care about sustainability. Far fewer show you what that means in practice.
You're right to ask. “Natural,” “eco-friendly,” “responsible” — these words have been attached to products that don't deserve them. A nice label and a brown paper bag do not make a brand ethical. The only way to earn trust back is to be specific.
So here is the specific version. Every policy. Every prohibited ingredient. Every certification we look for, and why.
It is also the page we hold ourselves to. The standards we apply to brands on this platform are the same standards we apply to how Ziracle operates.
Our approach
A platform for the whole journey
The traditional approach to ethical retail is binary. A brand either meets the standard or it doesn't. That model has its place — but it also has a ceiling.
We think real progress comes from bringing more people into this. A brand genuinely improving deserves to be here. A shopper just starting deserves to find a home here too.
Ziracle works as a spectrum, not a gate. Our standards are high and they are real. Every product is clearly labelled with the credentials it has earned. Every relevant filter exists. The information is here so you can make your own choices.
Our promise
The three standards
Every brand on Ziracle is assessed against three standards: Kind. Healthy. Sustainable.
Kind
People and animals are treated well at every stage a product touches.
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Healthy
Free from ingredients that don’t belong in your body, on your skin, or in your home.
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Sustainable
Real, verifiable steps to reduce impact on the planet.
They apply across Beauty & Self-Care, Apparel & Style, Home & Sanctuary, Food & Drink, Wellness & Vitality, Kids & Baby, and Refills & Reusables.
“Kind means people and animals are treated well at every stage a product touches.”
The first standard
Kind
Kind means people and animals are treated well at every stage a product touches. From the people who grow the raw materials, to the workers who make the finished thing, to the animals whose welfare is affected by how ingredients and materials are sourced.
Workers' rights
Every brand on Ziracle is committed to responsible labour standards throughout their supply chain. That commitment covers their own operations and extends to their suppliers.
The specific requirements are as follows. No use of forced labour in any form at any tier of the supply chain. No child labour anywhere in the production process. No employee discrimination on any grounds including race, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. No excessive working hours beyond what national law permits, with additional restrictions on voluntary overtime. Safe and healthy working conditions as a baseline, meaning appropriate protective equipment, adequate ventilation, access to clean water, and emergency procedures in place. Legal labour contracts for all workers, written in a language workers can understand. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, meaning workers cannot be penalised for joining or forming a trade union.
These are not aspirations. They are entry requirements.
No sandblasting
Sandblasting is a finishing technique used on distressed clothing, particularly denim. The process involves firing fine particles at high velocity against fabric to create a worn, aged appearance. When done without proper ventilation, safety equipment, and training, it puts workers at serious risk of silicosis — an irreversible and often fatal lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust including aluminium oxide, aluminium silicate, and silicon carbide.
The health risk is well documented and the practice is banned or restricted in several countries. On Ziracle it is not permitted in any product. We do not list any sandblasted items. The technique will not be approved on this platform until it can be independently audited at every stage of production to confirm that full respiratory protections and safety training are in place for every worker involved.
Ethical mica
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and lustre to cosmetics: eyeshadow, nail polish, sun creams, deodorant, shampoo, highlighters, and more. It is widespread in beauty formulations. It is also, in significant parts of the global supply chain, associated with serious exploitation.
An estimated 25% of the mica in global circulation comes from illegal mines in the Jharkhand and Bihar regions of India. In those regions, only around 10% of mines are legal, which means most mines are unregulated and most labour protections are unenforceable. Child labour is widespread. The conditions in illegal mica mines are dangerous, with children and adults working in narrow shafts without protective equipment, and fatalities going largely unreported.
We require ethical sourcing of mica from every brand on the platform that uses it. This means mica must be sourced from legal, audited mines with documented protections in place, or from synthetic alternatives. We follow developments from the Responsible Mica Initiative, a global coalition working to move from policy commitments to practice across the supply chain.
