Frequently Asked Questions
Do you test your products on animals?
None of our products or ingredients are tested on animals during research & development, or subsequently.
This has been part of our philosophy from the outset, rather than one which has been adopted in recent times to follow the ‘market trend’.
Do any of your products contain animal products or by products?
No. We go to great length to use alternatives to the wider-used animal tested ingredients & products. We have even found an alternative source of Vitamin A (which naturally occurs in animal & fish liver & commonly used in cosmetics).
We use Vitamin A that has been synthesised from Brown Boronia for use in our skin care range ‘jene’.
We are accredited with CCF (Choose Cruelty Free) on their Preferred Products List.
What does biodegradable mean?
Biodegradability is a relative term that refers to the breakdown of material by the action of the bacteria present throughout the environment. Most materials can be broken down by bacterial action, given time & a suitable environment.
What are the standards for biodegradability?
The Federal Government advisory body is the National Health & Medical Research Council. Their recommendation states that surfactants used in cleaning & washing compounds should be “soft”.
A “soft” surfactant is one which is degradable by 80% or more over 21 day period (Australian Standard A/S1792-1976).
Does biodegradability mean that a product is safe for the environment?
Biodegradability only relates to the surfactant ingredients of a product & confers no indication of its environmental merits in any other area.
Even within the surfactant area, biodegradability only refers to the breaking down of the product to simpler molecular forms. It has no regard for the pollutant nature of those simpler salts – therefore, if a surfactant contains phosphorous, nitrogen or toxins in its normal form, these would remain as active pollutants in its degraded state.
How do Tri Nature products meet biodegradability standards?
All surfactant ingredients used by Tri Nature other than the natural mineral salts, biodegrade with a 21 day period.
Builders, Fillers & Extenders
What are builders?
Builders play an important role in providing balanced alkalinity, detergency, water softening, soil removal or suspension & anti – redeposition in modern detergents.
Why do some companies use builders in their products?
All companies, including ours, use builders in many powder & liquid products. Phosphates fall into the category of builders & are used in many of the better quality commercial powders at rates of up to 35%.
We, however, rely on citrates, silicates & carbonates for much of our builder power – plus a very special polymer complex that puts our products way ahead in non-pollutant technology.
What are fillers?
They are formula extenders of powdered products & play no active role in the function of the product. Their addition may be considered similar to adding water as a dilutant to a liquid formulation. Sodium Sulphate is the most common example.
Why do some companies use fillers in their products?
There are four main reasons for using fillers:
1. To facilitate processing when spray drying or granulating their powdered products.
2. To increase product bulk (lowering the activity of the products, similar to diluting a liquid by adding extra water).
3. As a carrier, to absorb liquid products (often water) into the powder.
4. To cheapen the cost of the product.
What effect do fillers have on the environment?
The multi millions of tons of fillers used by the chemical industry each year are just a waste of space & a waste of money.
What effect do builders have on the environment?
Many have a negligible effect. They are neutralised & generally balanced out by their surrounding environment & become part of its mineral content.
The main builders of concern are those that contain phosphorous or nitrogen compounds that can act as nutrients in inland water systems. This can lead to excessive aquatic weed or algae growth & eutrophication of the water system.
Are your products chemical-free?
It is a physical impossibility for ANY product range to be ‘chemical – free’! All ingredients in nature are the result of chemical process in their very existence.
Every product ever made is 100% chemical! Our products are as close to ‘natural’ as possible in that we use only natural, renewable resources & minimal processing to create our product range.
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are protein or proteinaceous substances found in plants & animals. They contain living cells that catalyse metabolic reactions necessary for the maintenance of life.
In commercial circumstances, they are used as a digester & solubiliser of blood, protein, cellulose, carbohydrates & other organic solids. Commonly used in the laundry, sewage, & for stain removal.
What are Optical Brighteners?
Optical Brighteners are organic dyes that fluoresce ultraviolet light into visible light, making surfaces appear brighter in sunlight.
They are derived from natural identical stilbene, which is found in many plants.
Alpha Plus Laundry Liquid (2Lt)
Angelica (1Lt)
Carma Car Protectant (500ml)
Chamomile Liquid Organic Concentrate (1Lt)
Do you use caustics in any of your products?
No.
Do your products contain phosphates?
No.
What are Zeolites?
