Sustainable and Eco-friendly Packaging: The Green Identity

Increasing sustainable materials and processes offer brands alternative ways to be green.

By Maureen Kelly, creator & CEO of Tarte Cosmetics and a member of Beauty Packaging’s board of advisors; and Candace Craig, PR & marketing manager of Tarte cosmetics.

Maureen Kelly (left) and Candace Craig

Packaging plays a significant role in brand identity—whether it’s a classic statement with a solid color and uniform look or a bold declaration with luxurious, eye-catching fabrics and multilayered components. For color cosmetics brands like Tarte, the packaging reflects the style, technique and voice of the company. Is it a makeup artist brand with all of the numbered packaging? Or, is it an extension of a fashion designer’s line because of the trendy colors? Does it lend itself to a cosmetics history with a recognizable, iconic symbol? Now, there’s a new set of branding questions that exists for the beauty packaging industry: Just how green are you?

With growing consumer awareness of environmental issues and the upswing of eco-conscious lifestyles, cosmetic companies have started to reevaluate and refine packaging processes and materials to adjust to the sustainability movement. Beauty companies like Tarte already had several of these sustainable business practices incorporated into their overall corporate strategy. From Tarte’s inception, the chic product packaging was reused and recycled in one form or another after use. For instance, lipglosses were packaged in cases that consumers could later use as business card holders, travel-jewelry boxes and runway-inspired clutches. The brand as exemplified by the packaging can’t just be utilitarian and eco-conscious; it also has to be visually appealing. This Spring, Tarte launched

Tarte’s Spring Greening, a reusable makeup palette made of straw, includes a removable foam tray constructed of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)—a PCR material.

Be Good to Your Mother (Earth) 24.7 natural lip sheers and reusable natural cotton tote set. Instead of just launching a natural lip product in a bag that would be tossed away, the company decided to create a fashionable, eco-friendly, cotton tote. Not only were they eliminating waste, but they were also adding value to the product and being eco-conscious. That said, most of Tarte’s packaging was and still is intended to be reused, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that new, sustainable materials that also looked luxuriously chic became available on the market. Last year, the company updated its website with information on what the product componentry is made of and how it can be recycled. Tarte is on a mission to help consumers reduce, reuse and recycle and, therefore, has developed eco-symbols defining recyclable and sustainable materials, as well as implemented a customer recycling incentive program.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle: They’re the three, green, key marketing segments for corporations. The beauty industry now, more than ever, needs to focus on the reduce aspect of the green initiative. The first and foremost approach is to assess current packaging. If there are excess materials that do not serve a functional purpose, then the easiest task is to eliminate that feature while still remaining true to the brand. In regard to Tarte, the company reevaluated products that were overpackaged, and determined there were some instances where they could reduce the excess packaging, while still creating a chic product that reflected the health couture branding message. For example, Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes! natural mascara was previously wrapped in faux-python fabric. The company decided to remove this extra material and instead use a chic recyclable plastic component. After executives evaluate current packaging and alter packaging it deems appropriate, then they can look to create future packaging based on environmentally friendly materials and processes. By using eco-friendly processes and sustainable materials, corporations can help reduce their carbon footprints.

Tarte’s celluFIGHT anti-cellulite self-tanner is contained in PCR high density polyethylene (HDPE) tubes.

Today, more efficient and effective sustainable materials exist for packaging options, and color cosmetics companies now have the opportunity to work with them. Having these available materials have transformed how several brands do business and position themselves in a convoluted market. Previously, companies weren’t looking to post-consumer and other waste materials as potential packaging materials. However, now, with increasing consumer demand, more corporations are opting for it as a way to both engage customers and act in a socially responsible manner. Fundamentally, Tarte wanted to strike a balance among fashion-forward style, user-friendly components and sustainable materials. Over the past few years, Tarte dedicated much research and development to the latter by attending trade shows, visiting fabric markets and meeting with manufacturers to find the latest and greatest eco-friendly materials and techniques in the industry.

There were three specific areas that Tarte reviewed in order to refine its green identity: the actual product componentry, packaging and print materials (i.e., catalogs). From a component perspective, Tarte incorporated materials such as post consumer recycled (PCR) aluminum. In Fall 2008, Tarte launched Lash Hugger eco-friendly natural mascara that was housed in a metallized tube composed of PCR aluminum. For Spring 2009, Tarte launched Spring Greening, a reusable makeup palette made of straw that included a removable foam tray constructed of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)—a PCR material. In May, Tarte will launch CelluFIGHT Anti-cellulite Self-tanner which is contained in PCR high density polyethylene (HDPE) tubes. A breakthrough technology that Tarte is currently working on is a component infused with EcoPure, a non-toxic resin additive that allows plastics to completely biodegrade in a quarter of the typical timeframe. Unlike other starch-based additives, EcoPure has an indefinite shelf-life and will only begin breaking down once placed in a landfill. Moving forward, Tarte will continue to investigate materials such as these and others like organic materials for fabric wrapping and next-generation biodegradable plastics.

Focusing on primary packaging is definitely an important aspect of a green identity, but the secondary packaging materials are just as significant to the brand. All of Tarte’s box packaging is made of recycled paper and the information that appears on it is written in soy ink, which contains non-toxic soybean oil and is low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Soy ink is safe and sustainable since it’s made from a renewable resource and thus more easily stripped from paper during the de-inking and recycling process. Rarely does Tarte develop print materials like instruction cards and catalogs, but when it does, it acts in as eco-friendly a manner as possible by working with vendors that understand its green strategy.

For example, a Tarte catalog created for QVC customers was printed on Rolland Enviro100 Print, which contains 100% post-consumer fiber, is environmental choice, processed chlorine free and FSC recycled certified and manufactured in Quebec by Cascades using biogas energy. The streamlined secondary packaging approach combined with Tarte’s eco-friendly printing practices helped solidify the company’s commitment to its sustainable business practices.

In essence, being a green company can be interpreted in many ways: naturally formulated products; environmentally sound packaging and processes; and socially responsible incentives and programs. Working in beauty, Tarte understands color, and green is beautiful. Tarte prides itself as being the leader in earth-engineered beauty with high performance naturals and eco-friendly, sustainable packaging. The company is always looking to strike a balance between glamour and green. This message resonates with consumers who understand the importance of repurposed, recycled and PCR materials and how it helps reduce environmental waste, consequently helping to minimize carbon footprints.

Join Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors on May 21 at 11am, at Luxe Pack NY, for a session entitled “Creating Brand Loyalty.” More info: www.luxepacknewyork.com