Sustainable Packaging: Brands' Innovations - Bio Inspiration
Our annual packaging innovations trend report highlights the most innovative and interesting sustainable beauty packaging design concepts and initiatives launched in the last 12 months from niche to mass and luxury brands that have caught our attention. Read on to discover the latest packaging concepts in our final series, which focuses on new upcycled, recycled and natural materials.
Our Sustainable Packaging Design Innovations & Key Trends 2024 report is split into three parts:
- Eco Anxiety/ Eco-Boredom - link here
- Packaging Disappearance - link here
- Bio Inspiration - see article below
*this report feature products launched in January to October 2024.
Macro Trends
re/sources has identified three big macro trends in 2024:
- Eco Anxiety/Eco-Boredom (sensorial / tactile / immersive / inclusive / easy recycling): Bored of the pressures of sustainability, consumers are increasingly seeking beauty products that provide excitement and entertainment with sensorial, holistic and 360 circular design that taps into the mind-connection.
- Packaging Disappearance (refillable / keepsake / reusable / luxury vessels): Packaging is no longer just a transportation device or a protective/ application tool, but a keepsake object with value. This trend is all about removing the waste element of packaging and creating a beautiful design piece that can last a lifetime.
- Bio Inspiration (upcycled / recycled materials / marine bioplastics / algae / mushroom / bacteria): Packaging inspired by the natural world and living organisms to ensure the preservation and regeneration of nature and its biodiversity.
Click here to read the full report on each of the three macro trends.
Key Packaging Trends
Bio Inspiration
- By-Product Materials: using upcycled materials.
- Natural Materials: using materials such as algae that can dissolve as well as bamboo and mushroom.
- Recycled Materials: from ocean plastic to post consumer recycled (PCR) materials.
- Carbon Capture: packaging made from carbon capture processes.
By-Product Materials
Unplain
Skincare brand that combining science with nature, high-performance ingredients and thoughtful packaging design.
Why it’s interesting: The brand opts for packaging that are recyclable, made with minimal natural resources. The products are housed in packaging boxes made from straw paper, while the outer packaging is made from a byproduct of wheat farming, printed with soy ink.
Market: US
Launch: May 2024
Lumene
The new 50ml bio-based jars come in colourful mono material packaging and are said to be fully and easily recyclable as plastic.
Why it’s interesting: The jars are lighter and more compact than the previous 50ml packaging. It contains the same amount of moisturizer but requires 44% less packaging material. Its carbon footprint is up to 38% smaller compared to the previous bio-based package. The packaging is made from side streams of the Finnish forest industry. Tall oil, a side stream material of pulp manufacturing, is used to produce biobased feedstock, which is the raw material for plastic production.
Market: Global/Finland
Launch: October 2024
Natural Materials
Ben & Anna
Déodorant packaging made from “world-first” polypotato packaging.
Why it’s interesting: The polypotato packaging is a brand new creation which is fully compostable and will start to decompose in a few weeks. The packaging is 100% natural and made from a by-product of the potato industry. A plastic-free alternative, the brand claims that the packaging is completely compostable.
Market: UK (April 2024), Europe (launched in 2023)
Launch: April 2024
SkinOffice
SkinOffice worked with Knoll to create a innovative 100% Knoll Ecoform molded pulp secondary packaging
Why it’s interesting: The sustainable outer packaging can hold a serum, tool and brochure. It features Knoll’s recyclable pulp made from bamboo and bagasse fibers. The product is plastic-free, made from 100% vegetable pulp and includes 60% FSC-certified bamboo and 40% bagasse fibers (agricultural by-product of sugar cane production) and water. The eco-packaging is said to be biodegradable and recyclable.
Market: Global
Launch: January 2024
The Rootist
New haircare brand The Rootist offers packaging made entirely out of mushrooms. The brand worked with packaging company Morae to create a packaging related to the concept of “roots”. They created a mushroom-grown packaging by collaborating with Ecovative - leaders in mushroom packaging.
Why it’s interesting The tray is made entirely from mycelium and is both biodegradable and compostable at home.
Market: US/Canada
Launch: February 2024
Attitude
The new Oceanly Skincare Phyto-Sun line comes in biodegradable packaging.
Why it’s interesting: The Phyto-Sun products are packaged in biodegradable, plastic-free and FSC-certified cardboard tubes - thick enough to ensure better preservation of the formulas. The ink used for the packaging is plant-based. The materials elongate the life of the product and are recyclable ensuring no footprint is left behind. A push-up mechanism ensures easy application without having to touch the product.
Market: Canada
Launch: May 2024
Good Condition
A new eco-luxury skincare brand founded by Cherie Baughn that focuses on face and body products that are organic, hand-crafted and come in solid formats.
Why it’s interesting: The products are housed in plastic-free containers that naturally biodegrade. "As a beauty consumer, I was frustrated with the difficulty of finding premium beauty products without having to take home a lot of packaging. There just wasn't anything out there that was 100% organic, all-natural, and truly sustainable." says Good Condition Founder Cherie Baughn, "Women deserve better choices. The beauty industry can do better, and Good Condition is here to prove that sustainability can be a reality."
