From Cosmetics Business, read full article here.
While the tail end of January saw North America grapple with a polar vortex, Europe was also hit by a cold snap, and visitors to ADF&PCD Paris, which ran from 30-31 January at Porte de Versailles, had to contend with overnight snowfall. No one seemed deterred, however.
Indeed, the 15th edition of the event – now run by Easyfairs Oriex and going by the full name of Aerosol & Dispensing Forum & Packaging of Perfume Cosmetics & Design – felt busier than ever. Although official numbers are yet to be released, registration figures suggest ADF&PCD opened its doors to nearly 8,000 visitors over the two days.
An ever-present theme was sustainability: from the new Eco-Tour feature to a full afternoon’s presentations on ‘Eco-design and sustainable developments’ as part of the ADF conferences.
Materials go greener
Incorporating PCR (post consumer recycled) materials in cosmetic packaging, while retaining a desirable appearance and the required functionality is a conundrum that many suppliers are working to solve – and some breakthroughs were showcased in Paris last week.
German tube specialist Neopac, for example, added a third ‘green’ product to its roster to coincide with the show, making up a new EcoDesign line. Joining its PICEA Wood Tube (containing 95.8% sawdust and bioplastics) and its Sugarcane Tube, Neopac now offers Recycled Plastic Tube, which incorporates both PCR plastic from milk bottles and process-related waste from industrial laminate production. The total recycled content in Neopac’s Recycled Plastic Tube is 75%, mixed with 25% virgin HDPE; moreover, its manufacture uses 25% less carbon than an equivalent PE tube.
All the EcoDesign tubes can be capped with Neopac’s Ocean Plastics Cap, which is made from 100% used fishing ropes.
Aptar beauty + home is likewise investing in more environmentally-friendly plastics generally, and as well as bio-resin from sugar cane, it is now offering certain packaging parts in PCR.
“We are about to industrialise PCR for non-functional parts; that means the cap, the closure – all the components that are not functional, but which, with regards to weight, make up the biggest part of the pump,” Susanne Traeris, Product Line Manager Spray Pumps EMEA, told Cosmetics Business.
She drew attention to the closure Aptar recently developed for household cleaning products company Ecover’s Washing Up Liquids, which contains 50% PCR plastic.
“We can do 50% virgin and 50% PCR,” she said. “But if the company wants, we can do 100% PCR.” She noted that while there are limitations regarding colour (white PCR is impossible to achieve at present), the client can “go darker” than the grey-hued consumer regrind to achieve attractive dark blue or dark green colours, as well as black and dark-grey options.
Silgan Dispensing has added
PCR plastic components to several stock pumps while
maintaining quality and performance
Silgan Dispensing also unveiled a new portfolio of PCR components over the two days.
“The way PCR has been done so far, is an individual customer will come to a supplier with a very specific request, etc. What we wanted to do was take our flagship products across different technology categories and launch a stock portfolio that’s available every day,” John Ferro, Vice President, Marketing, told Cosmetics Business.
This stock portfolio includes two 2CC dispensers (SD200 for North America and SD20C for Europe), a fine mist sprayer (Mark VII Max, Europe) and a trigger sprayer (TS800, North America and Europe); there are three styles of PCR closure (98% PCR), but these are available in North America only.
The PCR dispensers are available in black in North America, and in black and basalt grey in Europe.
“The real trick doing PCR in dispensers, sprayers and pumps is you have a lot of complex small parts that have to all work together. We looked at each plastic component in the pump and we identified those components where we could make it PCR without affecting the quality or the performance.”
In the case of the Mark VII Max, for example, the closure and the hood can be made from raw PCR, which represents a total PCR weight of 31%. For the SD20C, the Satin Head and closure can be made from PCR, making the total PCR weight 28%.
“I expect over time we will be able to increase these percentages,” Ferro noted, “But we only ever launch what 100% meets our requirements.”
But what’s available for those looking to move away from plastics entirely? An interesting novel material was offered by Finnish exhibitor Paptic: a plastic alternative made using cellulose from sustainably managed forests.
Paptic’s Arnaud Jouvance said: “We wanted to offer a material with very similar physical properties to plastic – its strength, its resistance – but which was bio-sourced, biodegradable and recyclable.”
The wood and other fibres in Paptic are biodegradable, but used products can be recycled in the same stream as cardboard. That said, the resistance and ‘foldability’ of the material also makes it a good option for re-use initiatives.
Other benefits are said to include the material’s smooth, tactile effect and easy integration into existing paper converting lines.