Cosmetics outside are just as important as the inside. A famous proverb is, “What’s on the outside is just as crucial as the outside.” Attractive and alluring packaging engaged more consumers and made more profit for the cosmetic industry.
The global report showed that 57% of brands made evident progress in sustainable packaging; 34% of brands had started changing from standard to improved containers. Furthermore, they applaud manufacturer efforts to clean up formulas, eliminating potentially toxic ingredients. The fashion industry is the most significant admirer of cosmetic brands. Therefore, cosmetic brands focus on achievements in the sustainable packaging field.
Now the focus shifts to cosmetic boxes packaging with a clarion call for a sustainability mission.
Sustainability Mission in Cosmetic Packaging
Sustainable packaging involves everything from decreasing carbon footprints and diversifying supply sources to incorporating biodegradable substrate materials, right-size boxes, and paperboard produced from sustainably managed trees.
Reducing Carbon Emissions
At the basis of most climate change discussions is the concern about carbon emissions. By cutting emissions throughout each step of your design and manufacturing process, you can ensure your cosmetic brand is more eco-friendly than competitors.
This entails using sustainable energy rather than relying on fossil fuels to power operations, minimizing the use of polymers and other petroleum-based substances, and partnering with third-party suppliers also dedicated to sustainability.
Localize Supply Chains
Inherently, longer supply chains result in higher carbon emissions. As cosmetic products or packaging travel further, more greenhouse gasses are released into the atmosphere. By sourcing packaging from local businesses and preserving ecosystems, you can reduce carbon footprints while eliminating some of the latest challenges facing global supply chains—saving you time and preventing costly disruptions.
Renewable Substrates & Biodegradable Alternatives
Paperboard tends to be the dominant and popular packaging material used in cosmetic packaging, especially in folding boxes.
Fortunately, it is an incredibly eco-friendly product, so long as the timber is derived from sustainably harvested wood. When choosing a paper packaging manufacturer, check for certifications from the non-profit Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI).
Consider organic biodegradable packaging’s such as sugarcane bagasse, hemp, cotton, and casein. The majority of cosmetic brands also use post-consumer recycled paper.
Labels and packaging should indicate that the materials used were sustainably sourced so consumers know you’re a brand that shares their commitment to sustainability. This generates brand loyalty by informing users you’re a brand that supports their devotion to sustainability.
Right-Size Packaging
Perhaps the easiest shift to make in sustainable custom cosmetic boxes design is right-size packaging is about using only as much material as necessary to protect and secure your products. This means removing superfluous air pockets and layers that eco-conscious consumers may perceive as wasteful.
Cosmetic Packaging Aligned with Sustainability
By embracing these sustainability components, your brand will stand out as a market leader—with eco-friendly cosmetic packaging appearing in many forms.
For example, Lauren Conrad recently moved toward greater sustainability in design with a pledge “to design beautiful products that are safe, environmentally friendly, responsibly sourced, and organic so you can feel confident about what you’re applying on your skin.”
Many packaging strategies are at the core of this endeavour. With Lauren Conrad, for instance, the fibbers in the fabrics immediately communicate the brand’s sustainability mission.
It is impossible to imagine the possibilities that exist. Ultimately, by incorporating cosmetic boxes sustainability, your cosmetic brand can expand among eco-friendly consumers eager to buy from a business that supports their hope for a cleaner, healthier environment.
Alternative Materials
The printing and packaging industry depends extensively on tree-based materials, which, to many, poses a sustainability concern.
However, several companies have introduced tree-free alternatives with proven benefits for printed collateral and folding cartons. Famous US companies have dedicated resources to curate an array of paper and paperboard, consisting of hemp-based products, sugarcane (the Lauren Conrad folding cartons featured above consist of paperboard made from sugarcane bagasse, for example), and 100% recycled paper options.
For folding cosmetic boxes, the company uses cellulose acetate windowing that is 100% compostable, petroleum-free, vegetable-oil-based inks, and water-based coatings. To provide its customers with sustainable options, the company does all of this as part of its goal to make sustainability an integral part of its business model.
Last Word: Expertise & Guidance
You’ll often hear sustainability mentioned as a ‘sticky’ issue. It’s tied to every stage of packaging: from the materials to the raw materials, to the productivity of the process, to the behaviour of producers and consumers, all of which we’ve outlined above.
It’s also essential to note that the most ‘sustainable’ packaging choice changes from customer to customer. However, contingent on several factors, traditional paperboard may be a more eco-friendly, cost-effective choice for larger print jobs.
Because of this, the cosmetic packaging industry initiates conversations about your environmental strategy and goals. By giving the team this direction, they can strive for sustainability within your budget and achieve your objectives.
Alternatively, if you don’t have any specifics, that’s fine, too. We can guide you through the options with cosmetic packaging experts. In addition, they will cover sustainable materials sourced responsibly, enhanced recyclability, and source reduction.
As more information and technology become available, cosmetic packaging has continued to adapt its sustainable packaging approach to meet customers’ needs from all industries.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