Market: US
Launch: March 2024
Three Ships
The Off Duty Sea Algae + Bio-Peptide Smoothing Biodegradable Eye Masks are made with a dissolvable material.
Why it’s interesting: The under eye masks leaves zero waste. When consumers finish using the product, the hydrogel eye masks can be placed in hot water and it will dissolve.
Recycled Materials
Oriflame Duologi
The Swedish brand Oriflame has developed its latest innovation with Albéa's Reflex 2 technology for two products in its new "Duologi" hair care range. Rich Creme Conditioner and Light Creme Conditioner are presented in a metallised PBL tube with no aluminium layer in the skirt and combined with a low-profile PP cap. Albéa's (Re)flex technology is recognised as fully compatible with the European recycling stream for rigid high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
Why it’s interesting: Tube isfully recyclable in HDPE recycling stream.
Market: Global
Launch: May 2023
Coco Fesse
Founded by Alexis Szabo, prestige butt care brand Coco Fesse launched one product earlier this year. Twerk Creme is a body product designed for the butt with key ingredients of Thai coconut oil, shea butter, vitamin E and caffeine.
Why it’s interesting: The jar is made with 100% certified ocean bound plastic. The cap is made from bamboo.The product comes with a bamboo spatula to scoop out the product.The FSC outer carton is recyclable.
Market: US
Launch: April 2024
Ebb Ocean Club
Haircare brand that focuses on preserving the ocean with a line of shampoo, conditioner, tonic spray, repair treatment mask.
Why it’s interesting: New haircare brand that creates packaging from PCR-plastic retrieved from the ocean. Bottles are made from PCR plastic from the ocean.
Market: US
Launch: May 2024
Method
Method’s new bottles are now made entirely from 100% recycled recovered coastal plastic sourced through SC Johnson’s partnership with Plastic Bank.
Why it’s interesting: Method first introduced recycled recovered coastal plastic into limited-edition hand soap and dish soap bottles in 2012. Now, it’s advancing sustainable packaging by utilising more recycled recovered coastal plastic across several home cleaning, hand soap and specialty cleaner products. Method’s all-purpose cleaner and foaming hand wash are offered in reusable aluminum bottles with recyclable glass concentrate refills, which is said to save 96% of plastic compared to single-use bottles.
Market: US
Launch: June 2024
Humanrace
Humanrace has created a Skincare Routine Pack for premium retailer Dover Street Parfum Market. Designed exclusively in collaboration with multi-branded retailer Dover Street Market, the limited-edition products includes a Rice Powder Cleanser, Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator, and Humidifying Face Cream housed in black and cream packaging.
Why it’s interesting: The packaging comes in 100% PCR refillable black bottles, which means that the bottles can be reused by the consumer. The refills are easy to slot in and out.
Market: US/France
Launch: June 2024
Fenty Hair by Rihanna
Fenty’s new haircare products come in PCR bottle. The line includes eight products: a repair treatment, shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioning treatment, heat protectant, curl cream, strong hold gel and edge control gel.
Why it’s interesting: The shampoo and conditioner are packaged in 100% PCR aluminium packaging and can be recycled once empty. The bond builder, deep conditioner and styling packaging are all made from 50% PCR plastic.
Market: Global/US
Launch: June 2024
Evo Haircare
Evo haircare brand has switched to more eco-friendly packaging options. The brand’s new packaging is made with 50% PCR plastic.
Why it’s interesting: The first Evo products to feature the new eco-friendly packaging are Box o’ Bollox, Cassius, Crop Strutters and Casual Act. The PCR content used in Evo’s packaging is locally sourced to create less virgin plastic and is said to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by localising production.
Market: Global
Launch: March 2024
Maed
Sephora accelerate participant Maed has created a line of “decadent lipcare” made with sustainably conscious packaging. The line includes Reveal Lip Polish, Reset Lip Serum, Revive Day + Night Lip Balm and Signature Lip Pigment.
Why it’s interesting:Packaging is made of 50% sustainable PCR materials. The brand encourages consumers to recycle empty packaging by dropping it off at a recycling drop off point.
Market: US
Launch: September 2024
eSalon
eSalon’s new custom hair care line features a line of personalised products, including a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner spray and hair mask, designed for every hair type. The range was created and developed by expert stylists.
Why it’s interesting: The bottles and jars are made from 100% PCR materials and to further minimise waste the brand has opted to use FSC-certified paper, biodegradable packaging as well as recycled materials for shipping.
Market: US
Launch: September 2024
Wella
The Wella Company has given its Welloxon Perfect Professional Colour Developer line a new sustainable packaging design as well as formulation.
Why it’s interesting: The new packaging includes a multi-layer molding technology that replaces virgin plastic with up to 70% of PCR plastic. It is also designed to be 100% recyclable, except for the safety seal. The new design can save approximately 90 metric tons of plastic per year compared to the previous product.
