WELLINGTON company Swallowfield has become the first UK-based cosmetics manufacturer to be given the Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody certification for its use of environmentally friendly materials.

All lip and eye pencils manufactured by Swallowfield are now eligible to bear a FSC logo as proof that the wood used to make the product has been responsibly sourced.

Swallowfield manufactures approximately 13 million lip and eye pencils every year from Incense Cedar timber sourced from a specialist supplier in California.

Ian Mackinnon, chief executive of Swallowfield, said: "As the leading UK cosmetics manufacturer we have a responsibility to ensure that we not only obtain our materials from sustainable sources, but also that our manufacturing process is environmentally friendly. We are delighted to have received the Chain of Custody certification and this reinforces our commitment to the environment."