Minimalist, recyclable packaging for cosmetics

The cosmetic packaging market is responding quickly to consumer preferences towards sustainable and eco-friendly options. Innovations in green packaging materials are propelling this trend forward.

For the past 20 years, the packaging event LUXE PACK has advocated sustainable design, acknowledging the innovations and responsible initiatives of exhibitors through the annual LUXE PACK in Green awards. The two categories for these awards are: Eco-Conceived Packaging Solutions and Corporate Social Responsibility.

At LUXE PACK Monaco, held from September 30 to October 2, the following designs caught the eye of the jury: the Re-Feel Product submitted by Technicaps; the Licata jar from the Deep Green Collection of Zignago Vetro; and a blister pack made entirely of FSC-certified paper, submitted by ADHESPACK. These products were chosen based on their design, materials, processing, impact on supply chain and end-of-life.

Re-Feel Product: Recyclable refill cap

The Re-Feel Product is a refillable glass jar made entirely from recyclable materials, with the refill portion being plastic-free. This innovative packaging was launched by Technicaps, The Groupe Pochet and Cilkoa, for the skincare market.

The jar is designed to follow the contours of the refill, minimizing empty space between the refill and the glass walls, thereby reducing the container weight as well as offering elegant round curves. It has fine walls while having the same resistance and quality of Pochet du Courval glass. The glass jar contains 15% PCR, enabling Pochet du Courval to reduce CO₂ emissions by 5% and raw material consumption.  The cap can be of biosourced or recycled plastic.

The refill is made of cellulose without plastic liner, thanks to a mineral barrier treatment to water and oil that enables it to be recyclable and stay natural in look and feel. The cellulose is sourced from sustainably managed forests and certified by PEFC and FSC. It is enhanced with a very innovative barrier treatment from Cilkoa.

After one refill, the impact of the Re-Feel product is reduced by 36% compared to a single use of a standard skincare jar. At the end of use, the consumer keeps the glass jar and the biosourced/recycled plastic cap. The refill cup is recyclable.

Blistapaper: Compostable/biodegradable material

ADHESPACK’s blister pack is made entirely of FSC-certified paper compostable within 154 days. Unlike conventional blister packs that rely on plastic and aluminum, it utilizes Greenpack paper for sealing and Bluecup paper for the cavities, rendering a recyclable and compostable product.

Free of aluminum and plastic, the blister pack not only reduces the extraction of non-renewable resources but also minimizes pollutants associated with plastic production and aluminum extraction.

As the first blister pack for makeup made entirely of paper, it sets a new industry standard in reducing the carbon footprint. Additionally, this innovative blister pack can be used for both sample distribution and product sales, offering a versatile and eco-friendly solution.

In the production process, ADHESPACK utilizes 90% hydroelectric power, which is 100% renewable, to run manufacturing operations. The papers used in blister packs are sourced from 100% reforested wood. Unlike traditional plastic and aluminum blister packs that can take up to 500 years to decompose, the paper-based blisters decompose within 154 days.

As to supply chain benefits, the lightweight, compact paper blister packs maximize space efficiency, allowing for more units per shipment and reducing the number of transport trips required. The paper is significantly lighter than traditional plastic and aluminum, which reduces the overall weight of transport and consequently lowers fuel consumption and emissions.

The Blistapaper is recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable according to ISO 14855-1:2012, DIN EN 14045:2003, and OECD 208. The product has already undergone extensive compatibility and shelf-life testing with lipstick, powder, blush, and eye shadow, demonstrating excellent results. This readiness for immediate use meets the current market demand for sustainable and eco-friendly packaging solutions.

Licata glass jar from Zignago Vetro

The Licata jar from the Deep Green Collection is created for sustainable cosmetics: it is the first jar launched on the market with UVAG color. This type of glass provides up to 89% natural UV protection to the contents.

The Licata jar is also produced with up to over 90% recycled glass, allowing a reduction of up to -36% in process CO₂ emissions compared to the same article in white glass.

The Licata jar originally created in white glass also known as flint was later produced in UVAG in the Deep Green line. The virgin raw materials, consisting mainly of soda ash, sand and calcium carbonates, were considerably reduced and replaced by recycled glass: in the case of the Licata jar in the Deep Green line, recycled glass can make up to 90% of its entire composition. A greater use of recycled glass in the formation of a container results in lower energy consumption (each 10% increase in cullet corresponds to a reduction of up to 3% in energy consumption for melting), a reduction in virgin raw materials and a lower amount of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere (for the Licata, savings is -36% in CO₂ emissions).

Over the years, Zignago Vetro has sought to optimize its production processes and the use of its resources. As far as energy efficiency is concerned, over the years all the Group's factories have made significant efforts to introduce technologically advanced industrial plants and to improve the management of existing plants in order to reduce their energy consumption. The main energy efficiency measures over the years have taken the form of numerous initiatives such as: investment in innovative technologies and materials for the engineering and construction of more energy-efficient melting furnaces; continuous revamping of auxiliary plants with increasingly efficient and sustainable solutions; installation of a heat recovery boiler with turbine (active until 2022 and decommissioned in 2023); increased use of scrap glass to decrease the energy demand of the melting process; specific maintenance plans to maintain the efficiency of its plants; extension of the use of LED lamps for room lighting; training of employees in technical functions on energy saving.

Over the years, these efficiency measures have led to significant reductions in energy consumption in relation to fused glass (today - 8.7% compared to 2018). Energy saving is the main driver of CO₂ savings. In 2023, the value of specific water consumption per tonne of molten glass was further reduced by -26.0% compared to the previous year.

The transition of the container composition towards higher percentages of scrap particularly affects the environmental impacts generated by the supply chain, as both the extraction, processing and transformation processes of virgin raw materials (sand, soda ash, carbonates, etc.) and their transport have much higher impact values than those related to scrap supply. In fact, typically the collection and processing of post-consumer scrap takes place in local plants close to the glassworks, with more limited process and transport energy consumption.

To create a sustainable line such as Deep Green, of which the Licata jar is a part, a lot of technical analysis was required. Each product had a complete analysis and evaluation of its life cycle as part of the feasibility assessment, which is a milestone in the new product development process. In the design, an attempt is made to reduce the environmental impact by acting mainly on the weight component and the packaging and transport characteristics. The pursuit of production efficiency by reducing the weight of energy consumption and emissions is a continuous and constant process, and the achievement of an increasing number of environmental certifications and labels is a goal shared by the Group's management and customers. Furthermore, stakeholders are increasingly involved in the process of implementing eco-design, which requires continuous and constant commitment to be implemented correctly.