BEAUTY & FRAGRANCE
KAEA
KAEA brings together performance-led botanical skincare and an enduring commitment to conservation and biodiversity protection. Born from the rich heritage of New Zealand’s native ecosystems, KAEA blends UMF™ 15+ Mānuka honey and other powerful native ingredients to create highly effective, clinically-proven bioactive products that treat the skin holistically for exceptional results. The range is curated to include just four multi-functional products that can be tailored to a client's individual needs and their waterless formulations are 100% active concentrates of the highest quality botanicals.
SUSTAINABILITY PURPOSE
Founded by Suzan Craig, KAEA was born from the rich heritage of New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. Restoring more than skin, KAEA's pledge is to directly reinvest 100% of all profits from their skincare back into the land to secure its future for generations to come. To do so, KAEA go further than the reduce, reuse and recycle approach. They take a strategic approach to conserving and restoring native, biodiverse ecosystems. To date, KAEA have planted nearly half a million native trees in the Northland of New Zealand and have transformed dying ecosystems into thriving biodiverse habitats for local floral and fauna. KAEA's business follows a model of the 4Cs; commerce, conservation, community and culture. From their commitment to only use ingredients, manufacturing and packaging processes that respect the environment, to their promise to support New Zealand’s precious biodiversity, protecting, educating and enhancing their place, people and planet is their driving force.
Established
2022
Headquarters
Auckland, New Zealand
Categories
Skincare
Employees
5
Website
Distribution
Worldwide
WHAT THIS BRAND HAS PROVEN
Explore the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) areas assessed as part of KAEA's Butterfly Mark Certification. The brand provided evidence across key areas of sustainability, including climate, nature and water, workers and communities, and responsible business practices. Its evidence was assessed and verified by Positive Luxury through a two-stage verification process, against criteria informed by recognised global frameworks, standards and legislation.
REAL CHANGE IN ACTION
CLIMATE
KAEA goes beyond net zero, with a commitment to offset more carbon than they use, through biodiversity regeneration at their world-class nature sanctuary and ecological retreat in New Zealand. This manifests through a joint effort with Tahi (KAEA’s parent company), where the brand oversees its carbon sequestration through strategic ecosystem planning. This is achieved in alignment with Tahi’s developed Biodiversity Value Index (BVI), carefully choosing tree species that will accelerate the restoration of rich, biodiverse ecosystems. KAEA can offset more than 100% of its carbon footprint through carbon absorption in forests, wetlands and lakes at the Tahi nature sanctuary.
MATERIALS & RESPONSIBLE SOURCING
KAEA’s high-performance multi-purpose products aim to strike the right balance between product efficiency and minimal waste, so they leave a lighter footprint on the planet. The brand is fully transparent about the natural ingredients in their products which are all sourced locally in New Zealand. One of the core ingredients in KAEA’s product range is Tahi Mānuka honey, sourced from Tahi’s native forest. All of the brand’s primary packaging is plastic-free and made of recycled or biodegradable materials. The business has also adopted a supplier code of conduct to ensure compliance with all international labour regulations and KAEA’s internal environmental and social requirements. Furthermore, KAEA is working with all eight of their direct suppliers to eliminate any hazardous substances in their supply chain.
BIODIVERSITY
KAEA, in collaboration with its parent company Tahi, strives to achieve the highest standards in sustainability by balancing conservation, community, culture, and commerce. KAEA works with Tahi, employing a strategic, science-based approach to restoring ecosystems. For two decades, they have restored ecosystems to enhance biodiversity and maximise carbon absorption. KAEA’s vision is to expand its positive and enduring impact on the well-being of the plant and people, by allocating 100% of all profits from the sale of their skincare to Tahi’s restoration and community projects in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Tahi is a world-class nature sanctuary and ecological retreat, producing premium, sustainable, 100% natural honey and performance-led skincare. To date, Tahi has planted nearly half a million native trees and transformed ecosystems into biodiverse habitats for local flora and fauna. Their efforts have seen an increase more than a 350% increase in bird species including many which are rare and endangered.