Zeolites the name given to a range of alkali – aluminium silicates. There are 40 naturally occurring zeolite minerals & many hundreds of specifically engineered, synthetic types.
What are Zeolites used for?
Zeolites are insoluble additives used as builders in detergent powder formulae. They are neither biodegradable nor degradable by any other means. They were touted for use as a replacement for phosphates in the early 1990s but problems associated with potential ongoing activity (they can either hold calcium, magnesium or heavy metals, or release them into the water systems) & insoluble content in European formula types raised environmental concerns about zeolite technology.
What is EDTA?
EDTA is the certified abbreviation for Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid – disodium salt. Prepared from acetic acid (obtained from distillation of wood), this is an extraordinarily effective antioxidant & stabiliser.
What is EDTA used for?
EDTA is efficient as a preservative & is essential in small quantities to maintain colour, consistency & stability qualities.
Do your products contain nitrates?
No.
How does Tri Nature ensure the safety of their products?
There are many ingredients which come to be associated, whether for real reasons or because of unethical marketing practices, with harm to humans or to the environment.
One of our greatest challenges is to distinguish between the real & these conjured up dangers.
Those ingredients known to have harmful effects are eliminated immediately & research is continually updated to ensure that all ingredients used remain with our safety philosophy.
Thus, we eliminated use of the most harmful culprits (to mankind & the environment) found in mainstream products, which include:
Aluminium*
Ammonia
Caustic substances
Chlorine
Enzymes
Formaldehyde
Nitrates & nitrating ingredients
Non-biodegradable petrochemical products
Phosphates
Terpenes
We also abandoned the use of cheap, harsh surfactants, such as SLS.
*As we have not yet found an effective anti-perspirant replacement for aluminium our only recourse is to lower the aluminium content & build a buffered anti-perspirant product. Our ‘Sensu Anti-Perspirant’ contains only 9% aluminium & is built to eliminate the possibility of aluminium entering the bloodstream.
If harsh ‘mainstream’ chemicals are avoided, how do the products work?
A breakthrough in technology, which came from constant research & the vast experience of our technical team, allowed natural properties that exist in herb & plant extracts to replace those that were previously created synthetically.
Some of the greatest challenges involved the replacement of phosphates, nitrates & caustics, as the power of surfactant & detergent agents with these properties was difficult to match. To our delight, we found that the harmonies that could be created by harnessing the natural cleansing properties of herbs, plants & essential oils were often much more effective that the synthetic equivalent.
We are still far ahead of our competitors, who talk of being ‘environmentally friendly’ while still maintaining phosphates as major builders in their products, or covering their use of mainstream surfactants by only quoting the source ingredient on their packaging (rather than listing it’s processed, scientific name).
Can Tri nature products be used by those with allergies?
It would be irresponsible of us to speak of our products as being completely non-allergenic.
They are designed to perform a cleaning function & some are slightly more on the acidic or more alkaline side of the natural pH balance of the skin.
Many people are unaware of the fact that the final pH balance of a product has a lot to do with its effect on the skin.
Regardless of how ‘natural’, ‘organic’ or gentle the ingredients, it is the formulation which will determine the capacity of the final product to affect the skin.
All of our skin, baby & personal care products fall with the natural pH balance range of the skin.
Some customers with highly sensitive skin have found that they can use all of our products with no adverse effects. Others use gloves with the cleaning products as a precaution.
Similarly, those with sensitive noses have found our gentle herbal fragrances do not effect them in the same way as the harsh chemical fumes from competitor products.
Which of your products represents your greatest safety breakthrough?
This would have to be the Citrus Dishwashing Powder. It is the ONLY powdered dishwashing product IN THE WORLD that does not contain the caustic substances or alkaline compounds & poisons that have caused so much harm to children across the world.
This is not a pleasant product to ingest by any means, but a child that breaks through all the household safety precautions to get to it will at least survive the experience without sustaining permanent, irrevocable harm to the digestive tract or internal organs, which would surely be the result of ingesting any other powdered dishwashing product on the market.
How would you describe the safety level of your products?
We make every possible effort to ensure that the lowest level of mammalian toxicity is achieved in all our our products. Products known to contain toxins, or suspected of being toxic, or have insufficient data available to allow proper judgement to be make are rejected regardless of their efficiency.