Supply chain transparency
Kind extends beyond a brand's own factory floor. We require all brands to have clear systems in place to assess and monitor the sustainability performance of their Tier 1 suppliers — the factories and producers they work with directly. For Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers further up the chain, brands must take appropriate steps to ensure compliance, which may include audits, documentation requests, and support where needed.
Transparency and regular reporting are required, not optional. Brands must be able to show where their materials come from, who makes them, and under what conditions. Supply chain opacity is a red flag, and brands that cannot demonstrate meaningful visibility across their production chain are not ready to join the platform.
When supply chain issues are identified, we work with brands to address them. The goal is improvement, not just gatekeeping. We would rather help a brand fix a problem than turn them away for having one — provided the commitment to fixing it is genuine.
Excluded regions
Our cotton policy and broader supply chain requirements explicitly exclude sourcing from the Xinjiang Uyghur Region of China and Turkmenistan, where state-sanctioned forced labour is widely documented in academic research, journalism, and government reports from multiple countries.
Brands must have clear written policies against sourcing from regions known for forced labour. They must also demonstrate robust due diligence procedures that go beyond self-declaration, including third-party audit trails where relevant.
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is assessed across every category on Ziracle. We look at whether products have been tested on animals, whether animal-derived ingredients and materials are used, and where they are, what welfare standards apply to their sourcing.
Our strong preference is for products that cause no harm to animals. The majority of what you'll find here reflects that. Every product carries clear labelling so you can see exactly what it contains and filter by vegan or cruelty-free if those are the standards that matter most to you.
“Free from ingredients that don't belong in your body, on your skin, or in your home.”
The second standard
Healthy
Healthy means free from ingredients that don't belong in your body, on your skin, or in your home. It means products that genuinely support wellbeing, not just products that avoid the worst of what conventional manufacturing uses.
Beauty and personal care — ingredients we avoid
Every product in our Face and Skincare, Hair Lab, Body and Bath, Colour and Cosmetics, Scent and Spirit, and Grooming and Shaving ranges is assessed against a comprehensive list of ingredients we currently avoid across the platform.
Traditional beauty and personal care products often contain these chemicals because they are cheap, shelf-stable, and effective at short-term performance. Many can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. The health impact ranges from surface irritation through to long-term hormone disruption, and some are persistent environmental pollutants that accumulate in waterways and wildlife.
The current list of avoided ingredients:
Parabens in all forms: methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, and phenyl paraben. Triclosan and triclocarban. Formaldehyde and all formaldehyde donors including quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, and polyquaternium-15. PEG compounds in all variants. Preservatives including sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, bromopol, and glyoxal. Petroleum-based ingredients including PABA, benzene, mineral oil, petrolatum, phthalates (DBP, DMP, DEP), and toluene. BHA and BHT additives. UV filters oxybenzone and octinoxate. Petroleum derivatives including petroleum jelly, paraffin oil, paraffin wax, and mineral oil. EDTA salts and compounds in all forms. BPA plastics. Methylisothiazolinone. Talc. Any substance listed under the Substances of Very High Concern register under REACH regulations. Microbeads. Genetically modified organisms.
Beauty and personal care — animal-derived ingredients
Across our beauty and personal care range, we currently avoid the following animal-derived ingredients: lanolin, shellac, glycerine of animal origin, casein, squalene of animal origin, guanine, oleic acid of animal origin, placenta in all forms, animal hair, stearic acid of animal origin, carmine (also known as cochineal, natural red 4, E120, and C.I. 75470), animal, bovine or marine collagen, elastin, keratin, and beeswax.
Plant-based and synthetic alternatives exist in every case, in the form of plant oils, plant butters, and soya waxes. Where a brand uses an animal-derived ingredient, we assess the welfare standards behind its sourcing and label it clearly so you can make your own choice.
Shop the full cruelty-free beauty range or explore by goal: healthy skin is a good starting point.
Fashion — no virgin polyester
Polyester is one of the most common materials in fashion and activewear, valued for its elasticity, durability, and moisture-wicking properties. But conventional virgin polyester is made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource extracted through processes that are themselves carbon-intensive. The production of virgin polyester accounts for over 40% of the fashion industry's total emissions. It is not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfill.
