Sustainability & Ethics
Fragrance That Feels Good in Every Way
A great scent should do more than smell beautiful. It should come from somewhere good, be made in the right way, and leave as light a footprint on the planet as possible.
At Elements of Fragrance, sustainability and ethics aren't a marketing exercise or an afterthought. They're built into every decision we make — from the ingredients we choose and the suppliers we work with, to the packaging we design and the energy we use in our Glossop workshop.
We're a small, family-run business, and that means every choice is a conscious one. Here's exactly what we stand for.
Cruelty-Free, Always
We will never compromise on this.
All of our fragrance oils are certified cruelty-free. No animal testing. No exceptions. This applies across our entire product range — from our inspired-by perfumes and aftershaves to our candles, diffusers, wax melts, and bath products.
We believe extraordinary fragrance should never come at the cost of animal welfare, and this commitment is non-negotiable for us. It always has been, and it always will be.
Working Towards 100% Vegan
We're proud that the majority of our range is already fully vegan — including our candles, wax melts, scent oils, and bath products.
Our Reed Diffusers, Refills, and Room Sprays are cruelty-free and we are actively working towards full Vegan Society approval across every single product we make. This is a journey we're committed to completing, and we'll keep our customers updated as we reach new milestones.
Every product listing on our site clearly states its vegan status so you always know exactly what you're buying.
Natural, Renewable Ingredients
We believe what goes into our products matters as much as how they smell.
Our wax-based home fragrance products — candles, wax melts, and oils — are made using a natural rapeseed and soy wax blend. This vegetable-based wax is:
- Renewable and sustainably sourced
- Vegan friendly
- Clean-burning, producing no harmful by-products
- Free from the toxins associated with paraffin wax
Every fragrance we make also contains essential oil content — not just synthetic fragrance. This gives our scents a natural richness and depth that purely synthetic formulas can't replicate, and means you're not filling your home with artificial-only ingredients.
Locally Sourced. British Made.
One of the most effective ways to reduce environmental impact is to shorten supply chains — so that's exactly what we do.
70% of our product range is sourced from the Manchester area, working with local UK suppliers who share our values around quality and responsibility. The majority of our packaging comes from UK manufacturers. Our beautiful glassware is crafted in Italy — chosen for its quality and longevity, because products that last are always the more sustainable choice.
Being based in Glossop, in the heart of the North of England, we are genuinely connected to our local supply chain. These aren't abstract sustainability credentials — they're real partnerships with real businesses close to home.
Packaging Designed to Do Less Harm
Packaging is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing any product business, and we take it seriously.
We purposely design our packaging to use recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible. Every packaging decision we make is evaluated against its environmental impact — and we continually push ourselves to find better, lower-impact alternatives as they become available.
We're not perfect yet. But we're always improving, and we never stop looking for ways to reduce waste at every stage of our packaging design and production.
Our Three Operating Principles
In every operational decision we make — from how we heat our workshop to how we ship our orders — we are guided by three commitments:
Responsible use of energy. We are mindful of our energy consumption at every stage of production and continually look for ways to reduce it.
Minimisation of waste. We design our processes to minimise material waste, and we handle any unavoidable waste responsibly.
Reducing the environmental impact of transportation. Sourcing locally, shipping efficiently, and working with delivery partners who take their own environmental commitments seriously.
Responsible Supplier Partnerships
We only work with suppliers who share our values.
That means suppliers who are committed to responsible sourcing, ethical working practices, and sustainable production methods. We don't simply buy from whoever is cheapest — we build genuine, long-term partnerships with businesses we trust and believe in.
This approach costs a little more. We think it's worth every penny. And so do our customers.
The Journey Continues
We want to be honest with you: we are on a journey, not at a destination.
We haven't solved every sustainability challenge in our business. We're working towards full Vegan Society approval across our entire range. We're always looking at better packaging solutions. We're continually evaluating our supply chain.
But our commitment to doing better is genuine and ongoing — not a one-off statement or a marketing badge. Every step we take, we take with intention. And we'll keep sharing our progress with our customers as we make it.
What This Means for You
When you buy from Elements of Fragrance, you're choosing:
- A certified cruelty-free product
- Made with natural, renewable ingredients
- Handmade in the UK by a family-run team
- With locally sourced materials wherever possible
- In sustainable, recyclable packaging
- By a business that genuinely gives a damn
You shouldn't have to choose between smelling incredible and buying from a brand you feel good about. With us, you don't have to.
Questions About Our Ingredients or Practices?
We're always happy to talk through the specifics of any product. If you have a question about ingredients, our supply chain, or our sustainability commitments, get in touch — we'll give you a straight answer.
Elements of Fragrance Shop — Handmade in Glossop, Peak District, UK. Cruelty-Free. Mostly Vegan. Sustainably Made. Proudly British.