The beauty industry is now undergoing a big change, compostable cosmetic packaging has become a new trend of sustainable development. It’s more than just a fashion trend, it’s a major shift in the attitude of beauty brands towards going green .
When it comes to the bellwethers, mention the Seed Phytonutrients. They teamed up with Ecologic Brands to create the first paper bottle made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper that can be used in the shower. The bottle breaks down in 12 weeks in industrial compost, setting a new benchmark for sustainable beauty packaging . And Lush Cosmetics, which comes out with “naked” packaging, the compostable cork containers that break down in six months .
Compostable packaging technology has also advanced by leaps and bounds. TIPA Corporation, for example, has come up with a bio-based polymer that’s as durable as traditional plastic but breaks down like an orange peel. A slew of organic skincare brands, like Prose and Beauty Kitchen, are using their ingredients, which have the same shelf life and decompose within 180 days .
Perfume box packaging has also caught up with this trend, but because of the need to maintain luxury design, so it is not a small challenge. Le Labo, an innovative brand, has added compostable elements to its perfume packaging, using mushroom-based materials as the outer box and glass bottles inside. The packaging decomposes in 45 days in commercial compost, compared with 450 years for conventional packaging. That’s a big difference .
Investors are also keen on sustainable solutions. L ‘Oreal and Sulzer are working together to develop paper-based cosmetic tubes that look upscale and fully disintegrate. The pipe is treated with a special bio-based barrier coating to keep the product intact and biodegrade in 90 days .
PVH Packaging reports that their compostable cosmetics containers cost 15-20% more than conventional ones, but have a 60% smaller carbon footprint. REN Clean Skincare has also shown that switching to compostable packaging can increase customer loyalty by 35% and increase sales by 28%.
Another recent novelty, HowGood, has come up with a seaweed based packaging material that breaks down in the sea, solving the problem of beauty packaging polluting the ocean. The solution is now being tested by several independent beauty brands and with promising results, it breaks down twice as fast as conventional bioplastics .