Sustainability has been the focal point of the market for a while now. Since the ecological conditions of the hemisphere have taken a turn for the worst, the world has grown ever more eco-conscious. The cosmetic industry has been under constant attack for having a rather cruel approach to cosmetic testing and production. Environmentalists have held their reservations against the cosmetic industry. Such reservations have had a significant effect on the sales of cosmetic products. In order to stop the continuous allegations of environmentalists and to reverse the damage to sales from allegations the industry has to make change. The most convenient change has to be the one regarding cosmetic packaging.
Cosmetics itself have held a higher statute of quality in the world for it affects the very appearance that humans love so dearly. In order to preserve its position at the moral high ground, the industry has made many changes. One of the most prominent and watchful changes in the industry has been the shift to sustainable and eco-friendly cosmetic packaging. You have arrived at the right place if yours is one of the woke brands that is shifting towards sustainable and eco-friendly solutions to your packaging problems. Here we have a list of ways you can turn the image of your brand around and make it ever so sustainable and eco-friendly in terms of packaging.
Sustainability through Packaging Materials
The first step is to devise a packaging material that fits the standards of your brand, keeps your product safe, and has a lower carbon footprint. There are a plethora of materials in the market that can substitute the regular plastics that just won’t disseminate in the environment. Here is a list of alternate materials you can choose to turn a new page in your brand’s journey toward sustainability.
Bamboo Packaging
Bamboo has been at the forefront of environmental reforms. It is one of the cheapest alternatives to plastic. It allows the brands to make the shift to sustainability without breaking the bank. The precedence of using bamboo-based products in place of plastics is as old as Asian folklore. Due to its high structural integrity, it has been used as a material to build houses in 17th-century China. During the twentieth century, for a brief period, even Gucci made handbags out of bamboo material. However, bamboo materials are not a hundred percent impermeable. Thus they have to be mixed with a slight concoction of plastic to hold in the water and oil-based cosmetics. But the shift from a hundred percent plastic packaging to one with only a fraction is still applaudable.
Paper Packaging
Paper packaging was the easiest packaging shift the industry ever had to make. The outermost bag usually was made out of plastic, contributing heavily to waste production. The paper packaging is light yet sturdy enough to hold the weight of products. At the same time, it is not as stubborn as plastic in terms of disintegrating in the environment. Furthermore, paper is easier to print on as compared to plastic adding another benefit for shifting. Last but not least, paper is lighter in weight as compared to plastic. During transportation, even a gram of weight adds up. Thus, paper packaging reduces the cost of transportation significantly.
Cornstarch Packaging
Cornstarch is an abundant material in nature. It is also one that does not interact negatively with nature while disseminating. Cornstarch packaging is created using polylactic acid, plant sugars, and starch. Once curated into the desired shape and form it can withhold almost all kinds of materials. After the package has been used it can even be discarded in the nature. Luckily it disintegrates into nature’s abundant components such as carbon dioxide and water. It is readily available hence a cheaper option. Furthermore, it does not require tons of processing for production as compared to plastics.
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Glass Packaging
Some products in the market cannot be contained in biodegradable cosmetic packaging due to their chemical composition. For such products, the alternative to plastic packaging is glass packaging. It requires less processing as compared to plastic. Yet another cost-effective solution to plastic. Moreover, glass packaging can be created using recycled glass. Furthermore, a huge benefit of glass packaging is that it is reusable. Once the product is finished the package can be refilled with the same product or used for any other purpose. The glass packaging can also be used in a do-it-yourself project for you to implore your own creativity.
Aluminum Packaging
Impermeability and compatibility with the chemical structure of cosmetic products are huge requirements of the industry. The concept is not just to prevent the inner product from leaking out. It is imperative to keep outer scents and light out of many cosmetic products to preserve their integrity. Aluminium is the alternate material you can use if you have exhausted all other sources. It has high structural integrity and it is extremely impermeable.
Final Words
In this ever-evolving world, it is necessary for everything to move on and adapt to the changes. The world does not stop and the ones that wait in their comfort zone get buried deep in the pages of history. Right now the focus of everyone in the world is to shift to sustainable yet environmentally friendly options. The cosmetic industry is one of the many, making this shift ever so effortlessly. The change is not an easy one, as adapting to new materials takes time, but it is a necessary one. It is an alteration that ends up saving not just the cost but the face value of cosmetic brands. In all its glory the biodegradable products do not only align with forces of nature, they are also a cheaper alternative for brands. Hence, there is nothing but benefits in making the necessary shift to ecologically sustainable packaging.