Korean manufacturer of brushes and other packs and applicators, FS Korea is moving to focus its engineering on more eco-friendly products. Its research on materials, recyclability and reusability are leading to a string of new concepts.
For the Korean company FS Korea, innovation now systematically goes hand in hand with eco-design; an approach that is becoming increasingly vital in light of the current economic climate, according to founder J.K. Hwang. Since 2018, the company has been seeing a decline in the market for make-up brushes, and the pandemic, with its impact on the make-up market, has only accentuated this decline.
Several developments are therefore underway to renew this traditional tool. One solution is a brush assembled without glue, with the metal ferrule securing the tuft to the handle. The ferrule is made of stainless steel, which FS Korea offers in a version containing 85% recycled materials. The component is also devoid of a scratch-protective surface treatment, a polluting process. Other options include a PCR plastic handle and ferrule that can be separated to facilitate recycling, a fastening system that allows several removable brushes to be fitted onto a single handle, or a handle made of wood residue composite WPC.
FS Korea is also continuing to diversify into other types of packaging, including mascara and skincare. Mono-material droppers that are easier to recycle: one opts for a polyethylene bellows system that eliminates the need for a metal spring or rubber head, the other for a cap entirely molded in TPE elastomer. The growing demand for fabric skincare masks is also a priority; FS Korea operates a fully automated plant with a production capacity of 45 million units per year. The supplier is currently studying alternative natural materials for its masks.
FS Korea has a turnover of more than $4m, of which some 80% comes from exports, more than half of which are done in China. It has six factories worldwide, including three in South Korea, two in China and one site in Belgium dedicated to eyeliner. Europe, the US and South-East Asia are targets for growth.
