Upcycling, at the origin of the organic cosmetics brand Kadalys, composed of ingredients from upcycled banana trees.
Launched in 2012 by Shirley Billot, Kadalys is a brand that offers ethical, uncompromising, organic, vegan cosmetics that are part of a circular economy.
After 2 years of research to study the virtues of the banana tree , Shirley succeeded in creating unique cosmetic active ingredients from yellow, green and pink bananas. Called “Musactif”, these active ingredients come from upcycling!
In this new article, discover the principles of upcycling and learn more about our Kadalys cosmetics.
SUMMARY
- Upcycling: definition and operating principle
- Upcycling: Kadalys’ secret for eco-responsible cosmetics
- Why use bananas/cosmetic active ingredients from the upcycled banana tree?
- Kadalys, the benchmark brand in organic cosmetic products
Upcycling: definition and operating principle
Have you ever heard of upcycling? This ecological approach, which has been developing for several years, adapts to different sectors: cosmetics , fashion (clothing and jewelry), design and decoration. But then, what is upcycling? If we have fun translating the word, upcycling means “recycling from above”, or even “upcycling”.
The idea is to transform an already existing product, considered as waste , into a new product that has added value! The desire behind all this? Achieve complete zero waste and be part of the virtuous circle of the circular economy. With that, you must say to yourself “but upcycling is actually like recycling!”. Well no, not really. In recycling, we recover materials, considered as waste, to treat them in order to reintroduce them into a production cycle. This waste treatment often requires a lot of energy and the material loses its quality, until it can no longer be recycled.
In upcycling, we recycle objects before they are thrown away and reintroduce them into a consumption chain. Finally, the object or material is revalued! Upcycling something can require energy, especially in the cosmetics sector when we extract active ingredients from a fruit or grind apricot kernels, but it can also require no energy at all, like when we transform a blanket into a scarf using thread and a needle.
Upcycling, regardless of the sector you are in, has many advantages:
- It has a positive impact on the environment: we use already existing raw materials, which means that no new resources are necessary to create a product.
- It reduces waste production: waste is recycled infinitely.
- It limits waste: “nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed” is a bit of the credo of upcycling!
- It limits energy costs and therefore does not generate greenhouse gases or pollution.
In cosmetics, we can use upcycling at the ingredient level, but also at the packaging level! For example, exfoliating ingredients can easily be obtained from fruit stones (apricot, cherries, grape seeds, etc.) or from oilseed fruits considered too “ugly” to be sold.
You can also obtain active ingredients from unsaleable fruits, like bananas (we'll come back to this later)! Vegetable oil can also be extracted from seeds intended to be thrown away. This approach is a great opportunity for brands, but also for farmers and producers who can increase their income by selling their agro-waste!
As for packaging , we can imagine upcycling materials to create eco-designed packaging, but also upcycling a glass cream jar into a pencil jar, a glass oil bottle into a new container for a product home made. Some brands even offer to return the containers to be cleaned and then refilled!
You understand, thanks to upcycled products , you are part of a strong eco-responsible approach that does good for the planet!
Upcycling: Kadalys’ secret for eco-responsible cosmetics
Since 2012, at Kadalys, we have been offering upcycled banana-based cosmetics. It is in fact after 2 years of cosmetic research that Shirley Billot will launch a business that resembles her: an ethical, inclusive, eco-responsible and cosmopolitan company.
At the heart of the project? Enjoy the benefits of the West Indian garden through organic , vegan and committed cosmetics. To do this, Shirley begins by studying the virtues of the banana tree, a herbaceous plant widely cultivated in the Antilles, particularly in Martinique and Guadeloupe. 2 years is the time it took our founder to develop innovative bio-actives using yellow bananas , green bananas and pink bananas . Each of these varieties has very interesting virtues and benefits for the skin !
4 years after launching the Kadalys brand, Shirley Billot decided to adopt an eco-design approach and provide support to the many banana planters: it is decided, agro-waste from the banana sector will be upcycled and become the basic ingredients of Kadalys cosmetics!
In fact, each year, 270,000 tonnes of bananas are transported to Europe to be sold in supermarkets or on markets. The problem ? Nearly 40,000 tonnes of bananas are set aside because they are deemed unsaleable (damaged, ugly, “single”). The solution: collect these green, yellow and pink bananas to extract our bio-actives and thus avoid food waste!
To limit energy requirements, the extraction of active ingredients is carried out according to the principle of eco-extraction, that is to say using processes that require little energy consumption and no use of chemical solvents.
Thanks to this innovative organic beauty project, Shirley has created an eco-responsible, ethical, cosmopolitan and inclusive company!
Why use bananas/cosmetic active ingredients from the upcycled banana tree?
This choice to use active ingredients from upcycled banana trees for our Kadalys organic and vegan cosmetics was made for various reasons:
- Limit food waste.
- Support producers in the banana sector in the Antilles.
- Take advantage of the extraordinary virtues of bananas.
- Be part of a more responsible and more ethical beauty.
The choice of banana was also obvious thanks to the research carried out on this fruit rich in beauty virtues! Indeed, the banana has many interesting properties: it is rich in vitamins E, C, B2, B6 and B12, in minerals (magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc), in essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) , polyphenols and phytosterols (very useful for preventing skin aging).
These properties make them the perfect ingredient for all skin types since it can treat the problems of pigment spots, the problems of oily and acne-prone skin, but also the problems of dry skin and mature skin!
Kadalys, the benchmark brand in organic cosmetic products.
Since the creation of our very first Kadalys products, we have ignored none of our values and none of our commitments!
Free from compounds considered potentially dangerous for the skin, for health, but also for the environment, our cosmetics are mainly composed of natural ingredients and components authorized by the COSMOS standard. Certified organic and vegan, Kadalys treatments are real beauty products that can be incorporated into any well-being routine !
On the packaging side, we wanted recyclable packaging, created from paper and cardboard from FSC-certified forests, sustainably managed forests. For our tote bags and beauty bags, we use ŒKO-TEX certified cotton. These are therefore 100% biodegradable , recyclable and reusable!
Kadalys is an organic beauty brand that offers cosmetics made from upcycled bananas!
Part of an eco-design approach, our brand is a reference in terms of natural beauty and beauty that respects people, animals and the environment.