Market: US/Global
Launch: April 2024
Murdock London
Men’s grooming brand Murdock London now offers its most popular formulas in jars made from 100% PCR plastic. Six of the brand’s products which includes Sea Salt Paste, Matt Mud, Hair Play, Texture Paste, Beard Balm and Vintage Pomade, now features the new packaging.
Why it’s interesting: “We are so proud of this transition to PCR jars. It’s been a long-term project that has revealed the incredible environmental benefits of choosing PCR. We are relentless in pursuing kinder, more impactful and more sustainable ways to serve our customers worldwide. That goal harmonises perfectly with the needs of customers that are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of packaging,” – Graham Clarke, CEO of Murdock London, told Salon Business.
Market: UK
Launch: July 2024
Coola
Coola has updated its packaging in celebration of its 20th anniversary this year. The new designs feature more sustainable packaging across its entire portfolio of sun care. The packaging incorporates the brand’s iconic gradient colour design and the signature “Pacific Ocean Blue” hue decorating its aluminium cans, inspired by its “Southern Californian roots”.
Why it’s interesting: The brand is using more post-consumer recycled materials in its tubes and removing boxes where possible to minimise waste.
Market: Global
Launch: April 2024
Tom's of Maine
Tom’s of Maine offers a line of new deodorant and antiperspirant with formulas thta are free from parabens, dyes, baking soda as well as artificial fragrances and preservatives. There are 11 scents including Clean Coast, Coconut Mango, Cucumber Aloe, Eucalyptus Mint, Lemongrass Tea Tree, Mountain Spring, North Woods, Rose Vanilla, Sandalwood Vanilla, Wild Lavender and Unsented. The antiperspirant line is available in two scents, Cucumber Aloe and North Woods.
Why it’s interesting: All the packaging tubes are made from 100% recycled plastic.
Market: US
Launch: April 2024
L'Occitane
L’Occitane en Provence has teamed up with recycling company Carbios and packaging firm Pinard Beauty Pack to create a transparent PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle from 100% enzymatic recycled material.
Why it’s interesting: The transparent bottle for its shower oil from L’Occitane en Provence’s Amande range utilises Carbios’ enzymatic depolymerisation process made with a European value chain committed to responsible consumption of sustainable materials. The bottle’s production began with the local supply of PET waste (already collected, sorted and prepared) to the Carbios’ industrial demonstrator in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The waste used consisted of coloured bottles, multilayer trays and mechanical recycling residues, none of which are currently recycled using traditional technologies. Carbios deconstructed PET waste into its original monomers using its bio recycling technology. The resulting monomers were then re-polymerised into new, fully recycled PET resins within Europe.
Market: France
Launch: June 2024
Vapsula
French wellness brand Vapsula offers supplements in Nespresso coffee machine-inspired dispensers. The products includes three different vitamin shots: Glow, Boost and Cure.
Why it’s interesting: The pouches are made from recyclable PP (polypropylene) material. The vitamin capsules are also 100% recyclable.
Market: France
Launch: February 2024
The Make Up Eraser
The 100% Recycled Collection was launched during Earth Month. The range features a Pro size, Mini Pro size and a 7-Day Set that comes with a mesh wash bag.
Why it’s interesting: The products are made from 100% repurposed plastic fibers sourced from bottles and textiles.
Market: Global
Launch: April 2024
Natura
The Brazilian beauty giant has teamed up with Nestle to repurpose its Nespresso coffee capsules into beauty packaging.
Why it’s interesting: The Nespresso coffee aluminum capsules is being used for the brand’s Ekos Castanha hand moisturisers. The hand cream tubes are made of 100% recycled aluminium, 10% of which comes from the Nespresso capsules.
Market: Brazil
Launch: October 2024
Chanel
Chanel’s first mascara packaging that incorporates recycled aluminium, used in the brand's Volume line, which comprises Volume, Volume Revolution and Volume Stretch.
Why it’s interesting: The Volume mascara integrates aluminium into the packaging, which includes between 10% and 20% recycled aluminium. The anodized packs come with either a glossy finish (10% recycled aluminium) or a matte finish (20% recycled aluminium). Mechanical engraving during the stamping process is used to achieve the brushed aluminium effect on the Volume Stretch and Volume Revolution packs.
Market: France/Global
Launch: January 2024
Faith in Nature
Faith in Nature offers a line of products in infinitely recyclable aluminium packaging. The line, which credits Nature as co-creator, is the first to be endorsed and voted on by Nature.
Why it’s interesting: The new, 100% recycled and infinitely recyclable 500ml aluminium range can be reused again to prevent packaging going to landfills. No plastic is used, the shampoo, conditioner and body washes are made of 100% PCR aluminium.
Market: UK
Launch: June 2024
Carbon Capture
Caliray
The first-ever cosmetic tube made from captured carbon packaging. The brand worked with Element Beauty Group to create the packaging.
Why it’s interesting: Features a upcycled plastic cap and captured carbon body. The packaging is easier to recycle as captured carbon packaging uses a captured carbon additive that can extend the lifespan of recycled plastic by at least four times when mechanically recycled, enhancing durability and strength.
Market: US
Launch: September 2024
