French environmental organization Citeo has unveiled six winners following a call for projects for eco-designed beauty and cosmetics packaging. The projects are designed to improve the recyclability of packaging currently made from non-recyclable plastic, and focus on plastic pump bottles, samples, make-up packaging and films used on fragrance boxes.
At the beginning of 2022, Citeo and its subsidiary Adelphe launched a call for projects aimed at finding concrete solutions for improved eco-design of beauty and cosmetics packaging. By moving towards plastic resins or other materials with an existing recycling stream, the goal is to improve the recyclability of packaging presently made of non-recyclable plastics.
The winning projects are:
Plastic pump bottles
Neo Pump – PRP Creation
By removing the metal element in pumps, this project aims to develop monomaterial (PE or PP) pumps for skincare, make-up and personal care that are reusable and recyclable.
Matrix – Elidose
This project centers on flexible, cylindrical monomaterial packs with a dual-function. The idea is that they can either be positioned as monodose packs that use less material than a standard, reclosable tube, or as a refill in a glass or plastic pump bottle.
Samples
Cosmépack – Lactips
This initiative aims to replace samples that are not currently recyclable with those that can be recycled in the paper/cardboard stream. Lactips’ project is based on a water-soluble, natural polymer applied to paper or cardboard via lamination. When dissolved, it enables the paper or cardboard to be recycled in standard streams without disrupting the process.
Recycling-ready mini fragrance spray – Elidose and Karza
The two packaging partners aim to develop a new fragrance sampling format that is monomaterial (PE or PP). The high-barrier flexible packaging with pump enables a reduction in the quantity of material used. While the pump technology is mastered, the challenge lies in miniaturizing and integrating it on a dedicated packaging line.
Make-up packaging
RECYMakeUp - Albéa
With this project, Albéa aims to replace materials like ABS and SAN with PP or PET for powder compacts, lipstick, lipgloss or mascara packaging.
Fragrance box films
Recyclable, biobased transparent or transluscent paper - Thibierge & Comar
From papermaker Thibierge & Comar, this project aims to offer luxury brands an alternative to plastic films used to wrap fragrance and cosmetics boxes and for packaging pouches while maintaining their tamper-proof and hygienic properties. Thibierge & Comar’s idea is transparent or translucent paper combined with a regenerated cellulose film to adapt paper to packaging constraints. The substrate will be 100% biobased and recyclable in standard paper streams.
The projects were selected by a jury of packaging and cosmetics experts, including representatives from Cosmetic Valley, Febea, Quantis and Cosmebio. They are 50% funded by Citeo and Adelphe; the two organizations will support the winners for a timeframe of between 12 and 18 months.
