Online Exclusive: Aveda’s Eco-Friendly Packaging Policy

Beauty Packaging recently asked Suzanne Dawson, Aveda’s newly appointed vice president global innovation, about the brand’s unique policy and the future of sustainable packaging.

Suzanne Dawson

BP: What are your duties as vice president global innovation at Aveda in terms of packaging?

SD: I lead a cross-functional team to drive disruptive innovation for Aveda in the fields of plant-based product, natural technology, sustainable packaging and digital media. Our team consists of members from research and development, packaging, supply chain, sourcing, product development and consumer insight.

BP: What are the current trends in sustainable packaging for the global beauty industry in general?

SD: It’s exciting that there is a big increase in packaging containing PCR (post consumer recycled) content, and use of environmental resins. The future is in biodegradable and dissolvable packaging (as long as the infrastructure to support it catches up), refill technologies, environmental options for airless packaging and propellant-free sprays. Smarter design will allow us to reuse waste more effectively and efficiently, while developing closed loop systems to help eliminate waste.

I fundamentally believe that sustainable packaging is the new prestige. Consumers want environmentally thoughtful packaging, rather than single-use-disposables and they expect their favorite brands to take care of this for them.

A 2009 BBMG Conscious Consumer Report states that 67% of U.S. consumers agree that “even in tough times, it’s important to buy products with social and environmental benefits.”

BP: How does Aveda continue to excel in this area?

SD: Aveda received Gold Cradle to Cradle (C2C) designation in 2009 for seven key products and Silver C2C designation for its packaging.

Aveda has long led the beauty industry in introducing environmental innovations in packaging by incorporating high recycled content, increasing recyclability, promoting waste reduction and creating closed-loop systems. Here is a partial list of achievements:

– In February 2011, Aveda initiated a pilot Package Take Back Program in Colorado to retrieve Aveda packaging at end of life. This program will determine the feasibility for Aveda to develop an extended producer responsibility program, targeting 100 percent recovery of Aveda packaging that cannot be recovered through traditional recycling infrastructures. The program is slated for a national rollout in the coming months.

– In 2010 Botanical Kinetics skin care products moved from virgin green frosted glass to 100 percent PCR post consumer polyester (PET) bottles.

– In 2008 Aveda launched the first recycled polypropylene (PP) caps-recycling program of its kind in the U.S. To-date the Aveda Caps Program has more than 1,600 schools involved and more than 525,000 pounds of caps collected.

– Aveda Introduced the first 100 percent recycled PP cap in the beauty industry in 2008 with the 30th Anniversary Clove Shampoo. As of 2010, Aveda hair color tubes contain 100 percent recycled PP caps.
o All internally-distributed sales and education print collateral produced by Aveda are printed on 100% PCR paper stock, including letterhead, note cards, business cards, etc.

– Aveda has used only non-solvent, soy-based printing inks on its paperboard cartons since 1994, in place of traditional petrochemical-based inks.

BP: What is Aveda’s policy regarding packaging for personal care and beauty products?

SD: We minimize packaging as much as possible while adhering to strict quality and environmental standards. We incorporate as much PCR content as possible, do without cartons whenever we can and never add wasteful elements just for the sake of aesthetic. Consequently, our packaging is modern, functional and eco-innovative.

We work continuously with our suppliers to raise the bar, and have achieved several ‘firsts’ together. Even today there is little on the market in terms of green packaging, so we’ve taken the lead in developing new technologies with the help of our vendor partners. One example of this is our Caps Recycling Program; we collect plastic bottle caps, which are not currently recyclable, and send them to a plastics recycler to be ground and molded into new plastic caps. While this is a step in the right direction, is still a waste-reuse strategy. Our goal is to eliminate waste to begin with; to make a positive, rather than a ‘less bad’ impact on the earth.

The packaging industry still has a long way to go in developing environmental coatings, inks and adhesives.

BP: What are your goals in terms of packaging? Materials, practices, lightweighting, etc? How will this evolve over the next few years?

SD: Aveda’s goals in packaging comprise environmentally intelligent design, waste elimination and developing biodegradable packages and closed-loop systems. We will continue to advance PCR technology and novel green resins.

BP: Is the packaging for Aveda consumer-driven as well as corporate driven? Do Aveda customers prioritize packaging in making their purchase?

SD: Aveda’s approach to packaging is simple and modern; the beauty is that there is no excess. Our customers know it’s sustainable—we print PCR content right on the packaging. It’s definitely something they take into consideration; 12% of American women are influenced by recycled packaging (Brandweek, 3/06/08) and 1 in 2 consumers would forgo convenience packaging if it would benefit the environment (Global Food Study, Nielsen, 2008). The personal care industry has the power to drive greater demand for environmental packaging by making this a part of development strategy. We will all benefit from reduced waste, better cost and increased availability.

BP: What is the product/packaging that you are most proud of? Which was most challenging to achieve?

SD: I am so proud of our Light the Way Earth Month candle packaging. The candle glass is made of 100% reclaimed glass beverage containers, and the outside unit carton and insert are made from 70 percent PCR paperboard, with a portion made from Aveda “make-ready” materials. “Make-readies” are paperboard stock previously used to prepare or “warm up” the printing press and have been printed on only one side. They are typically thrown away or recycled at best. We print on the blank side and fold into cartons—avoiding landfill waste

Our challenges with candle glass have been numerous. Several suppliers have gone out of business, and we subsequently had a difficult time finding a supplier for recycled glass, but we finally have a beautiful 100% PCR candle container. The process has been time consuming and costly; this is one of the most expensive packages we’ve ever developed! In fact, we were able to find only one recycled glass supplier in the U.S. that provides post-industrial glass, seriously!