U.S.-, U.K.-based beauty companies expected to focus on using less packaging, more recycled materials in 2011; Aveda, Burt's Bees named as frontrunners

Graziela Medina Shepnick

LOS ANGELES , February 18, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – Cosmetics and personal care companies are expected to concentrate on reducing packaging in 2011 by using recycled materials, lightweighting and eco-friendly designs, according to Organic Monitor, CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com reported Feb. 8.

Beauty companies are seeking to combat the rising costs of raw materials such as those from oils and plants, as well as to become more sustainable, Amarjit Sahota, director of the London-based consultancy, said.

Organic Monitor expects to see more companies launch sustainable packaging initiatives in 2011, following brands such as Aveda Corp. and Burt’s Bees Inc., CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com reported.

Organic Monitor named Aveda, based in Westlake, Ohio, as a leader among cosmetics and personal care companies in sustainable packaging. Aveda packaging now contain at least 80% recycled materials.

Aveda is reputedly the beauty industry's largest user of post-consumer regrind plastic, saving over 1 million pounds of virgin resin each year. England's Neal’s Yard Remedies Ltd., based in Gillingham, Dorset, uses PCR bottles made with recycled polyethylene terephthalate containers.

Burt’s Bees, based in Durham, North Carolina, has replaced its soap packaging with tree-free TerraSkin. The change allows the company to move from its previous double-layer packaging and to slashe the amount of packaging used by 50%. By 2020, Burt's Bees plans to use 100% recycled or biodegradable materials for its packaging.

Cosmetics and personal care companies in the past typically were slow to adopt changes in packaging. It can affect product performance, quality and safety, Sahota said, CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com reported.

Many such companies focus on other issues of sustainability. These include ethical sourcing of raw materials, eco-friendly formulations and management of resources and waste, Sahota said.

The current technical performance of bioplastics packaging makes it unsuitable for shampoos, lotions, creams and similar products, Sahota said. Organic Monitor reports that bioplastics are water permeable and highly sensitive to heat.

However, in the future the research company expects to see major improvements in bioplastics packaging, Sahota said.

The primary source of this article is CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com, Decision News Media, Montpellier, France, on Feb. 8, 2011.

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