It would, however, be irresponsible of us to speak of our products as being completely non-toxic. They are designed to perform a cleaning function & not designed for ingestion.
Products such as Alpha Plus Laundry & Pre-Wash Powder & Citrus Dishwashing powder are build on mineral salts that are alkaline in nature, with the potential to cause irritation or burning of the mouth or throat.
However, they do not contain the highly dangerous, caustic substances or chlorinated compounds that have caused major concern & controversy with the poisoning of young children.
None of our products contain recognised stomach poisons & are not required to be listed on the poisons schedule. While involuntary nausea may result from ingestion, vomiting should not be induced, unless otherwise indicated. Water should be given to aid the passage of the product to the stomach.
What colourings are used in your products?
Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) approved colours only. They are used in small quantities to add colour to some products in our cleaning range, as the natural colours of the ingredients are often visually unappealing!
Do any of your products contain SLS?
No, we do not use it. There are more modern, higher quality & gentle alternatives available.
Why are people so concerned about SLS?
There have been many unfounded & incorrect statements made about ‘side effects’ of this ingredient.
Since our own research gives us no reason to agree with these claims, we can only conclude that they are perpetuated by people to suit their own agendas.
Do any of your products contain propylene glycol?
No. Propylene glycol is a cheap alternative. There are many raw materials available that give far superior results.
What is propylene glycol?
Propylene glycol is one of the most investigated & widely used organic compounds known.
It was originally obtained from glycerine. It has been used safely for many diverse cosmetic, commercial & industrial purposes for over a century & has undergone exhaustive safety tests in all areas of Health & Safety.
Why are people concerned about propylene glycol?
Much misinformation has been circulated about the detrimental effects of propylene glycol. Most of it is false but sounds plausible & thus many people take notice.
Since our own research contradicts the claims of toxicity within the bounds of it’s use in the cosmetic & personal care industry, we can only assume that the ‘bad press’ is circulated to suit the personal agenda of the various authors.
What is Coco amine oxide?
It is a very mild but efficient surfactant, used to increase the penetration of active acids & provide detergency & foaming qualities.
It is a coconut oil based & is most often used in high quality hair & skin wash compounds. In shampoo formulations, it is also valued for its thickening properties.
What is citric acid?
It is widely, naturally distributed element in plants & in animal tissues & fluids.
Produced industrially by the fermentation & distillation of crude sugar solution, it is used extensively in confectionary, preserves, cosmetics & pharmaceuticals.
It acts both as an acid cleaner, efficient for the removal of stains & organic contaminations, & as a water softener because of its ability to neutralise the effect of hard water salts.
What is acetic acid?
It is an organic acid obtained from fermentation & distillation or vegetable material (wood or sugar). It possesses both acidic & solvent properties for many organic contaminations.
Vinegar is a mild form of acetic acid.
What is ammonia?
Ammonia is a pungent, chocking gas, produced industrially from natural gas.
When it is dissolved in water, it becomes Ammonium Hydroxide (the pungent, highly alkaline liquid that is commonly referred to as ammonia).
Cloudy ammonia, as bought in supermarkets, contains about 2% Ammonium Hydroxide, whereas the commercially used product is normally 28% active –& can be very suffocating if handled incorrectly.
In strict terms, ammonia is the gas & ammonium is the term used fro any of the salts of ammonia (eg Ammonium Hydroxide & Ammonium Chloride).
What is a ‘Quaternary Ammonium Compound’
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds are a broad range of organic amine salts that are used in a wide range of disinfectants, cosmetics, hair conditioners, topical antiseptics & throat lozenges – just to name a few circumstances!
The reference to “ammonium” is a little confusing because although amines are used in their manufacture, they contain no residual ammonium compounds. They do contain about 3% of organically bound Nitrogen but this cannot be regenerated to ammonia under any circumstances.
Tri Nature used a special ‘dual quaternary salt’, which works more efficiently than any one individual salt – thus enabling us to use less to achieve the powerful performance provided by our disinfectants.
The organic base for the compounds we use is Lauryl Alcohol, sourced from coconut oil.
What are Zeolites?
There are 40 known naturally occurring Zeolites & over 150 have been synthetically produced that have been tailored for specific purposes.
All Zeolites used in laundry formulations are synthetically produced & contain sodium ions.
Zeolites are not used by Tri Nature in any product.
