What Sustainable Packaging Means to You

Sustainability is more important than ever, but it is also more confusing than ever.

- VALERIE GEORGE

We are constantly bombarded with terms like PCR, ocean waste, and bio-based, but what does it all mean? Is it really doing our planet any good? Should you make the switch? Let's take a simplistic look at the options available to your brand and how to determine what is best for you.

Deciphering the Terms

Historically, plastic packaging for cosmetics has been made from virgin plastic. This means the plastic produced comes from fresh, new starting materials. Conventional plastic comes from petroleum-derived feedstock that chemically reacted to produce different polymers. You can usually look at the bottom of a piece of plastic and see various designators like 1, 2 and 5, which indicate the type of plastic polymer it is. All plastics production emits greenhouse gases, and the type of plastic will determine how much is emitted.

In the effort to create a circular economy, plastic producers have tried to create new plastic products out of old, recycled plastic products. This is called post-consumer recycled plastic, or PCR plastic. The amount of greenhouse gases produced from manufacturing PCR plastic is lower than virgin plastic because it doesn't require petroleum-based feedstock. It is using plastic that already exists. PCR plastic technology has advanced quite a bit over the years; the way recycling is sorted and processed, it is difficult to get pure starting material. It can contain many impurities or have drastic color variations. When creating recycled plastic material, it is important to use the same number of plastics from all sources. The color of plastic is a different story. Some plastics are very dark, which contaminates lighter plastic.