Sustainability for Today’s Cosmetics Industry

Why is it such a good idea to use eco-friendly products and packaging material?   

In the relatively short time humans have been on earth, we’ve had an alarming impact on its wellbeing. The industrial revolution in the 1800s saw considerable advancements in our capability - moving from hand made to machinery made, reducing cost and time. Wages increased and people migrated from the countryside to the cities. This more efficient and effective way of working and producing goods was thanks to the collision of technology (as we knew it back then) with industry and it changed life as ‘we’ knew it. And, in many ways, we’ve never looked back. We are of course grateful for the conveniences we have in our lives and the continued advancement of technology, but lasting negative effects have undoubtedly occurred.

Natural and organic finding a better way

As the population has grown, so too has the impact of technology on our planet and our lives. The good news is that thanks to advances in technology and growing human knowledge we now better understand the impact we are having and we have alternatives to the way things were done for many hundreds of years before. Specifically, in the cosmetic industry, natural and organic formulations are giving us the opportunity to clean, nourish and care for our skin with a lesser impact on the planet. 

When grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, natural and organic ingredients have a lesser impact. And as a brand owner if you choose to produce natural/organic formulas you are straight away reducing your impact and the number of toxic chemicals flushed down our drains. 

Packaging for a brighter future

Beyond this, if one of your core values is sustainability and you want to make a better impact on the natural world, then consideration for how your product is packaged for consumers is very important.  Sustainable packaging is usually falling into the categories of being either biodegradable, recyclable, or compostable in nature.  

You may also be aware of the 2025 National Packaging Targets: Specifically this means that 100% of packaging is to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. By 2025, the goal is for 70% of plastic packaging to be recycled or composted, and for packaging to include an average of 50% recycled content.

We all must get on board.

What are the options in cosmetics?

The negative aspect to compostable packaging for personal care items is usually that the packaging breaks down quickly, and therefore are not fit for purpose. The composting process can cause disfigurement (such as warping), and often failure to constrain your cream, wash or serum, allowing the product to leak.  It is obviously important your packaging lasts as long as your product (its shelf life) and the consumer experience isn’t compromised. There are some solutions;

• use only plastics that are made from a percentage of previously recycled plastic (PCR)

• use plastic that can be recycled

• consider glass if this suits your product type -  this option is not always viable depending on the formula. 

Don’t forget about secondary and tertiary packaging

Sometimes we get so busy focusing on what our product will be housed in and what the consumer sees, we forget about secondary and tertiary packaging. That is how your product (or components) will be shipped, stored and displayed. 

Think about; 

• communicating with your packaging supplier to supply packaging components using cardboard separators and sleeves rather than using plastic bags or foam separators

• reducing the volume of packaging used to house or ship your products 

• reusing cardboard shippers, separators and sleeves rather than throwing or even recycling

Work with your packaging supplier to avoid;  

• non-recyclable plastic

• styrofoam trays

• foam liners

• bubble wrap

• individual plastic sleeve wraps around lids and bottles, dispenses and dip tubes

Partner with companies who are making a positive impact

Visit the below websites to learn about Australian companies that are heading in the right direction.

Weltrade Packaging:  https://weltradepackaging.com.au/

Quadpack:  https://www.quadpack.com/

Ant packaging- Recycled Plastic options:  https://www.antpackaging.com.au/products.aspx

Have you heard of the Life Cycle Assessment? 

LCA is a standardized, science-based framework for quantifying the impact of each stage of a product’s existence to assess lifetime environmental impact. 

LCA takes into consideration all the steps that lead from raw material through manufacture, distribution and usage to final disposal. As illustrated below.

By reviewing your LCA you can put your entire product (concept or tangible) and its manufacturing process to the test, and determine its true impact on the planet. 

If you want to explore this further, visit this link to learn more about LCA and your packaging’s contribution.