Are laundry powders containing Zeolites better for the environment?
In the wash, they act as ion exchange compounds by absorbing hard water ions like calcium & magnesium & releasing sodium ions in exchange. This softens the water.
This is the phosphate replacing technology used by most of the retail laundry products in USA & Europe. Most powders using this technology have proven to be more costly & less effective than their phosphate predecessors.
Apart from their lower efficiency, the main environment concern about Zeolites is that they are not soluble in water. Laundry powders of this type can contain 30% of these insoluble compounds & so there is a fair amount of very fine insoluble powder floating around in the wash.
Isn’t Sphagnum Moss an endangered plant?
It may have been at one time & perhaps natural sources of this plant are on the decrease – but it is also a farmed ingredient. We use the farmed version for it’s consistent quality.
What types of packaging are used by Tri Nature?
We use High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) plastic bottles with the recyclable symbol 2 for our cleaning range. We provide Polypropylene buckets (symbol 5) for our 2 kg range of powders & our refill packs are recyclable.
Our skin care is packed into polypropylene jars (symbol 5).
We have always had a policy to use recyclable plastics & encourages the minimal use of products through the use of concentrates & measuring devices to reduce wastage.
Are all packages marked with their recyclable status?
Yes. Our container moulds were updated with each batch of containers ordered. We still have a couple of 5 litre containers which have not been ordered since the moulds were changed & this remaining stock would be the only containers going out unmarked.
What packaging do you use inside delivery boxes etc?
We buy shredded paper from the local Sheltered Workshops, as part of our community support. We find it a great insulator & buffer for transportation.
Why plastic packaging – why not glass or cardboard?
Our products are used in the hard surface areas of the home, such as the kitchen, bathroom & laundry. We considered that glass for liquid containers is unsafe for the family, especially children.
Cardboard was inadequate for long distance transportation & many varieties are not airtight, which posed a potential quality issue for our powders.
Milk carton type containers were ruled out for similar reasons to cardboard containers. Plastics won out for their ability to contain the volatile essential oils which are such an integral part of our product range.
What types of fragrance do you use?
Natural essential oils, herbal & plant extracts, fruit & floral extracts. Some natural identical blends are used where stability is an issue.
Do you have any fragrance-free products?
Yes. Sanazone Disinfectant – see High Powered Cleaning in the product section – is odourless. We also have many products with no added fragrance ie only the natural fragrance of the ingredients.
Are your soft pack bags recyclable?
Soft pack bags are manufactured from low density polyethylene. Although the technology exists to recycle this type of plastic, the infrastructure is not yet in place to do so.
The biggest problem with recycling this type of material is the large amount of effort needed for the small amount of plastic involved.
If recycling programs for this type of plastic are not available in your area, the best thing to do is cut the bags up into strips before disposing. In this manner, they pose no significant problem to landfill.
Tri Nature chose this packaging for its robust nature (as cardboard would not survive our products lengthy shelf-life) & because of the small amount of packaging material involved.
Are all the plastics recyclable?
No, but the number of containers made from recyclable plastics is on the increase.
Recycling of any materials depends on whether it is practical or worthwhile to do so. Therefore, a commitment is required of consumers, manufacturers & retailers to demand, purchase & use products made or packaged in recyclable containers.
Plastic materials are expensive to make & more ingenuity is required to recycling them economically. To aid recycling, members of the Plastic Industry Association of Australia implemented a coding system which identifies the actual polymer from which any plastic packaging item is made.
Development of sophisticated machinery to separate plastics waste into component parts will further enhance the viability of recycling. For example, the use by Tecoplast in Italy to separate PVA, PET & Polyolefine bottles into three separate polymer streams offers excellent scope for the commercial recovery of plastics.
Should plastics be made degradable?
The general answer to this a ‘no’! Degradation is not the main solution to the litter or the perceived problems of plastics in landfills.
Degradable plastics, as a rule, cannot be recycled. Enhanced degradability is therefore only useful in limited applications where solubility or rapid biological or photo-chemical breakdown is required.
Plastics do degrade, albeit slowly, when exposed to sunlight & heat. In landfill, however, there is a lack of sunlight & conditions are unfavourable for bacterial action – even paper & food residues resist attack.
Contrary to popular belief, this could actually be beneficial because stable landfill means less subsidence & contamination of ground water when sites are reclaimed for recreational use.
