green glossary

b corp

certified b corporations are a new form of corporations that are required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, community, and environment. certified b corporations have met the highest standards of verified performance and transparency. method is a founding b corp and there are now more than 2000 b corps. all b corps have been evaluated, publicly scored and externally audited on their environmental, community, labor and governance practices. see https://bcorporation.net/directory/people-against-dirty for method’s score.

biodegradable

an ingredient or formula that will decompose into simpler components, including components that can be found in the natural environment, with the help of microorganisms. method selects ingredients based on highest technical standard for defining biodegradability, whereby at least 70% of organic ingredients (in other words, ingredients containing carbon) will degrade within 28 days. when testing our formulations, method follows the oecd 301 standard for our products that are likely to be washed down the drain.

naturally derived

this refers to an ingredient, formula or product as follows:

• an ingredient made from renewable plant-based materials, abundant minerals and/or water, and that may be modified to provide functionality; the modification may involve synthesizing with sources other than plant and/or mineral sources.
• a formula or product where the functional ingredients (the ones that make the product do their thing, like cleaning or softening), are naturally derived as noted above.

mineral-based

we use “mineral based” where all the active ingredients in the formula that provide the specified benefit or function are made from abundant minerals. these mineral-based ingredients may have been modified to provide functionality and the modification often incorporates mineral-based materials with synthetic materials.

plant-based

we use “plant-based” where all the active ingredients in the formula that provide the specified benefit or function are made from renewable, plant-based materials. these plant-based ingredients, such as surfactants, may have been modified to provide functionality, and this modification often incorporates plant-based materials with synthetic materials.

recyclable

a packaging element or material that can be collected by 60% of us municipal recycling programs and made into a new material/package. we design packaging with end-of-life in mind – our 2025 goal is to only use recyclable packaging. check your local recycling guidelines here: https://earth911.com/.

recycled plastic

plastic that has been diverted from a waste stream and made into something new (like a shiny method bottle). this includes both pcr (post-consumer recycled) and pir (post-industrial recycled).

cruelty-free

method is certified by leaping bunny and cruelty free international.