With global sales of 564 billion euros in 2022 and an annual growth rate of more than 4.5%, beauty and hygiene products are part of the eco-design revolution, highlighted by sustainable cosmetic packaging.

Waste from the beauty and hygiene sectors represents on average 5% of household packaging.
Cosmetic packaging is not very recyclable because of the mix of materials used, or it is mainly made of plastic. Professionals have adapted by giving priority to sustainable materials and innovative packaging, favourable to the circular economy.

Redefining cosmetic packaging 

Finding an alternative to plastic remains at the heart of the improvement of the beauty and hygiene market, as well as of the largest industrial sectors. 

This is why we saw the emergence in 2021 of the Plastic Act, supported by the Federation of Beauty Companies (FEBEA). A clear statement of the situation: 85% of the volume of cosmetic packaging produced in France is made of plastic.
The objective is to reduce the quantity of plastic used by 15% by 2025. 

Among the innovations of the sector, virgin PET cosmetic packaging stood out during ALL4PACK Emballage Paris.
Acti Pack’s PET jars, combined with its sister company’s new LYS closures, offer a complete sustainable package. A combination of virgin PET that uses a single material for both the container and closure system. The LYS cap offers a design in harmony with the PET jar, for a cosmetic package that is both ecological and aesthetic.

Sustainable packaging for plant-based cosmetics

Many companies have swapped their systematic use of plastic for natural alternatives. Sustainable packaging made from plant fibres, wood cellulose, sugar cane, shellfish: renewable natural resources are being considered endlessly to counter the supremacy of plastic in household bins.

Alternative materials are emerging, with a proposal for sustainable and compostable packaging. The Embelium company, which exhibited at ALL4PACK Emballage Paris 2022, recommends 100% vegetable and compostable packaging, without additives, from crops grown in the South West. Combining nature and high technology, their model of cosmetic box is issued from a local culture. The packaging is based on plant fibres of agricultural origin and mycelium, which acts as a natural binder. A company culture that focuses on high-tech manufacturing processes with the smallest ecological footprint.

Other alternative bio-based materials from bamboo, mushroom or algae crops are entering this constantly evolving market, with the emergence of new innovative labels.

Cosmetic packaging in the era of the circular economy

Following the example of LYS Packaging, which exhibited at ALL4PACK Emballage Paris 2022, some brands are betting on sustainable, plant-based and local packaging.
The LYS company develops custom-made bioplastic bottles, made from biodegradable, compostable and biosourced raw materials: natural flax and hemp fibres, or oyster shells. A company that has also chosen regional and local crops – an added value, for the benefit of the circular economy.

According to a study conducted by EVEA, an expert in eco-design, a sustainable ecological alternative remains the re-use of containers. Sustainable packaging with a responsible consumer gesture that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%. Refillable versions of bottles, better known in the world of perfumery, are now making their way into the world of beauty for cosmetic packaging that can be reused at will.

Plastic substitutes, natural materials, plant growing, recycling and reuse…
The entire packaging sector of the beauty and hygiene market has its eyes riveted on eco-design solutions favourable to a responsible economy. 

Among the Pack Expert committee of the next edition of ALL4PACK Emballage Paris 2024, we will find among the greatest representatives of the sector: Philippe BONNINGUE (L’ORÉAL), and Guillaume LEBERT (PROCTER & GAMBLE).

This presence confirms the growing role of the Beauty and Hygiene sector in the ongoing revolution of sustainable packaging.