In our case, due to the long shelf-life of our products, degradable plastics would not be sufficient in strength & resilience.
Why do we see so many plastic bits in litter?
This is mainly so because litter is primarily a people problem, not a materials problem.
“Keep Australia Beautiful” litter surveys (1996) showed that only 18% of littered items are plastic or plastic coded.
Plastic items are light, blow around easily & tend to float on water, which makes them more obvious than the other constituents of litter.
Who controls the development of your products?
We do. We continually research leading technologies from around the world but all development is driven by our laboratory team, headed up by the eminently qualified & experienced Director of Technical Services, Brian Mclean.
How much research went into the Tri Nature range before release?
Over nine years & $9.5 million & the research is ongoing!
We stay at the forefront of technological innovations in the industry by constantly seeking to improve our products & processes.
Areas checked during research include:
· Biodegradability (of all product components, not just the surfactants)
· Chemical base source
· Phosphate, nitrate or chlorine content
· Toxins or poisons present or potential
· User safety
· Usage efficiency
· Possible environment impact
· Animal testing
What plans do you have for releasing new products?
We have developed a facial scrub & deep cleansing masque for the jene skin care range. We have a new range of shampoos & conditioners completed & several additions to our personal care range.
How do you stay balanced between ‘gentle’ & ‘effective’?
By constantly challenging accepted products & processes. Most ingredients can be replaced with more gentle alternatives but you have to know how to combine them to retain their power to clean. This is our art.
The herbal extracts we used are of the finest quality & are sourced from around the world. They are evaluated to separate the folk lore from their practical benefits & are then skilfully blended with other essential oils to provide a pleasant, balanced effect.
Product Safety or Suitability
Which product can be used for polishing musical instruments?
Our Heritage Furniture Polish can be safely used on most musical instruments. Most other products that are polishes can be unsuitable because they contain waxes or solvents. Heritage contains neither of these but it’s always best to ‘play it safe’ & check with your supplier about specifics before using.
Heritage Furniture Polish (500ml)
If I have an allergy to wheat, can I use products with wheat protein in them?
Wheat or gluten allergies are normally present as problems brought on by ingestion. The protein molecules in our shampoos & skin care, for example are too large to permeate the skin & should pose no problem to wheat allergy sufferers.
As always it’s best to check with your specialist about your specific case but we have several wheat allergy sufferers who have been using our shampoos, personal & skin care ranges without problem for many years.
What can I use to clean granite surfaces?
Sphagnum Moss, Supre & Optimate can all be used to clean granite surfaces, diluted as recommended by the Tri Nature Product Usage Guide.
These products may also be used to clean terrazzo & marble surfaces.
Which products do you recommend for use in the kitchen?
How do I use your laundry products?
Do you use any perfumes in your products?
Our fragrances are all based on natural floral & herbal extracts, or nature identical compounds. Some blending with perfume compounds is sometimes necessary to ensure balance, dimension & stability (essential oils are especially volatile.)
Do you use artificial colouring in any of your products?
Only those approved for use under Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) regulations & only where the natural colour of the finished blend of ingredients is unappealing.
Where do you source your raw materials?
80% or more of our ingredients can be sourced within Australia. Some of our more exotic ingredients are brought to us from overseas. For example, some of the precious essential oils in our ‘jene’ skin care range are sourced from rainforests.
We support organisations who support rainforest communities by teaching them how to harvest rainforest oils without harming their environment.
What is the shelf-life of your products?
This varies according to the product. Cleaning products, when stored undiluted, have a shelf-life of up to four years. The skin care range has 18 months to 2 year shelf-life.
What products do you have in your Personal Care range?
Do you have any products suitable for use outdoors?
Are any of your products listed with the TGA?
The TGA is a regulatory body that enforces standards & regulations around medicine, medical devices, blood, tissues & chemicals.
The TGA carries out a range of assessments & monitoring activities to ensure therapeutic goods available in Australia are of an acceptable standard. Since none of the Tri Nature products (with the possible exception of the aromatherapy range & our dietary supplements) are therapeutic, there is no requirement for listing with the TGA.