Ziracle does not approve virgin polyester across Clothing and Basics, Activewear, Intimates and Sleep, Footwear and Care, or Jewellery and Accessories.
Recycled polyester, known as rPET, is approved. It is made from post-consumer plastic waste such as discarded bottles and reclaimed fishing nets, which diverts plastic from landfill and reduces demand for virgin petroleum extraction. Compared to virgin polyester production, rPET reduces energy use by around 50%, CO₂ emissions by around 75%, and water consumption by around 90%.
We acknowledge the limitations honestly. Recycled polyester still sheds microplastics when washed, and poly-blend fabrics that combine polyester with other fibres are often difficult to recycle at end of life. These are real challenges and not ones we pretend away.
Fashion — cotton policy
Our strong preference across the fashion range is for cotton certified to GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Soil Association Organic, or an equivalent credible standard. Where brands are working towards certification, we assess their progress and the standards they are currently meeting on their merits.
Conventional cotton is one of the most chemically intensive crops in the world. It covers around 2.5% of the world's cultivated land but accounts for 16% of all insecticide use globally. The pesticides and fertilisers used in conventional cotton production contaminate groundwater, damage soil health, and pose serious risks to the health of farmworkers.
GOTS certification is our primary benchmark. It requires a minimum of 70% certified organic fibre content in the finished product. Crucially, it also requires environmentally responsible processing at every stage after the cotton leaves the farm, covering dyeing, finishing, and manufacturing. And it requires independently audited social compliance in line with International Labour Organisation norms throughout the supply chain.
Upcycled and recycled cotton are also approved. Where a brand is rescuing existing fabric from the waste stream rather than sourcing virgin textiles, organic certification is not required for the cotton content. Recovering and reusing existing material is a sound environmental choice in its own right.
Labour ethics certifications are required for all brands producing cotton-based products. Acceptable certifications include Fair Wear Foundation, WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production), or an equivalent independently audited organisation.
Fashion — materials and animal welfare
The majority of fashion brands on Ziracle use materials that are free from animal products and by-products. That is the direction we encourage, and it is reflected in what you will find across Clothing and Basics, Footwear and Care, bags, and accessories.
Innovation in plant-based materials has moved quickly and the results are genuinely impressive. Brands on Ziracle use pineapple leather (Pinatex, made from the waste leaves of pineapple plants), apple leather (made from apple peel and core waste from the food processing industry), mushroom leather including Mylo (made from mycelium, the root-like structure of mushrooms), cactus leather known as Desserto (derived from the nopal cactus, which requires very little water to grow), and grape leather (made from the skin, seeds, and stalks left over from wine production).
Food and drink
The majority of food and drink on Ziracle is plant-based. Most brands produce products free from meat, dairy, eggs, and other animal-derived ingredients. Everything is labelled so you can filter clearly by vegan, plant-based, or dairy-free depending on what matters to you.
All food and drink on the platform excludes artificial sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup entirely. Where sweetness is needed, natural alternatives are approved: fruit concentrates, barley malt syrup, dates and date syrup, maple syrup, molasses, coconut sugar, agave syrup, rice syrup, stevia, and chicory root fibre, among others.
Beverages meet low-sugar standards consistent with the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy framework. Products sit below the threshold or use only naturally occurring sugars.
Beyond sweeteners, the following are excluded from all food and drink: high-fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, synthetic trans fats, artificial colours, added sulphites beyond naturally occurring levels, BHA, BHT, potassium bromate, sodium nitrates and nitrites, and genetically modified organisms.
Products can be found by goal: gut health, eat well, support immunity, and hormonal health. Organic is a key filter across the food and drink range.
Home and lifestyle — non-toxic materials
Products in Clean Home, Kitchen and Dining, Home and Decor, Bedroom and Sleep, Bathroom and Ritual, and Garden and Pet are assessed against a non-toxic materials standard.
