The best sustainable supplement brands
As we continue to buy sustainable sportswear and other sporting goods. It's only right that we consider the impact that supplement companies have on our environment. Let's jump straight into our favourite brands, creating sustainable practices and products.
Protein source: Organic pea protein, brown rice, hemp powder. 15 – 30g protein per serving.
A large selection of plant-based and environmentally friendly protein powder products are available from Form Nutrition. Their protein powder pouches are composed of plant-based bio-film that is adhered to paper, so they are completely plastic-free. You should put the packaging in your kitchen food bin for disposal. You may compost it at home or send it through the food waste stream to a commercial composting facility. It should decompose within 90 days in a commercial composting facility (just like ours!).
Pros:
- They are B Certified. This means they have been verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. You can read more about B Corp here https://bcorporation.uk/b-corp-certification/
- A member of the Form Feeding Fund at Bansang Hospital in Gambia.
- The protein is packed with all sorts of other vitamins and supplements such as BCAA and digestive enzymes.
- They sell sample sizes, so you can try out flavours before buying larger amounts.
- 100% plastic-free delivery
Cons:
- Expensive
You can choose between:
- Performance Protein – A blend of organic pea protein, brown rice, and hemp powders. 30g protein per portion. 4 different flavours (Banoffee, Chocolate peanut, Tiramisu, Vanilla)
- Superblend Protein – Plant-based vegan protein with added greens and superfoods. 20g of plant protein per serving. 3 different flavours (Chocolate Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla)
- Pure Blend Protein – Organic pea protein, brown rice, and algae. 15g of protein per serving. Unflavoured – great for adding into recipes such as pancakes or porridge
Protein source: Pea protein isolate, white hemp protein. 20g – 23g of protein per serving.
Vitally Vegan is a UK manufacturer that sells vegan plastic-free protein powders and meal replacements. Vitally Vegan's containers are made of glass, and refills are sent in 100% brown paper packaging with compostable labels. This product contains plant-based protein as well as superfoods such as flaxseeds, sea greens, maca, acai, and matcha. The protein is vitamin B12-enriched and comes in six distinct tastes. Even when mixed with water, the protein powder becomes quite smooth. It doesn't have the too artificial and sugary flavour that many other protein powders have.
Pros:
- They donate 10% of their profit to charity.
- No artificial sweeteners.
- They send their protein powders in a cardboard box, 100% plastic-free.
- Won 3rd place at the Vegfest for Favourite Protein Powder in the UK.
Furthermore, it is one of the finest protein powders for oatmeal; it enhances plain oats into a wonderful, dessert-like, high-protein meal! It may also be used to make a variety of high-protein sweets.
Protein source: Various options – soy, pea, hemp, brown rice, protein blends and more. 23g – 30g of protein per serving.
BULK is a UK-based company that was founded in 2006. They have an extensive range of vegan & plastic-free protein powders. In terms of the known brands in the UK market, BULK have really honed in on sustainability. Recently, they changed their packaging to compostable ones, with the exception of the 5kg pouches (too heavy for the materials).
Pros:
- Wide range of products in different sizes and flavours.
- Affordable
- Flavourless options
- Regular discounts
Cons:
- Their 5kg protein powder pouches are still in plastic packaging
- The compostable packaging is not officially certified
The pouches aren’t officially certified for home composting yet, but all the individual layers are suitable for home composting.
I’ve tried a couple of their plastic-free protein powders, including:
- Pea Protein Isolate – Unflavoured & Banana flavour
- Soya Protein Isolate – White Chocolate Coconut & Peanut Butter
The unflavoured one is my least favourite, it still has quite a distinct flavour. Every ‘unfavoured’ powder I have ever had has some sort of ‘floury’ flavour, but BULK’s was stronger than previous tests. The powder pouches are made from; Natureflex, Bio compostable film and FSC-certified paper.
Protein source: Pea, rice, and hemp protein. 21-25g of protein and only 2-3g fat per serving.
MYO (Meet Your Objectives) is a UK-based company creating a number of plant-based superfoods and protein powders. Their protein is perfect for muscle growth and low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for gym-goers on a ‘cut’ or people looking to lose weight whilst maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. A 500g package of plant protein costs only £10, making it a highly economical and sustainable solution.
Pros:
- Affordable
Cons:
- Lack of transparency regarding the source of their ingredients
Protein source: Pea, Sunflower and Pumpkin protein. 30g of protein and only 2.2g fat per serving.
SoSupreme market themselves as ‘The world's number one sustainable nutrition brand’. That’s a big claim. Since launching in 2015 they haven't used any plastic in our packaging. When you place the order, you receive a metal cylinder, rather than the often supplied pouches. We only tried the Strawberry flavour, and whilst it tasted very good, there was only one or two other flavours in stock. We ordered these at the same time as BULK, who’s protein flavours nearly tripled SoSupreme’s. We did like the focus on sustainability.
We have seen brands in the Sportswear industry create sustainable ranges, and now a similar trend in the supplement industry. However, like Squareco, SoSupreme are built upon these values rather than adding them in as a helpful bonus.
Pros:
- Transparency. They break down their sustainability impact as infographics which are an easy read.
- Plastic-free packaging
- Save money on Refill bags
- Sample sizes
Cons:
- Our order came without a scoop – they have a metal one for sale for £10!
Whether you’re buying performance sportswear from Apexgray or nutritional supplements, we should all try to make small changes to our purchasing habits to focus more on where our products come from, their environmental impact, and how we plan to use them. Hopefully, the listed brands give you a better insight into which supplement company you want to use in the future.