A ‘therapeutic goods’ is broadly defined as a good which is represented in any way to be, or is likely to be taken to be, for therapeutic use (unless specifically excluded or included under Section 7 of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989)
Therapeutic use means use in or in connection with:
· Preventing, diagnosing, curing or alleviating a disease, ailment defect or injury.
· Influencing inhibiting or modifying a physiological process.
· Testing the susceptibility of persons to a disease or ailment.
· Influencing, controlling or preventing conception.
· Testing for pregnancy.
· Replacement or modification of parts of the anatomy.
In relation to our ‘jene’ skin care, since the products is only designed to work on the uppermost layers of the skin & not deeply enough to penetrate to lymphatic & blood systems, they are not required to be listed as therapeutic.
How do I return unwanted or damaged goods?
Simply complete a ‘Returned Goods’ form & send to us. We will replace the goods if required & reimburse you for the cost of sending the goods back to us.
Does the guarantee apply to people I sell Tri Nature products to?
Yes.
Is your guarantee of satisfaction a money-back guarantee?
Yes, or replacement with another product – whichever you prefer.
Septic Tanks & Bio – Cycle Systems
Are there any restrictions for use of Tri Nature products in such systems?
Our products are sold as concentrates, to eliminate wastage & over-use. When used as directed, there is no product within the range that cannot be used in households operating these systems.
Are your products suitable for septic systems?
Yes, they are readily biodegradable, resulting in a greater degree of breakdown occurring during the process time.
Our products will have no strong biocidal action & are not toxic to the viable bacteria, when used according to instructions. Since they are also very efficient, less chemical is needed to achieve a desired result – so less product goes into the system.
Finally, our products are generally less alkaline than most & less likely to affect the delicate pH balance of the system. PRUDENCE IN THE USE OF ALL CHEMICALS in such systems is the major key to a maintaining a healthy environment.
What makes a product unsuitable for use in a septic system?
The major concern is to ensure that the enzymes & digestive bacteria remain viable & healthy. Excessive use of highly acidic or alkaline products & disinfectants, can cause sudden changes in pH & kill the bacteria.
The use of strong biocidal chemicals like chlorine-containing compounds is also likely to destroy the digestive bacteria.
Can I let my laundry water run off into the garden?
If this is permissible in your local council area, Tri Nature products may be used for ‘grey water’. Our Alpha Plus Laundry Liquid is the most suitable, as it is lowest in Sodium.
When using any water run off on plants, you should regularly check pH levels in the soils especially if you are not also watering the plants, or where there is not much rainfall.
Some plants prefer acid, others alkaline soil. Nurseries sell a range of products to balance these levels.
Are your disinfectants safe to use in septic systems?
When used as directed, our disinfectants may be used in households using such systems due to their overall good biodegradability & as their alkalinity is relatively low.
They may NOT be poured neat into any effluent system.
SLS – Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
What is SLS?
SLS stands for Sodium Lauryl Sulphate.
SLS is a surfactant ingredient, commonly used in detergent & personal care products throughout the world. It is an ingredient that can be created from coconut & palm oil, or from petrochemical sources.
Why do manufacturers use SLS?
SLS is a cheap & extremely effective detergent agent.
It has foaming properties that make it very popular as a shampoo ingredient. It is a well-known marketing fact that many people make their shampoo choice based on amount of creamy foam or lather that products containing ingredients such as SLS can provide.
Are there alternatives to SLS?
Yes, there are. Commonly used replacements & their benefits include:
- Coco Betaine (from coconut oil) – has half the irritation potential* of SLS & delivers moderate foam & cleansing results.
- SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulphate, from coconut or palm oil) has one third of the irritation potential of SLS & still delivers good foaming & cleansing results.
- ALS (Ammonium Laureth Sulphate, from coconut oil) – has one quarter of the irritation potential of SLS & delivers moderate foam & good cleansing results.
- MLS (Magnesium Laureth Sulphate, from coconut oil) – has one sixth of the irritation potential of SLS & delivers moderate foam & good cleansing results.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine (from coconut oil) - has one sixteenth of the irritation potential of SLS, delivers poor foaming but good cleansing results.
- Decyl Glucoside (from coconut or palm oil & glucose) – has one thirtieth of the irritation potential of SLS, delivers good initial but poor lasting foam & excellent cleansing results.
* Duhring Chamber (Patch) Test & Arm Flex Wash Test, 1999.
