Press Release

■ A premium brand that is environmentally friendly throughout its life cycle, including production, distribution, consumption and disposal.

■ Safe for human body and environment through the use of naturally-sourced phytosubstances and by minimizing harmful substances.

▣ LG H&H has launched “Borrowing Earth,” a line of environmentally friendly natural household products that minimize the use of artificial chemical substances from raw materials to packaging.

▣ Six different products are currently available (a toothpaste, two varieties of soap, a liquid laundry detergent, a dishwashing detergent, and a fabric softener), but various other products will be launched as well, including kitchen and bathroom cleaners and hair care and body care products.

▣ The most distinctive feature of “Borrowing Earth” is that the entire process from production to disposal after use has been conceptualized in an environmentally friendly manner, including consideration for energy use and materials, instead of simply reducing harmful substances by using environmentally friendly raw materials or reducing waste by minimizing packaging.

▣ To achieve this, naturally sourced phytosubstances were used, while substances that are harmful to the human body and the environment were minimized, such as artificial coloring, chemical antiseptics, and petroleum-based substances. Bean oil-based inks, non-wood pulp paper, paper tape and recycled containers were used for containers and packaging.

▣ As indicated by its name, “Borrowing Earth” is a premium brand that stands by the belief that we are borrowing the earth from our descendents. Based on environmentally friendly and natural principles, it aspires to be a line of household products that we use and then return to nature.

♣ Size and price

Toothpaste (150 ml / 4,900 won), olive/coconut soap (100 g / 4,200 won), liquid laundry detergent (1300 ml / 10,900 won), dishwashing detergent (500 ml / 4,500 won), fabric softener (1300 ml / 6,900 won)

For more information, call 080-023-7007

♣ Significance of “Borrowing Earth” and its Approach

“Borrowing Earth” is a brand created based on the notion that although the use of various household products is unavoidable in today’s world, we can use them in an environmentally friendly manner. The brand’s packaging, made from recycled paper and containers, is printed with bean oil-based ink, and product names are also printed in Braille. The products deliver the message that we need to be aware of our environment.

The box in which the toothpaste is packaged is slightly slanted so that more tubes can be packed in a crate and fewer resources can be used. In addition the tube is made of aluminum so that it can be recycled. A design patent has been granted for this environmentally friendly design.

The dishwashing detergent’s label contains information on Brachymystax lenok, a species that is disappearing due to global warming, and an image of a fish is printed inside the transparent container to convey the product’s safety and promote awareness of environmental protection. Product leaflets are also printed on recycled paper.

Meanwhile, as the environmentally friendly product market is just emerging in Korea, it is unlikely to achieve high profitability in the near future. In addition, a lack of diversity in categories of items with eco-labeling is a pending issue that companies and authorities must resolve.

Every “Borrowing Earth” product is proud of its environmental friendliness. However, so far only dishwashing detergent and kitchen and bathroom cleaners (to be launched in December) have been certified with environmental marks because regulations exist for these categories only. In the case of liquid laundry detergent and fabric softener, a request has been submitted to KOECO for the establishment of relevant regulations, and these products are expected to be certified before the end of 2008.

However, a prerequisite for the certification of soaps is the recycling of effective resources (recycling of waste oil). Therefore, only solid laundry soaps qualify for eco-labeling. No matter how environmentally friendly a “Borrowing Earth” soap may be, it cannot be certified unless it is made by recycling waste oil.

An official in charge of branding expressed frustration with the situation as the scope of eco-labeling is still narrow and the necessary social programs and infrastructure are not fully established. Therefore, opportunities to introduce such products to consumers are limited, as are marketing activities.

Although the market for environmentally friendly product is still taking shape, consumer awareness is rising and public interest in products that are safer and healthier to use is growing just as it is overseas. If greater headway is made through advertisements and environmental campaign activities, there is a great deal of growth potential as well as opportunities to enhance the corporate image in the long term.