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are prohibited in all forms. Sometimes called “forever chemicals” because of how slowly they degrade, some variants take over a thousand years to break down. They are used in food packaging, non-stick coatings, stain-resistant treatments, and waterproofing agents. PFAS enter the environment through production waste and product disposal. They are highly persistent in both the environment and the human body, with documented adverse effects on reproductive function, developmental health, and immune system response.
APEOs — alkylphenol ethoxylates — are also prohibited. These synthetic surfactants do not break down cleanly in wastewater treatment and their breakdown products, including nonylphenol, are toxic to aquatic life and act as endocrine disruptors.
Timber used in home products must be sourced responsibly. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification is the primary benchmark. Fairtrade-certified timber is also approved. Upcycled, reclaimed, and recycled wood are actively preferred wherever possible.
Palm oil is subject to a no-conflict policy. Every brand that uses palm oil must use only sustainable, fully traceable palm oil free from deforestation, habitat destruction, peatland expansion, and human rights violations.
Wellness
The healthy standard extends fully into Wellness and Vitality. Products across Nutrition and Superfoods, Stress and Sleep, Women's Health, Sexual Wellbeing, and Hygiene and Health are assessed against the same ingredient and formulation standards as beauty and food products. No prohibited sweeteners, no parabens, no petroleum derivatives, no GMOs.
Women's health products covering Period and Cycle Care, Fertility, Menopause, and Pregnancy are assessed with particular care. Products used at these stages of life come into close contact with sensitive physiological systems. The prohibited ingredient list applies fully and without exception.
Kids and baby
The same standards that apply across the platform apply in full to Baby, Kids, Toys, Books, and Feeding and Bathing. No prohibited ingredients. No synthetic dyes or surface treatments that fall outside the platform standard.
Baby skincare products carry the same non-toxic formulation requirements as adult skincare products. Infant skin is thinner, more permeable, and more sensitive than adult skin, and absorption of topically applied ingredients is proportionally higher. We expect brands producing baby skincare to apply even greater caution in their formulation decisions, not less.
Toys are assessed for material safety. Wooden toys must meet the timber sourcing standard. Soft toys and plushies must be free from synthetic filling materials and dyes that fall outside the textiles standard.
“Real, verifiable steps to reduce impact on the planet.”
The third standard
Sustainable
Sustainable means the brand has taken real, verifiable steps to reduce its impact on the planet. Not bought an offset to paper over business as usual. Not switched to recycled packaging while ignoring the rest of the supply chain. Real steps, across materials, production, supply chain, and the way the business operates day to day.
What we look for across all categories
For every brand applying to the platform, we review environmental impact across the full production cycle: the materials used and how they are sourced, the energy and water consumed in manufacturing, the waste generated and how it is managed, the emissions associated with production and logistics, and the end-of-life considerations for the finished product.
We look for brands that have moved from awareness to action. A brand that can articulate why conventional production is harmful but has not yet changed anything in their own process is not the same as a brand that has restructured their supply chain, changed their materials, and invested in measuring their own footprint. We look for the second kind — and we work with brands that are clearly on the way there.
Recycling and circularity
The most sustainable product is one that does not need to be produced again. Brands in Refills and Reusables are working towards closed-loop models: products designed to be refilled, reused, or recovered at end of life rather than thrown away after a single use.
Circular economy thinking is something we actively look for and reward in brands across all categories. A brand in beauty or home that has redesigned its packaging for reuse, that takes back empties, or that uses materials with a documented end-of-life pathway is demonstrating the kind of thinking we want more of on the platform.
Packaging
We are working to eliminate single-use plastic from the platform entirely. Ziracle is a marketplace — every order is fulfilled directly by the brand you buy from. That means packaging is in the hands of our brands, and we hold them to a clear standard.
We require all brands to avoid polystyrene packing chips, inflated plastic air pillows, and unnecessary secondary packaging. We actively support brands in moving to biodegradable and compostable materials, and we track progress as part of our ongoing brand reviews.
