I was so excited to be able to announce the news this week that iKOU deliveries are now 100% Carbon-Neutral!

This has been a dream come true for us, and another step in our goal to be a business that benefits all.

Our selected projects are really close to my heart, because unlike many environmental initiatives that plant trees to replace what has been lost, we are working to protect some of the world's last precious remaining in-tact areas.

These biodiverse forests and peatlands act as major storehouses of carbon, and are also home for many endangered species of birds and animals, including orangutans.

When these forests are chopped down, not only does the action release the carbon they are storing back into the atmosphere, it also leaves these last populations of animals vulnerable as they lose the safety and food sources of their homes.

In the same way I love creating skincare that achieves multi-action results- I feel so passionate both about protecting both the rainforests AND these beautiful creatures that cannot be replaced!

Many of the world's precious forests are chopped down to make way for plantations like palm oil, an ingredient common in the food and skincare industry, and one of our "non-ingredients" excluded at iKOU as part of our ethos.

Did you know:

1. iKOU is proudly 100% palm oil free?

2. iKOU offsets in-house production in the Blue Mountains with solar and wind power

3. iKOU deliveries are 100% Carbon-Neutral

4. iKOU is Australia-made supporting Australian growers

The environmental carbon-offset projects we are supporting include:

Katingan Mentaya Project | Indonesia

The largest program of its kind, the Katingan Mentaya Project protects vital peatland in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia - one of the biggest remaining areas of in-tact peat swamp in South East Asia. 

The project protects more than 149,000 hectares. The ecologically significant tropical peatlands within the project area store approximately 20 times more carbon below ground than in above-ground vegetation, highlighting their important role as a carbon sink.

This project is living proof that carbon finance can combat climate change. The largest program of its kind, it generates an average 7.5 million triple gold certified carbon credits annually; equivalent to taking 2,000,000 cars off the road each year. In partnership with local communities, the project utilises carbon revenues to ensure natural forest restoration and protection.

In partnership with 34 local villages, the project aligns with sustainable development initiatives and also boosts employment and education to enhance the wellbeing of communities.

The project also protects vital peatland habitats in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, for five Critically Endangered, eight Endangered and 31 Vulnerable species. The protected area is home to between 5 and 10% of the global populations of the Bornean Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey and Southern Bornean Gibbon.

April Salumei REDD+ Project | Papua New Guinea

Our environmental initiatives also include the April Salumei REDD+ Project, in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. A country which contains 7% of the world’s biodiversity in less than 1% of the world’s total land area. ​

As a result of the project, 603,712ha of virgin tropical rainforest is being conserved against planned deforestation, preventing 22.8 million tonnes of GHG emissions from being released into the atmosphere. The project also protects vital habitat for many endangered species.

It feels so good to be announcing the news of our carbon-neutral program to start the new year of 2024.

We hope this makes you feel so proud!

x Naomi