The top 5 current trends in sustainable packaging: refillable, recyclable, compostable, and removable.

1. Refillable packaging
Refillable cosmetic packaging is not a new idea. As environmental awareness increases, refillable packaging is becoming more and more popular. Google search data shows that searches for "refill packaging" have grown steadily over the past five years.

 

2. Recyclable packaging
The current international brands need to not only focus on developing new recyclable materials, but also look into simplifying the recycling process. The market demand for simple and efficient recycling processes is very urgent. Among them, 7 well-known cosmetic companies including Estee Lauder and Shiseido, covering 14 well-known brands such as Lancome, Aquamarine, and Kiehl's, have joined the empty bottle recycling program, hoping to establish a green consumption concept nationwide.

 

3. Compostable packaging
Compostable cosmetic packaging is another area that requires constant innovation and development. Compostable packaging can be either industrial compost or household compost, however there are very few industrial compost facilities worldwide. In the U.S., only 5.1 million households have legal access to compost, or just 3 percent of the population, which means the program is hard to come by. Nonetheless, compostable packaging offers a truly organic recycling system with enormous potential in the packaging industry of the future.

 

4. Paper packaging
Paper has emerged as an important sustainable packaging alternative to plastic, offering the same level of performance as plastic while reducing landfill. Recent legislation in both the European Union and South Korea is forcing brands to innovate without plastic, which may become a new demand direction for both markets.

 

5. Removable packaging
Packaging designed for easy disassembly is becoming more and more popular. The complexities of current packaging design are often misunderstood, leading to ineffective handling or end-of-life. The complex and diverse design materials of cosmetic packaging is one of the biggest challenges in achieving sustainable development, and detachable design can perfectly solve this problem. This approach finds ways to reduce material usage, facilitate disassembly, and allow for more efficient reuse for repairs and recovery of key material resources. Many brands and packaging suppliers are already working in this area.