Hawaiian Tropic
Learn more about our scoring →
About Hawaiian Tropic
Hawaiian Tropic represents a heritage suncare brand within Edgewell Personal Care's portfolio, maintaining market presence in the mainstream sunscreen category since 1969. The brand positions itself around tropical-inspired formulations that combine broad-spectrum UV protection with botanical ingredients, targeting consumers seeking accessible sun protection with sensory appeal.
Sustainability performance reflects a brand in early-stage environmental consciousness, with selective improvements in reef-safe formulations and packaging materials. The removal of oxybenzone and octinoxate demonstrates responsiveness to marine conservation concerns, while incorporation of recycled plastic content shows awareness of packaging sustainability. However, comprehensive environmental strategy remains underdeveloped across climate, water, and biodiversity domains.
Within Edgewell Personal Care's broader portfolio, Hawaiian Tropic's sustainability profile lags behind emerging industry standards for transparency and comprehensive environmental action. The brand's approach favors targeted improvements over systematic sustainability integration, creating opportunities for more ambitious environmental and social impact initiatives aligned with parent company resources and consumer expectations.
The Good Stuff
Where Hawaiian Tropic appears to be making meaningful progress. We cross-referenced these findings with multiple independent sources.
Third-Party Verified Cruelty-Free Standards
Certified cruelty-free through independent verification ensuring no animal testing of ingredients or finished products across all formulations
Reef-Safe Formulation Initiative
Reformulated products to exclude oxybenzone and octinoxate, addressing coral reef damage concerns and marine ecosystem protection
Recycled Plastic Packaging Integration
Incorporates 25-45% recycled plastic content across select packaging, demonstrating commitment to circular economy principles
The Reality Check
Areas where the publicly available data gets murky, incomplete, or concerning. We're transparent about the limitations of our analysis.
Labor Standards Transparency Void
No public disclosure of labor practices, supplier auditing programs, or fair trade commitments throughout supply chain operations
Climate Action Initiative Absence
Lacks disclosed climate targets, renewable energy commitments, or carbon reduction strategies across manufacturing and operations
Conservation Program Deficiency
Missing wildlife conservation funding, habitat restoration programs, or environmental partnership initiatives despite ocean-focused brand identity
Hawaiian Tropic's
Impact Aura
A visual representation of Hawaiian Tropic's positive impact
across People, Planet and Animals
Each colored area represents the brand's performance in that sustainability category. The size and intensity of each blob corresponds to their score—larger, more vibrant areas indicate stronger performance.
Our Research
Key findings from our comprehensive analysis of Hawaiian Tropic's sustainability performance across People, Planet & Animals impact.
Positive Impact on People
Research Highlights
- Ingredient safety improvements include removal of oxybenzone and octinoxate due to reef damage concerns
- Labor standards and fair trade practices lack public disclosure or verification programs
- Supply chain transparency absent with no disclosed supplier auditing or monitoring systems
- Social impact initiatives and community programs show no evidence of implementation
- Marketing integrity claims of 'beautifully safe, sustainable, and cruelty-free' lack third-party verification
Evidence Strength
Limited documentation with primary evidence focused on ingredient reformulation, significant gaps in labor and supply chain verification
Positive Impact on Planet
Research Highlights
- Climate action shows no disclosed targets, renewable energy usage, or carbon reduction commitments
- Biodiversity protection demonstrates reef-friendly formulation changes but limited conservation scope
- Water stewardship lacks disclosed conservation programs or efficiency initiatives
- Packaging sustainability incorporates 25-45% recycled plastic content across select products
- Chemical responsibility extends beyond UV filter removal but lacks comprehensive green chemistry approach
Evidence Strength
Moderate documentation for packaging and specific ingredient changes, substantial gaps in climate and water management
Positive Impact on Animals
Research Highlights
- Cruelty-free certification verified through independent third-party organization ensuring no animal testing
- Vegan formulations represent partial product range with brand not fully vegan across all offerings
- Wildlife conservation programs show no evidence of habitat restoration or protection funding
- Sustainable sourcing standards for botanicals and minerals lack verification or disclosure
- Conservation partnerships and environmental funding initiatives remain undisclosed
Evidence Strength
Strong verification for cruelty-free practices with comprehensive third-party certification, limited evidence for other animal welfare initiatives
See the Receipts
We don't just make claims—here are the official certifications that prove Hawaiian Tropic's sustainability commitments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawaiian Tropic sustainable?
Hawaiian Tropic demonstrates selective sustainability improvements including reef-safe formulations and recycled packaging materials, but lacks comprehensive environmental strategy across climate, water, and biodiversity domains. The brand shows early-stage environmental consciousness with opportunities for more systematic sustainability integration.
Is Hawaiian Tropic cruelty-free?
Yes, Hawaiian Tropic maintains cruelty-free certification through independent third-party verification, ensuring no animal testing of ingredients or finished products. This certification provides reliable assurance of the brand's commitment to animal welfare standards.
Is Hawaiian Tropic reef-safe?
Hawaiian Tropic has reformulated products to exclude oxybenzone and octinoxate, addressing primary coral reef damage concerns. While this represents meaningful progress toward reef-safe formulations, comprehensive marine impact assessment across all ingredients remains limited.
Does Hawaiian Tropic use recycled packaging?
Hawaiian Tropic incorporates 25-45% recycled plastic content across select packaging, demonstrating awareness of circular economy principles. However, comprehensive packaging sustainability strategy and recycling targets across all products remain undisclosed.
What certifications does Hawaiian Tropic have?
Hawaiian Tropic holds cruelty-free certification through independent third-party verification. The brand lacks broader sustainability certifications such as organic, climate-neutral, or comprehensive environmental management system verification.
Is Hawaiian Tropic vegan?
Hawaiian Tropic offers some vegan formulations but is not fully vegan across all product offerings. The brand maintains partial vegan options while continuing to use animal-derived ingredients in select formulations.
What is Hawaiian Tropic doing for the environment?
Hawaiian Tropic's environmental initiatives focus on reef-safe formulations and recycled packaging materials. The brand demonstrates targeted improvements but lacks comprehensive environmental strategy including climate action, water conservation, and biodiversity protection programs.
Ready to Shop Hawaiian Tropic?
Find Hawaiian Tropic products through our trusted retail partners
Brands That Score Better
The Bottom Line
Hawaiian Tropic demonstrates selective sustainability improvements through cruelty-free certification and reef-safe formulation changes, but lacks comprehensive environmental strategy across climate, labor, and conservation domains. The brand represents early-stage environmental consciousness with significant opportunities for systematic sustainability integration aligned with heritage positioning and consumer expectations.
Compare Brands
See how Hawaiian Tropic stacks up against similar brands