One of the biggest shifts taking space within beauty is the commitment, research and innovation towards sustainable futures. Delving into sustainable ingredient sourcing, supply chain processes and eco-design. In May, SPICE (co-founded by L’Oreal and Quantis) launched with the aim to fuel a future of sustainable packaging within the beauty industry. This includes exploring the use of more recycled materials and bio-plastics.
According to an independent survey presented by packaging manufacturer API Group, 51% of brand owners and designers have made sustainable feature changes to their packaging in the last 12 months. 73% of brands surveyed also believe that the focus on sustainability highlights opportunities for their brand. When asked about which changes in regulations will have the biggest impact on the packaging industry, only 2% said Brexit whereas 58% said reducing plastics was a key changing factor.
We expect to see more renewable materials on the market as R&D works towards a plastic-free beauty future. This includes bamboo, cork and sugarcane. Algae is another potential favourite (and not just as an emerging ingredient within sun and skin care). It’s already being used as a material in 3D printing to produce shampoo bottles.
Research into how organic materials in their raw form can be used to create biopolymer materials for packaging is underway. This will be an incredible breakthrough to provide renewable, moldable and plastic-free alternatives on a large scale. However, one of the biggest hurdles faced is ensuring that these materials are safe to house cosmetic formulations.
The questions being explored:
- “how will this affect the shelf life of a product?”
- “is there a possibility of contamination?”
- “Will it begin degrading at certain temperatures or extreme fluctuating temperatures (travelling/hot countries/seasons)?