Supporting independent brands
The majority of brands on Ziracle are small, independent businesses. Many are founder-run. Most do not have sustainability teams or compliance departments. They have individuals who care deeply about doing things the right way and are working with limited resources to make that real.
Part of what the sustainable standard means in practice is that these businesses are supported to meet it, not just assessed against it and turned away if they fall short. We share best practices with brands, help them understand where their supply chain documentation needs to improve, and work with them to build the systems they need.
A better platform means better brands. Better brands means working with the ones that are genuinely trying, helping them get where they need to be, and holding the line with the ones that are not.
Our process
How we assess brands
Every brand applying to join Ziracle goes through the same structured assessment before anything is listed on the platform. Our process combines human expertise with technology-assisted review, allowing us to assess brands thoroughly and maintain consistent standards as the platform grows.
We review documentation and evidence across all three pillars. Supply chain management systems. Labour standards and certifications. Environmental practices and policies. Ingredient or material specifications and the evidence behind them. Third-party certifications where held, with verification that they are current and applicable to the products being listed.
For Tier 1 supplier compliance, documentation is a minimum requirement. Brands must be able to show us their direct supplier relationships and the standards those suppliers meet. For Tier 2 and Tier 3 of the supply chain, we look for evidence of appropriate engagement: audits, questionnaires, contractual requirements passed down the chain, and responses to issues when they are identified.
Brands must have active systems in place to monitor their own compliance over time and to report on it. Things change in supply chains. Ingredients change. Manufacturing locations change. We expect brands to tell us when material changes happen and to maintain documentation that reflects their current position.
We review existing brands on a regular basis throughout their time on the platform. The standard does not expire on listing day.
When questions arise during a review, we engage with brands directly and give them the opportunity to respond. When a brand's practices improve, we recognise that and work with them to reflect it. The relationship is meant to be a working one in both directions.
Third-party verification
Certifications and accreditations
Third-party certification is one of the most reliable ways to verify that a brand's claims stand up to scrutiny. A certification issued by an independent body that requires documentation, on-site audits, and regular reassessment carries significantly more weight than a self-declared claim on a brand's website.
The certifications we look for include: GOTS, FSC, Fairtrade, OEKO-TEX, Fair Wear Foundation, Soil Association Organic, Ecocert, B Corp, Leaping Bunny, RSPO, Vegan Society, PETA, Bluesign, Cradle to Cradle, WRAP, REACH, Fair Labor Association, EU Ecolabel, Textile Exchange, BSCI, Cotton Made in Africa, Nordic Ecolabel, Fairmined Gold, and Non-GMO Certified.
These span fashion, beauty, food and drink, wellness, and home. Not every certification is relevant to every brand, and we do not expect or require brands to hold all of them. What matters is that the certifications a brand holds are relevant to the specific claims they make, are current, and are issued by a body whose standards we have assessed.
For more context on what specific certifications mean and how they relate to our standards, visit our values hub. Dedicated pages cover vegan, organic, cruelty-free, B Corp, fair trade, plastic free, refillable, and reusable.
Built on B Corp foundations
The platform behind Ziracle was a Certified B Corp, assessed not just on products but on every part of how the business operated: governance, treatment of workers, community impact, environmental practices, and the experience of customers.
B Corp certification is issued by B Lab, an independent non-profit organisation. It cannot be self-declared. It requires a company to complete a detailed assessment of its practices and impact, submit documentation to support the assessment, and meet a minimum score threshold. Certification is reassessed on a regular cycle.
The platform earned that certification and was subsequently named Best for the World by B Lab — a recognition given to companies that score in the top 5% of all Certified B Corps globally. This is not a participation award. It requires demonstrated performance, independently assessed, against one of the most rigorous business certification frameworks that exists.
That history is the foundation Ziracle is built on. It shapes what we expect from the brands on this platform, how we structure our own operations, and how seriously we take the gap between what a business says and what it does.
Discover
Shop by what you care about
The standards above apply to every brand on Ziracle. Wherever you are on your own journey — whether you've been shopping this way for years or you're just starting to think about it — there is a way in that works for you.
Shop by goal