A Drop In The Ocean

A Drop in the Ocean’s personal care and cleaning products are made mostly from plant-based ingredients that carry organic or related certifications. Full ingredient lists are provided on each product page and cross-checked against safety guides, scientific studies, and the EWG database.

The brand’s office employs domestic water-saving practices, though no information is disclosed on water use or impacts at manufacturing partners. Operations use no virgin paper, and 87% of products are palm-oil free; the remainder use RSPO-certified palm oil. No formal biodiversity strategies are yet in place. Chemical use is inherently low, though the brand does not track or set formal targets.

Circularity is central to the business model: 14 refillable products are sold in glass or aluminum containers, with plastic pumps on first orders and metal caps for refills. Local deliveries follow a “milkman-style” system, and remote customers receive free return labels to return containers for washing and reuse. Most products are unpackaged or in refillable containers, while the remainder are minimally packaged using recyclable or compostable materials. Locally collected boxes and shipping materials are reused where possible, and new materials are 100% recycled and FSC-certified.

Additional zero waste measures include repurposing excess label cuttings, sourcing secondhand equipment, and purchasing bulk products locally in returnable containers. Clear end-of-life disposal instructions are provided on all product pages. Waste tracking began in 2024 and is reported in the annual sustainability report.

Carbon reduction measures include planting one tree for every item sold (79,495 to date) and offsetting local delivery miles through Trees for the Future. Products are hosted on Shopify, which offsets emissions from all orders, and shipping is limited to USPS. Additionally, 64% of products are sourced from suppliers within 100 miles, and local deliveries are optimized for efficiency. Energy use is managed through simple in-office practices, with no formal tracking or targets across production.

In 2025, 93% of A Drop in the Ocean’s products were vegan. Exceptions include ethically sourced beeswax, USDA-certified wool, and silk dental floss (traditional silk). While no formal animal welfare policy is in place, the brand partners with suppliers that source ingredients ethically, except for silk floss. Animal testing is prohibited across the supply chain. Although some products are certified, the brand does not hold cruelty-free certifications itself.

Score for Nature & Animals: 63%. Learn more about our scoring.