All the above ingredients are combined to create a product with a LIPOPHILIC (or oil-loving) side & a HYDROPHILIC (or water-loving) side.
This is necessary so that the product (a shampoo for example) can, by being applied to wet hair, capture the oils in the hair & carry them out when the product is rinsed off the hair.
Any ‘naturalness’ that can be claimed by ingredients in shampoo products is commonly only achievable on the lipophilic side, from the coconut or palm oil (which has been obtained by hydrogenation, distillation or trans-esterification).
The hydrophilic side has always been gained by sulfation (by a sulphuric acid gas, for example SO3), ethoxylation (with ethylene oxide) or neutralisation with caustic compounds or organic amines.
Ethoxylation was, to date the gentlest alternative. This has led to the usage by more environmentally focussed companies of the SLES, ALS & MLS options listed above. The other ingredients simply could not measure up on performance & results.
For the past ten years, however, Tri Nature has been working on a shampoo & conditioner range with hydrophilic ingredients 100% naturally sourced & reacted by hydrolysis, thus delivering a totally naturally derived shampoo product.
Even more exciting is that fact that this ingredient is anionic by nature, as per the natural state of the hair prior to cleansing. This means that less conditioner will be needed to return the hair to softness & silkiness – & no more need for complex chemical processing in the manufacturing process!!
What evidence do you have that the negative rumours about SLS are untrue?
The best way to answer questions on this topic is to direct our customers & browsers to sites that no product to sell, nor any agenda other than the truth.
How should we interpret the Material Safety Data Sheet on SLS?
Regarding all MSD Sheets, it is important to remember that the information presented relates to the RAW, UNDILUTED, NEAT ingredient itself.
It does not make any assumptions about how that ingredient properties change depending on its use in a formulated product, only what effects the pure ingredient itself can have.
We all know, for example, that pure essential oil of rosemary can be fatal if ingested but that does not mean that a product containing essential oil of rosemary as ONE of its ingredients will be as harmful.
Thus, when reading the MSDS on SLS, one must realise that the information relates to that ingredient alone not it’s use in – for example – a properly formulated shampoo.
Looking at the ingestion effects for both essential oils (e.g. rosemary) & SLS, the rosemary oil has far more deadly potential than for SLS.
One would also be far more likely to end up with essential oil of rosemary in one’s eye than SLS as the SLS ingredient is not commonly purchased alone by domestic consumers. It is an ingredient brought pure by manufacturers for addition to a product as but a small percentage of that total product.
Does Tri Nature use SLS in any of their products?
No.
What is different about ‘Integrity Hair Care’?
The trend towards ‘natural’ & ‘organic’ formulations with hair care ranges, cosmetic creams & cleaning to be free of ‘chemicals’. This is simply not physically possible as EVERYTHING living is composed entirely of chemicals!
What people CAN seek are products free from ‘synthetic’ or toxic chemicals & this is something that Tri Nature has been doing very well since 1989.
How long have Tri Nature been operating?
The concept of Tri Nature began around 1980. After nine years of research & development, it was launched on October 6th 1989 by the then NSW State Minister for Environment, the Honourable Tim Moore.
Why should I buy your products over others?
At Tri Nature, we believe we have travelled further along the road of Gentle Technology than any other company in the world. We have been giving thousands of Australians peace of mind about their choices in personal care & cleaning products for 17 years.
We have never compromised on quality & the range speaks for itself on effectiveness. When you put ours to the test, other products come up wanting.
Do you manufacture all your products?
Yes. We control development & all formulations.
Where are your products manufactured?
At our manufacturing facility on Kooragang Island, outside the Newcastle CBD, NSW.
Is the company Australian owned?
Yes, 100%
The products are 100% made, labelled & packaged in Newcastle, NSW. The packaging & labels were sourced & designed within Australia.
Zeolites the name given to a range of alkali – aluminium silicates. There are 40 naturally occurring zeolite minerals & many hundreds of specifically engineered, synthetic types.
What are Zeolites used for?
Zeolites are insoluble additives used as builders in detergent powder formulae. They are neither biodegradable nor degradable by any other means. They were touted for use as a replacement for phosphates in the early 1990s but problems associated with potential ongoing activity (they can either hold calcium, magnesium or heavy metals, or release them into the water systems) & insoluble content in European formula types raised environmental concerns about zeolite technology.
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