Is truly sustainable manufacture possible for beauty and personal care?
It’s hitting the programmes of major trade shows across the globe: sustainability was one of the central focuses of this year’s IFSCC congress in the US, and is set to be a new area of focus at the upcoming in-cosmetics global show next April in London.
It spans the supply chain, with the Luxe Pack packaging show having introduced a specific set of awards dedicated to green innovation, and Organic Monitor, a research firm, now holding a successful annual sustainable beauty award: this year’s winners were announced last week.
Market research firms are regularly reporting that it is now a top consumer demand that brands have a sustainable, green or ethical profile. So how are brands responding to this? This Cosmetics Design special article series explores.
Across the supply chain: multinationals in focus
Our articles for this special focus cover three distinct areas in the topic of sustainable manufacturing. Firstly, we take a look at some of the main actions coming from multinationals in this area.
Two of the major players making real efforts are Unilever and L’Oréal, and in this article, we consider what it is about their sustainability programmes that is setting them apart.
Packaging: design and materials
Alongside this, another of our articles takes a look at the packaging developments in the area of sustainability, and how this is being driven at both the materials and the design levels.
While increasingly, innovators within packaging are turning to biodegradable materials and also those that are sustainably developed, they are also looking at how they can adapt the shape and design of products in their efforts to offer greener packaging solutions.
Ingredients: transparency and traceability
Finally, we follow the supply chain right to its roots, and take a look at how ingredients suppliers are stepping up to the challenge of sustainability. How are they increasing transparency around their sourcing of ingredients, and how can formulators discern how sustainable the ingredients really are?
In our article on ingredients and sustainability, we pick out some industry players who are making strides to guarantee that truly sustainable formulation is possible.
With the industry now taking sustainability seriously across the supply chain from source to shelf, it seems that truly sustainable beauty is fast becoming an increasingly widespread reality.
