Like many cosmetics, most band-aids are made by companies that test their products on animals. Included among the companies that test on animals are recognizable brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, Bausch & Lomb, and many others. (You can see a complete list here).
The materials used to make band-aids are also bad for your body and the environment. Johnson & Johnson brand band-aids are made from nylon, cotton, and an epoxy adhesive. Epoxy resin contains the chemical BPA, which is an endocrine disruptor that disturbingly has also shown up in canned food recently. Nylon is a non-biodegradable synthetic that produces nitrous oxide when it is manufactured. Nitrous oxide, the same chemical the dentist gives you as an analgesic, is more damaging to the Earth’s atmosphere than carbon dioxide.
The good news is that animal lovers and conscious consumers have an alternative! Eco-Guard makes a great band-aid that is not tested on animals, and is made from recycled PVC, a water-based adhesive, and natural food-grade colorings. They also make a colorful kid-friendly variety. So cute!
If you’d like to know more about which of your everyday products are vegan and which are not, you can find a list of commonly used animal-derived ingredients here, then check those ingredients against the labels of any products you buy.