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Beyond Skin Deep: The Business of Sustainable Cosmetics Packaging

March 3, 2010

The sustainable cosmetics industry is booming, with industry analysts predicting that sales will reach over 2 billion Euros in Europe alone this year. Consumers all over the world increasingly want their cosmetics sustainable––both in terms of the product, and in terms of the packaging.

This global trend can be partly explained in terms of the nature of cosmetics. According to an insightful recent article from European Cosmetic Markets, customers are more likely to require ethical standards of the cosmetic industry because cosmetics, when compared to essentials like food and water, are a luxury.

'Ethical values are particularly relevant when it comes to the cosmetics industry because the very nature of cosmetics as a non-essential, consumer product makes the industry immune to several of the arguments that are regularly used to defend unethical practices used during the production of food or medicine,' the article says. 'The basic need for cheap food or safe, effective medicine may trump any concerns over fair trade or animal testing.'

When it comes to cosmetics, consumers increasingly see themselves as free to make choices based on their values. So what companies are doing things right?

The Lush model

UK-based beauty products manufacturer Lush is a great example of a cosmetics company wholly aligning itself to ethical and green values. From humble beginnings, Lush has pioneered sustainable packaging practices in the industry––and made a lot of money in the process.

Lush, which now has over 350 stores worldwide, began growing its business in the late 1990s, a time when packaging came to be seen as a key marketing tool. In the midst of the rush toward expressive, elaborate packaging, Lush began delivering more than half of its products sans any packaging at all. When packaging was needed to ensure the safe transport and delivery of a product, Lush pursued a philosophy of sturdy, sustainable minimalism––using the minimum amount of resilient green packaging materials to ensure a product got where it needed to go intact, and no more.

Using paper bags made from recycled materials, reusable tins, greaseproof paper, and popcorn instead of polystyrene chips, Lush was one of the first companies in the cosmetics industry to pioneer a less-is-more approach. They also went out of their way to educate their customers, railing against what they saw as excessive packaging practices in the industry and encouraging customers to bring back bags and containers they received through the store.

Lush did extensive market research on consumer perceptions and trends. It found that 98% of its customers thought that the cosmetics industry used too much packaging, and that 44% would choose a brand if it used less packaging.

The Lush model is so instructive because it is the very opposite of greenwashing: Lush have innovated based on their ethical convictions, and attracted customers as a result.

In their move to eliminate unnecessary packaging, Lush worked to move their products into creative, unconventional forms that didn't need packaging, pioneering solid shampoos, conditioners, bubble baths and massage bars. Of course, having a great network of retail shops made this possible, but Lush still had the courage of their convictions to buck industry trends.

Image: Plantic Technologies Limited

To plastic or not to plastic?

So what are the options for cosmetic companies who need to ship their products to a range of locations, and need resilient packaging? Innovative Australian plastics manufacturer Plantic may have the answer. Plantic, a pioneer of fully biodegradable packaging, offers companies two sustainable technologies: its fully biodegradable Plantic technology, which is made from non-GMO corn and is fully biodegradable, and eco Plastic.

The Plantic material, the company says, outperforms regular plastics in many ways (and certainly in terms of environmental impact); it can also be incorporated with plastic if need be. Crucially, the Plantic material may be the first plastic alternative to come competitively priced––and with the cost of oil rising, and more and more companies adopting the technology (Plantic counts Cadbury Schweppes, DuPont, Haigh's Chocolates and Marks & Spencer among its customers), the cost of this kind of technology will only get more competitive.              

Plantic's other innovation, eco Plastic, is another option for cosmetic companies looking for a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastic. Comprised of 40% renewable content, eco Plastic uses a quarter less energy than regular polymers, and works with conventional processing aids and colourants in extrusion blow moulding, blown film, and injection moulding applications.

The options and innovations are out there for cosmetic companies. And with customers increasingly aligning their buying choices to their ideals and beliefs, there is no better time to get on board. 

 

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