Baum, a new prestige beauty brand launched by Japan’s Shiseido Group, celebrates “the power of trees” in both formula and packaging. Upcycled wood and refills are a key feature of the range.
Wood constitutes a major element of the brand’s packaging, which uses offcuts from the furniture manufacturing process in partnership with furniture maker Karimoku Furniture Inc. “All the wooden parts used in our packaging are made by Karimoku from upcycled woods,” Shiseido Group explained to Luxe Packaging Insight. These include the caps, lids and ‘frame’ structures into which some bottles are inserted. The offcuts come from oak trees from the Tohoku and Hokkaido regions of Japan. Shiseido explains that this results in packaging components offering variations and depth in terms of grain and color.
The other packaging components are made of glass and plastic, with certain bottles using bio-based PET and others recycled glass.
While Shiseido does not disclose the names of its suppliers, the company worked with multiple partners on the project. “For most of the group’s cosmetics/skincare packaging, we generally choose one supplier to develop packaging,” the group explains. “However, in the case of Baum, we use a mix of materials—wooden parts, plastics and glass—and therefore collaborate with different industries to design a truly unique pack.”
Certain products in the range feature sleek black PP caps, which Shiseido explained could not be made using solely bio-based PET due to technical constraints. “The combination of bottles and caps required the use of different materials like PET and PP to assure optimum sealing.”
Baum also offers refills for some of its products in the 45-sku line: Hydro Essence Lotion, Moisturising Cream, Moisturising Oil, Moisturising Emulsion, Room Spray and Hand Cream. The group noted that all items in the range will be refillable in the next few years. Shiseido hopes that consumers will keep the wooden frames, while opting for refills for the primary packaging.
When it comes to the formulas, Baum says that 90% of ingredients are of natural origin, with products based on three characteristics found in trees: water storage, growth and environmental defense. They feature a majority of tree-derived fragrances, which are designed to “soothe and relax”.
Baum is manufactured and distributed by Etwas Co Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shiseido Group.
