KIEHL’S MISSION RENEWAL
Our imperfect journey to drive a more circular economy.
OUR MISSION IN PROGRESS
Scroll through to see the progress we made in 2024
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DON'T REBUY, JUST REFILL
Our refill pouches use between 61-94% less plastic compared to when packaging the same product in jars/bottles. The result? Kiehl's minimized its plastic use by 414 tonnes to cover 2025 production through refill formats. That's equivalent to the weight of 6M 50ml jars****
THE HAND OF EVEREST
In 1988, Kiehl's sponsored the first ascent expedition on Mount Everest's East Face without supplemental oxygen.
Today, Kiehl's returns to Everest in partnership with Nepal-based NGO, Sagarmatha Next, and Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee's Carry Me Back initiative to support the removal of 22 tons of waste of proper recycling, taking some of the items to create "Hand of Everest," an Installation en route to Base Camp to remind hikers to limit the footprint they leave behind.
POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED PACKAGING
34% of our packaging comes from post-consumer recycled plastic*
LIGHTWEIGHTING OUR JARS
In 2024, we designed our 125ml jar with -40% less plastic compared to the previous version. Our 2024 production with our lightweighted jar allowed us to use 123 tons less plastic compared to if we had used the design produced in 2023, allowing us to deliver the same number of milliliters you love, with less packaging***
INGREDIENTS
71% of our ingredients now derive from plant or mineral ingredients*
BIODEGRADABLE FORMULAS
The average biodegradability of our formulas is 82%, with rinse-off products averaging 91%*
POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY
98% of our products are manufactured in facilities using 99% renewable energy**
*Operated sites, excluding safety and security installations
KIEHL'S SKIN PROS
In 2024, Kiehl's provided 28,460 hours of training and professional development to store employees.
SO, WHAT IS "CIRCULARITY"?
Today, the way we make products is linear. We take materials and resources, create products and then eventually throw them away as waste.
In a circular economy, we mimic nature's way of doing things by focusing on how we use resources and manufacture products, and by having a plan for the materials and packaging afterwards to help reduce waste from being created in the first place.
RECYCLE & BE REWARDED
In partnership with Pact
At Kiehl’s, we’ve partnered with Pact Collective to reduce our beauty packaging waste through in-store drop-off locations. We take clean and empty beauty packaging from any brand. We’ll gladly take your:
- Plastic, metal, and paper bottles + jars smaller than a yogurt cup or 2"x 2"
- Plastic + aluminum squeezable tubes
- Ceramic + porcelain containers
- Colored glass bottles + jars (varies heavily by location; check locally)
- Caps + closures
- Pumps + dispensers
- Droppers + applicators
- Compacts + palettes
- Lipstick/lip gloss tubes + applicators
- Mascara tubes + wands
- Plastic pencil components for eye/lip liner + brow pencils
- Toothpaste tubes + dental floss containers
- Silicone containers
- Pouches
- Sachets
- Supplement bottles smaller than a yogurt cup or 2"x 2"
As of today, we unfortunately cannot take:
- Items that should go in most curbside programs, like:
- Rigid plastic containers #1, #2, and #5 (when larger than a yogurt cup or 2" x 2", caps can stay on if the main packaging is curbside recyclable)
- Stainless steel or aluminum ((when larger than a yogurt cup or 2" x 2")
- Clear or frosted glass jars and bottles (varies heavily by location; check locally)
- Cardboard & paper
Other miscellaneous items like:
- Dental Floss
- Aerosol cans*
- Sponges + Brushes
- Single-use wipes
- Plastic + Foil safety seals
- Nail polish + Remover*
- Toothbrushes
Prescription pill bottles (check local recycler guidelines)
*Products considered hazardous materials such as aerosol products, nail polish and nail polish remover should be disposed of through proper hazmat disposal. Check for your local hazmat disposal options.
Shop Sensitive Skin Formulas
- *KPI FOR FY24 AUDITED BY EY IN FY25. BASED ON THE PROCEDURES AND EVIDENCE OBTAINED, NOTHING HAS COME TO ATTENTION THAT CAUSES TO BELIEVE THAT THIS KPI IS NOT PREPARED, IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE L'OREAL FOR THE FUTURE KPI METHODOLOGY USED, AND KIEHL'S SINCE 1851 RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION.
- **AT THE END OF THE YEAR 2024, EXCLUDING SAFETY AND SECURITY INSTALLATIONS. FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THE UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT HERE.
- ***AMINO ACID SHAMPOO -81% (4X250ML); AMINO ACID CONDITIONER -73% (2X500ML); CRÈME DE CORPS -81% (4X250ML); GRAPEFRUIT LIQUID CLEANSER -81% (4X250ML); ULTRA FACIAL CREAM -61% (3X50ML); AND ULTRA FACIAL OIL FREE CREAM -61% (3X50ML).
- ****CALCULATION COMPARES THE WEIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL 125ML JAR TO THE NEW LIGHTWEIGHT JAR OF THE SAME PRODUCTS BASED ON FULL YEAR 2024 GLOBAL PRODUCTION
