Sustainability and packaging. Two words, two concepts that from does some years have accustomed us to relate. As if of a symbiosis treated . And a third term, that perhaps, also results us familiar: reduction of plastics. This subject involves to all, is something on what works in all the sectors, indistinctly of the activity that develop , but is true, that with the form to consume current (sometimes of compulsive way), tends to put the focus on some of way more concrete: the one of the fashion, and, the one who concerns us in our case, the one of the cosmetic.
It is a question of reducing excesses, which we really consider unnecessary or useless. Why do we sometimes find up to three different packages in the same product? How many times go to use a product and find the box, the sealing and the own packaging of the same? Is it really that necessary? The industry already is getting act together in this way and is working around new concepts that carry us to the minimalism, to forget about the plastics through the use of materials of cardboard or bamboo, between many others. This awareness also is trying through other lines, and is that, for example, are leaving to see announcements or launchings of disposable products like the make-uo remover. Regarding the personnel care, every time know more cleansing facial in which we do not need at least cottons, simply requires the use of our own hands.
As we already have explained previously, the consumers of the new generations, like the generation Z bet by a conscious consumption and especially, sustainable. As it stood out the consulting Bain & Company, the values of this generation carries them to concern by his more immediate future and his wish is to create the lower possible impact. This, has done that more than 90% of the respondents by the company confessed that they have included changes in his routines with the purpose to be more respectful with the environment.
The 6 alternatives to diminish the use of plastic
- The industry (following with his obligation) has to loan attention and listen the demand to adapt to the market without remaining backwards, as well as understand the requests and preferences of the consumer, and at present goes through a ruling wish : be sustainable. Thus, some marks already have begun to implement the qualification of "Plastic Neutral" in his containers. Have this certification means that by each product in container of plastic sold in 2022, will collect and will delete of the environment an equal quantity of plastic in different areas of the world like Indonesia. This collected carries out from the association Plastic Bank. One of the signatures of cosmetic that has added to this project, has been Inika, that has turned into the only mark of beauty 100% natural and organic certified in Australia. Thanks to this, have achieved to minimise the use of virgin plastic until in 84%, and happen to use 8,1 tonnes to 1,3, as they explain in his press release. The main aim that pursues from "Plastic Neutral" is to implant a model based in the recycling and in the circular economy.
- The second alternative and that incorporate some companies like Oway is directly, rid of the plastic in his containers. In this case, Oway, an Italian mark of the professional channel of hair salon decided to launch a line of hair products for men where the containers were done of glass. A more next case and that also serves us like example, is the one of Kriim. The company was born in 2018, and a year afterwards, gave the jump to the on-line to commercialise his products. This company, during his recent history, has wanted to show respectful with the environment, avoiding the use of plastic in his packagings, something that sometimes is really complicated when the sales happen produce through the ecommerce. To avoid that the products damage in the transport, the jars are used to to go accompanied of paper bubble. Yes, that with which entertain us and do not stop until finish with all the bubbles. But, they decided to incorporate inside the boxes something the same of effective that prevented that the product could spoil by the way: biodegradables bobbles of vegetal starch.
- The third option that share in this article is the possibility to create containers that can be reused. This reuse of the containers goes closely related with the possibility and the capacity of recharge these containers of the products. The same that to with the food or the drink, habits that are going back to our day in day out, and that now, does also with products like the shampoo or the sector of the perfumery. An example of this last is the case of "My Way" of Giorgio Armani with which wanted to position like a sustainable mark. It treats of a small jar that offered to the consumer the possibility to be filled up, with an easy mechanism of reload.
- Reduce the impact of the footprint of carbon by part of the manufacturers? It sounds us and it results us familiar east finish. Mainly, in the reports offered by the organisations and also in the future commitments of the companies, in which they ensure that year to year, this will go reducing. Well, descarbonize the packagings, is another of the tendencies that pursues the sustainability. One of the companies that bets thus it is LVMH, that in his strategic association with Origin Materials would commission of the process of manufacture of his containers for cosmetics and perfumes. The material used is an imitation to the PET to base of oil, but that obviously, the footprint of carbon is lower since it is done of waste of sustainable way.
- As no, the materials recycled is another of the possibilities that are implanting nowadays. The packaging in the cosmetic is one of the most important elements, and also differential when the product is finished and smart for his commercialisation. In this case, it has to fulfil with the requirements of information, protection and improve in the measure of the possible his transport, appearance that in occasions supposes a difficulty for as that type of materials go to employ. An example of materials recycled would be the paper or the cardboard, that is used to to use like secondary container in the cosmetic products of aqueous base. We can not leave overlook a crucial element in the world of the packaging: the cap. It is equal of important that the rest and the companies are raising awareness in this. Be sustainable in this component also is a big challenge. Like this it can it corroborate Quadpack, through Woodacity: some caps 100% wood where mixes sustainability and innovation.
- The last necessary step: improve the recyclability. And with this, also, educate to the consumer. It is necessary make aware to our customer of the importance of his acts and of the repercussion that has his small performance to global level. In occasions, are the companies those that exert his work properly, but is the user the one who commits the error. No only because it indicate that a package was recyclable ensures us that the consumer go it to do. Thus, as it happens in the world of the fashion (recently in COS) the companies create campaigns of collected of containers already used in which they offer a series of advantages (discounts, samples of some products, promotions…) to treat to boost the recycling and the participation and involvement of the consumer.
They exist solutions and there is ambition by part of the sector to do the things well, but, especially, exists the worry by part of a new generation of consumers that feel like the environment is asking help. The resources be scare, the dumps accumulate tonnes of plastic that will last years. The data scare and recently and the OCDE published a report that can not (neither have to) ignore: the majority of the plastic waste in 2060 will be containers of products of short length, and especially in this data, the industry of the beauty and the cosmetic, has a very notable paper.