The company partnered with London-based company Provenance to help audit and verify their claims of transparency, accountability and sustainability.
“Purearth gathers and presents information and stories about its creations, sourcing and supply chains, formulations and packaging, including verified data to support them. By connecting this information to elements – in-store, on-pack and online, Provenance helps [the consumer] discover the origin, journey and impact of Purearth’s creations,” said brand founder Kavita Khosa.
The brand prides itself on utilising wild-harvested or organically cultivated ingredients sourced from the Himalayas with the help of local farmers and grassroots producers.
“We partner with micro-credit women savings and self-help groups, enabling marginalised producer groups to engage with urban markets on fair terms. The purpose of doing so is to empower women through fair trade not aid,” said Khosa.
Ensuring transparency and openness
The partnership with Provenance allows the brand to prove that it truly walks the talk. Consumers can access this information through QR codes printed on each of its products where they can view the products journey from start to finish.
“By linking the digital with the physical, the entire process powers a system where customers, as well as everyone in the supply chain, can become a part of Purearth’s sustainable journey,” said Khosa.
She added that the blockchain technology used securely stores information so its “inherently auditable, immutable and open”, allowing the brand to reinforce its trustworthiness among consumers.
“Purearth brings a digital dimension to its range of products and reinforces a genuine connection between its creations and the people who create and consume them, through a firm commitment to open, accessible information.”
Khosa told CosmeticsDesign-Asia that the company wanted to be a leader in this movement and leave behind a legacy of championing conscious consumerism.
“My vision is to be an agent of change in this space and to take it a step further towards conscious consumerism and ethical buying by supporting fair trade, sustainable produce that is not just good for me, but for the people and the planet.”
She highlighted that one of the company’s biggest achievements was setting up the Pure Purpose Foundation.
“The past years we have constructed around 60 toilets around remote Himalayan regions and tribal Adivasi schools to provide safe sanitation for women and girls. On our fifth anniversary last year, we visited the Amboli in Khed district of Maharashtra. We engaged in tree plantations, book donations and also initiated an Eco-Pot project.
“That was a milestone moment for Purearth. Channelling our proceeds into a conscious, greener planet and gratitude is what allows us to grow as a brand in this fast-paced industry.”
Shift to clean and green beauty
Since launching in 2011, the brand is available globally from the US, Europe, Asia to Australia. It has established a presence in major cities such as New York, Paris and Hong Kong.
Today it is available in over 20 premium and luxury retail outlets such as Anthropologie and Linnaean.
According to Khosa, the brand experienced a 140% rise in sales last year with 32% of its revenue coming from repeat customers.
For 2020, Khosa said the company was gearing up to further widen its footprint in Asia and Europe. She tells us she expects this to be a “fast-paced” endeavour into both online and offline retail.
“Both [online and offline channels] are key and vital to the brand. Our customer base comprises of ingredient-focused individuals with an elevated conscious approach towards clean beauty and skincare, acquired through word of mouth and direct-selling.”
The company hopes to capitalise on several beauty trends it is observing in the market, such as the shift towards clean and green skincare, said Khosa.
“We’re looking to offer high-performance botanicals, vegan skincare formulas using quality plant-based ingredients, bringing innovative modern science and ancient Ayurvedic wisdom together.”
