The Standard We Hold Everything To
Most brands set their standard based on what's legal. We use a different question.
The supplement and fitness industry has a standard. It's largely defined by what regulators require, what competitors are doing, and what manufacturing at scale makes feasible. It produces products that are legal, competitive on price, and broadly functional.
It also produces protein tubs with heavy metal contamination. Pre-workouts with petroleum-derived dyes. Shakers that shed microplastics into every drink. Activewear treated with forever chemicals that absorb into the skin during exercise.
None of those things are illegal. Some of them are industry norms. All of them failed the one question we've used to evaluate every decision since DEVOTED started: would we put this in our own body without a second thought?
What the Standard Rules Out
Plastic, in any food-contact component:
If something comes into contact with what you consume, it doesn't contain plastic. Not "BPA-free" plastic. Not "food-grade" plastic. Not recycled plastic. No plastic. The research on what plastic does to liquids over time is detailed in earlier posts in this journal. The conclusion was the same every time: the best material for a food-contact vessel isn't plastic.
Ingredients that serve marketing rather than function:
The DEVOTED Creatine contains creatine monohydrate. That's it. No fillers, no artificial dyes, no anti-caking agents, no proprietary blends that obscure dosages. Every ingredient in every DEVOTED product has one test to pass: does it belong in a product we'd use ourselves?
Packaging that contradicts the product:
Putting a clean product in a plastic container is a contradiction. If the product is about not putting unnecessary synthetic materials into your body, the packaging can't be the exception. The creatine jar is matte black with a bamboo lid and a wooden scoop. There's no plastic in the packaging chain.
Speed that compromises quality:
Development timelines at DEVOTED are driven by when something is actually right, not by launch calendars. The creatine took longer than most brands spend on an entire product line. The next thing we're building will too.
Why This Standard Matters More Now
The body of research on plastic contamination, PFAS exposure, microplastic accumulation, and supplement contamination has grown significantly in the last three years. What was a niche concern in 2021 is a front-page investigation in 2026. The regulatory environment is beginning to catch up.
DEVOTED was built around this standard before it was mainstream. The products we launch next will be held to the same one.
The Question That Started All of This
Would we put this in our own body without a second thought?
For plastic shakers: no. For protein in a contaminated tub: no. For pre-workout coloured with petroleum-derived dye: no. For activewear treated with forever chemicals: no.
For The Steel Shaker: yes. For the creatine: yes.
That's the whole standard. Everything else follows from it.
[Shop The Steel Shaker →]
