A ‘deodorant revolution’? Dutch startup nuud develops reusable applicator
Founded in 2017, nuud describes its product as a natural ‘anti-odorant’ cream. Certified vegan and packaged in 20ml bioplastic tubes, nuud’s highly concentrated and patented formula centres on micro-sized natural silver that prevents odour by neutralising bacteria on the skin, maintaining its effect for several days.
Currently available in 118 countries worldwide with most business online, the startup was now primed to launch a sustainable screw-on cap for its tubes after raising more than its €50,000 goal on Kickstarter. nuud said its applicator would encourage more people to join its “deodorant revolution”.
Martijn Van Seters, co-founder of nuud, said the decision to develop and launch an applicator came after extensive customer surveys and an overall goal to grow the brand and appeal to a wider consumer base, notably those who were less open to applying the cream with their hands.
“We want to expand our clientele, and this is a good way, we think, to do that,” Van Seters told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.
Biobased screw-on caps due to launch this June
The prototypes for the applicator had been 3D printed, Van Seters said, but final production would be done using high-quality, tailored molds – set to be completed within the next six weeks.
“We are striving to be able to send the actual product out somewhere in June.”
Importantly, he said the applicators would also be manufactured using biobased plastic like its tubes that were made from sugarcane. “That was one of our prerequisites and that makes the molds more expensive, and the production.”
The screw-on applicators would be sold separately to the nuud deodorant tubes, Van Seters said, because they had also been designed to last and be re-used.
“One of our goals is to not only ensure the lowest footprint but we also want to use as little plastic as possible, and that’s why believe that this applicant is so smart because you can just screw it off your empty Nuud tube and put it on your next one. It’s not a one-time-use, so that makes it very different from other products out there.”
Asked how long the biobased applicator had been designed to last for, he said: “I would say 5-10 years (…) It lasts as long as regular plastic would last.”
Expansion beyond deodorants?
Van Seters said that, for now, nuud had no plans to extend its product line-up, either through new variants or different personal care products; it would instead focus on improving market penetration.
Particularly in markets like the US, Canada, Middle East and parts of Asia, he said the goal was to increase presence to levels achieved in markets like the UK, Germany and Netherlands. Production, however, would remain firmly in Europe, he said. “I strongly believe that when you produce your product under EU law, this is very, very important.”
