Good news eco-warriors! Beauty brand Simple have just launched their new biodegradable cleansing wipes, the first from a mass market brand. Made from soft, renewable plant fibres and sustainable wood pulp, the wipes are the same formula as their original wipes but now much kinder to the planet.

“At Simple, we understand that face wipes have an impact on our planet, so we wanted to lead the way and create the first biodegradable face wipes in the mass market,” Georgina Bradford, Marketing Director of Simple said.

Through a phased approach, Simple aim to eventually transition all their wipes to be biodegradable. “Consumers are faced with tough choices every day,” adds Georgina. “We believe that choosing between taking good care of your skin or caring for the planet shouldn’t be one of them.”

With single-use plastics a hot topic at the moment, these new wipes are very welcome news. Earlier this year the UK government announced its intention to ban sales of single-use plastics, with make-up and wet wipes potentially being included in this, after it was estimated that there are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the ocean.

And last month, the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted for a complete ban on a range of single-use plastics including cotton buds, straws and disposable plates and cutlery. The ban is scheduled to go into effect across the EU by 2021, and the UK will have to comply with the new rules if they implemented before the end of the Brexit transition period.