Innovative eco-friendly packaging for organic cosmetics

There is now a new opportunity for growth in the cosmetics packaging market, as a group of scientists funded by the European Union have developed a new biodegradable container for the organic beauty market.

Are you a sensitive consumer aware of the environmental impact of the cosmetics used? Knowing that everything from the manufacturing process to the waste generated by regular beauty products can cause environmental damage, do you want to use organic and natural cosmetics that are considered safer? But what if packaging made with fossil fuel products that don’t degrade might remain in landfills? Scientists supported by the EU-funded BIOBEAUTY program have solved this dilemma and developed a biopackaging solution that offers the same environmental credentials as the product itself. Instead of non-biodegradable plastics, the scientists used polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane. They also added nanoclay and rosemary extract to improve the properties of PLA plastic and extend the shelf life of cosmetics. “As toxicologists, we know that even natural ingredients such as rosemary can be toxic in the right doses,” said Dr. Helinor Jane Johnston, Associate Professor of Toxicology at Heriot-Watt University, a BIOBEAUTY project partner. Dr. Johnston added, “At Heriot-Watt we tested the toxicity of rosemary extracts and different types of nanoclay to select the candidate with the least amount of toxicity to the final product to ensure that it is safe for consumers. We focused on evaluating potential harmful effects on the skin and also looked at reactions at target sites such as the liver and immune system.”

Dr. Johnston emphasized that natural and organic product developers “need packaging that fits their philosophy and consumer needs for greener packaging that reduces waste.” She continues, “We are creating better ways to ethically test products. As part of this project, we are using artificial skin to conduct a more thorough evaluation of how packaging reacts with skin.” Because organic products use natural ingredients that are free of toxic pesticides and fertilizers, their environmental footprint is not as harmful as conventional ones. However, the cosmetics industry’s continued use of non-biodegradable packaging raises concerns, as reducing waste is essential to achieving a greener, safer environment. To address issues such as plastic waste disposal (Directive 94/62 / EC) and the depletion of non-renewable resources, biodegradable packaging for natural and organic cosmetics has been developed with market advantages.

This is a huge opportunity for the industry to gain a competitive advantage – the latest survey results show that over 70% of consumers are willing to pay more for greener packaging.