KAEA goes beyond net zero, with a commitment to offset more carbon than they use, through biodiversity regeneration at their world-class nature sanctuary and ecological retreat in New Zealand. This manifests through a joint effort with Tahi (KAEA’s parent company), where the brand oversees its carbon sequestration through strategic ecosystem planning. This is achieved in alignment with Tahi’s developed Biodiversity Value Index (BVI), carefully choosing tree species that will accelerate the restoration of rich, biodiverse ecosystems. KAEA can offset more than 100% of its carbon footprint through carbon absorption in forests, wetlands and lakes at the Tahi nature sanctuary.
KAEA’s high-performance multi-purpose products aim to strike the right balance between product efficiency and minimal waste, so they leave a lighter footprint on the planet. The brand is fully transparent about the natural ingredients in their products which are all sourced locally in New Zealand. One of the core ingredients in KAEA’s product range is Tahi Mānuka honey, sourced from Tahi’s native forest. All of the brand’s primary packaging is plastic-free and made of recycled or biodegradable materials. The business has also adopted a supplier code of conduct to ensure compliance with all international labour regulations and KAEA’s internal environmental and social requirements. Furthermore, KAEA is working with all eight of their direct suppliers to eliminate any hazardous substances in their supply chain.
KAEA, in collaboration with its parent company Tahi, strives to achieve the highest standards in sustainability by balancing conservation, community, culture, and commerce. KAEA works with Tahi, employing a strategic, science-based approach to restoring ecosystems. For two decades, they have restored ecosystems to enhance biodiversity and maximise carbon absorption. KAEA’s vision is to expand its positive and enduring impact on the well-being of the plant and people, by allocating 100% of all profits from the sale of their skincare to Tahi’s restoration and community projects in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Tahi is a world-class nature sanctuary and ecological retreat, producing premium, sustainable, 100% natural honey and performance-led skincare. To date, Tahi has planted nearly half a million native trees and transformed ecosystems into biodiverse habitats for local flora and fauna. Their efforts have seen an increase more than a 350% increase in bird species including many which are rare and endangered.
Standards & Accreditations
To provide evidence of sustainability performance across luxury companies' full value chain, 180+ memberships, accreditations and specialist certifications are taken into account during assessment
ISO 14001 Environmental Management
Global Animal Partnership
ISO 9001 Quality Management
The Non-GMO Project
JOURNEY SO FAR
01/2024
CERTIFICATION
12/2023
FINAL ASSESSMENT
09/2023
RISK MAPPING
08/2023
BASELINE SUBMISSION
09/2022
BEGAN ASSESSMENT
A WORD FROM THE FOUNDER
At KAEA, our mission is to make a truly sustainable difference to the world around us, whilst inspiring others in their journey to care for the planet. Our exceptional formulations and consciously created packaging are the result of four years of testing, improving and tweaking to ensure the highest quality performance skincare, while staying true to our founding principles. Having high performance, natural, multi-active skincare with sustainability and biodiversity at its core that won't compromise on results was a fundamental requirement for me. Thinking way beyond our company, our land and our community has always been in our DNA and we will continue our pledge to leave a legacy for generations to come.
SUZAN CRAIG
FOUNDER
WHY POSITIVE LUXURY
In today’s market, it can be challenging for a small brand to compete with bold sustainability claims on companies’ environmental and social impact. With many customers taking marketing messages at face value, we are always looking out to partner with groups that align on our values and diligence in pursuing responsible business operations and help us further pursue and achieve our ESG+ goals. We were incredibly thrilled to engage with the Positive Luxury team and network to take our sustainability journey to the next level. We learnt from the wealth of knowledge within this network, gained insights on areas in which we can do better and connected with other companies who are providing quality alternatives to luxury goods while relentlessly striving for sustainability in their products and business model.