Green cosmetics : an engineering perspective on cosmetic packaging

Abstract

The global cosmetics industry is a multi-billion euro business that shows no signs of slowing down. A large percentage of this evaluation is attributed to product packaging, which introduces a considerable environmental issue due to the skyrocketing demands for plastic packaging. The environmental ‘con’ for cosmetics can be traced to its packaging, which has a significant impact on the product’s overall sustainability. Both primary (the container holding the cosmetic itself) and secondary packaging are commonly found in significantly high or even excessive quantities. To make matters worse, this high level of packaging is almost always unnecessary and is solely used to create a premium unboxing experience, such as by including thick ribbons, individually packing items, or including lots of paper separation. [excerpt]