*This feature is not sponsored or paid for in any way by Keeko or any other invested party
Have you ever stopped to look at the ingredients in your oral care products? I sure didn’t think about it for years. A quick look at the ingredients list of your regular supermarket toothpaste might give you some pause though. Remember all those ingredients you’ve purged from your skin, hair, and body care - SLS, triclosan, sulfates, artificial dyes, etc? Well, chances are, they’re all there in your toothpaste and other oral care products. And if that’s not enough, think about the packaging of your toothpaste. That tube? One billion of those are thrown out every year and end up in landfills. Pretty grim.
That’s exactly what Keeko founder Sabrina realised and the reason Keeko was born. When she found herself with a case of bleeding gums years ago, she turned to an Ayurvedic dental routine which helped her tremendously. However, the harsh dental products at the supermarket still bothered her. So, with a team of dentists, she set out to create a range of holistic oral wellness products free from all the well-known nasties. We spoke to Sabrina about her brand and here's what we found out.
OWNERSHIP
Keeko is registered as The New Natural Pty Ltd and is owned by founder Sabrina Jacquier Parr from Sydney, Australia.
INGREDIENTS & RAW MATERIALS
Keeko markets its entire range as “natural, cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil free, and backed by dentists.” They also do not use any SLS/SLEs, artificial colours or flavours, triclosan, or parabens. All the ingredients for their entire range are available on their respective product pages. They also provide more information on a general ingredients page on their website.
A standout from their range is their award-winning One Good Brush biodegradable toothbrush. It's made of a non-GMO corn starch handle and charcoal infused nylon bristles. The materials when you are ready to dispose of your toothbrush, you can crack off the head and chuck it in the recycling bin, then throw the handle into your compost. And if you don’t have a compost bin, you can throw it into general waste and it will still degrade.
While Keeko does not have cruelty-free certification, they do sell in the EU where products tested on animals cannot be sold. They also do not sell in mainland China. All of their products are vegan as well, with some being certified by Vegan.org. Keeko products themselves are not certified organic but many of their ingredients are.
SOURCING & PRODUCTION
According to Keeko founder Sabrina, all their ingredients are sustainably sourced although they do not have fair trade or sustainable sourcing certifications yet. Their manufacturers are based in Australia, India, China, Vietnam, and the USA.
PACKAGING & RECYCLING OPTIONS
Keeko’s One Good Brush and Copper Tongue Cleaner have 100% plastic-free packaging. Their floss case and toothpaste tubes are recyclable as well. However, their oil pulling sachets are still in single-use disposable plastic packaging, so that’s something to be aware of.
They are also partnered with Terracycle as an official collection point for oral care recycling. Their Take Back recycling program accepts plastic toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, and floss containers from any brand! This program is only available in Australia although Keeko is currently exploring recycling options for the USA.
GIVING BACK & ADVOCACY
Keeko donates a small amount monthly to 1% for the Planet. They are also in the process of implementing iChange, an initiative where they give $1 from every sale to a charity. Details will be announced in the near future.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVITY
At the time of correspondence (September 2020), it’s still just Sabrina running Keeko, so there’s no data for company diversity yet.
You'd be forgiven for not realising that your dental routine is something you need to change to fit a more sustainable lifestyle. It's an easy thing to miss. However, that change doesn’t have to be hard when options like the Keeko range are available and it's definitely a change worth making as it’s one that has a big impact over time. (Bonus points if you’re in Australia and can participate in their Take Back program!)
As always, read some reviews when trying anything new to see if it’s right for you (they have reviews on their product pages), but from what we’ve seen so far, it’s definitely worth having a look at the website to check the products out.
Keeko is available online and ships worldwide except for select countries in the middle east.