Is Wilkinson Sword’s Eco Green Razor vegan, cruelty free or even sustainable?
Without a doubt, it’s great to see the big brands releasing more environmentally friendly products. There’s been a huge shift in recent years with consumers caring about the environmental impact of their products. Big brands have had to take note to avoid losing too many customers to more sustainable competition. But is this new Wilkinson Sword ‘eco razor’ actually eco-friendly? Is it vegan or cruelty free? Are there better alternatives out there?
Is the Wilkinson Sword’s Xtreme 3 Beauty Eco Green sustainable?
There are some sustainable swaps that make this product better than a typical disposable razor. For example, the handle is made with 95% recycled plastic and the packaging is FSC certified and made from over 90% recycled paper. However there’s one glaringly obvious flaw in this ‘sustainable’ razor: it’s disposable.
Inherently, sustainable products move away from disposable habits. However, many companies hate that as disposable products create returning customers. This in turn means more money. If you’re looking for a sustainable razor please instead head towards a reusable razor. Not only are they better environmentally, you’re also likely to save money in the long run. You’ll find alternatives at the end of this post.
Is the Wilkinson Sword’s Xtreme 3 Beauty Eco Green cruelty free or vegan?
Wilkinson Sword have the animal testing policy of their parent company Edgewell, who performs animal testing on products where required to do so by law. Hence, would not be considered cruelty-free.
The razor uses lubricating strips. Unfortunately, I can’t find any detail to confirm whether or not this strip is made using vegan ingredients. However, it’s often best to assume these strips are not vegan unless otherwise stated. Additionally, due to their animal testing policy, this brand does not conform to vegan ethics.
Okay, but what alternatives are there?
Here are some alternatives to explore. Please note that this section contains affiliate links, meaning I can earn commission if you choose to shop through these links. Things like this helps fund Vegan Beauty Girl.
- Friction Free Shaving – a reusable razor subscription service that is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and offers a blade recycling scheme. They’re made and shipped in the UK using minimal and recyclable packaging. Not all their products are vegan-friendly but their razors are.
- Estrid – a reusable razor subscription service that is also vegan and cruelty-free. Their sustainability practices include: climate-compensated shipping, the option to choose how often you want new cartridges (every 30, 60 or 90 days) and their packaging is 100% recyclable.
- Preserve – this cruelty-free and vegan reusable razor is made from recycled yoghurt pots. It’s also completely recyclable at the end of its life. It’s popular for it’s easy-to-grip handle and their vegan-friendly lubricated strips. You can get the razor here, and the refillable blades here.
- Bulldog – also owned by Edgewell, however Bulldog have a separate animal-testing policy and are Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. All their products are vegan, including their reusable bamboo razors. If you prefer avoiding brands owned by a company that tests on animals (like me), I recommend avoiding Bulldog.
- Upcircle – whilst safety razors take a little bit of effort to get used to, they’re widely accepted as the best sustainable option for those that like to shave. The Upcircle safety razor is 100% plastic-free and is non-disposable. All you need to do is replace the blades using the refill packs.
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