Beauty brands are deepening their environmental commitments and exploring packaging materials that are more sustainable and increasingly eco-friendly. New alternatives to conventional plastics have improved recyclability and, in some cases, biodegradability, and are helping brands create packages with eye-catching shelf appeal and feel-good functionality.

The beauty industry is among the most progressive adopters of alternative packaging materials. According to Charlotte Wintermann, Founder and CEO, REearthable, two critical forces are accelerating this shift: heightened consumer pressure and brand-switching risk and reality. 

Avoid Brand Switching

“Beauty consumers insist on meaningful sustainability improvements—more than in most categories—because packaging is an integral part of the product experience,” she says, noting that beauty consumers are more likely to switch brands specifically for more sustainable packaging. “Reacquiring a lost beauty customer is expensive; material choice becomes a direct revenue risk measured in billions annually.”

Beauty brands also reformulate, repackage, and relaunch more frequently than food, beverage, or household goods, and that built-in agility, says Wintermann, makes it easier for beauty companies to adopt non-traditional materials to stay ahead of EPR fees, plastic taxes, and retailer compliance mandates.

“As a result,” Wintermann says beauty is swiftly becoming a proving ground—brands are somewhat willing to experiment as long as materials still deliver performance, precision aesthetics, and speed-to-market; however, therein lies the challenge—there are few true plastic replacements that either don’t scale, or don’t perform like the real thing.”

Structural friction, including concerns around cost, availability, tooling compatibility, cost modeling, and the fear of disrupting a finely tuned packaging workflow masks a far larger threat: the cost of doing nothing. “Brands often view alternative materials as a risk, but in reality, it’s the lack of transition that puts margin, loyalty and growing exposure to emerging regulatory and retailer compliance requirements at risk—not necessarily the materials themselves,” she says.

REearthable’s commercially available alternative to PP is called ecoPLAS. Boasting both biodegradability and compostability, ecoPLAS is made of mineralized limestone, a natural carbon sink and an abundant waste byproduct of quarry mining. When combined with a biodegradable and compostable biopolymer matrix, ecoPLAS creates a durable, mold-ready material with desirable strength, stiffness, and surface finish. 

It also runs on existing PP equipment for caps, closures, compacts, jars, lip balm tubes, deodorant sticks, applicators, brush handles, trays, accessories, outer shells, and refill components—essentially any rigid or semi-rigid injection-molded packaging. It’s additionally compatible with 3D filament for rapid prototyping, new concept development, and limited-edition production runs.

Wintermann explains, “We have no supply-chain borders [and] ecoPLAS can be compounded on standard polymer equipment worldwide, supporting regional manufacturing, lowering transport emissions, and enabling rapid production scale-up wherever brands operate.” 

Like Plastic, but Better

Beauty packaging has become a powerful storytelling tool that reflects the brand’s purpose and responsibility, which is resonating with rising consumer expectations. Louison Nam, Senior Manager, Business Development, SP Global Packaging, says multiple factors are driving this momentum, including the tightening of plastic use regulations across various countries, which has accelerated the development of alternative materials and the expansion of recycling infrastructure. 

SP Global Packaging’s “Grastic” is a 100% biodegradable composite material made entirely from corn starch and naturally derived biodegradable ingredients. What sets Grastic apart is its ability to fully break down in nature—even at room temperature—without releasing harmful substances or microplastics.

Nam says it’s designed to be consumed by bacteria over time and under natural conditions, making it an ideal material for a circular environment. “It requires no special recycling or separation processes and can be disposed of as general waste. Additionally, depending on the application, it can also be recycled as a mono-material or in combination with conventional plastics.” 

Grastic originated out of a challenge to create a material that could replace plastics like ABS or PETG for food and beverage packaging. Now, SP Global Packaging is currently developing a range of cosmetic packaging solutions that reflect the need for high chemical resistance and the ability to withstand extreme temperature variations. So far, according to SP, Grastic “has delivered near-perfect durability in secondary packaging like boxes, trays, and outer cases that do not come into direct contact with product formulations, offering a premium texture while being fully biodegradable without plastic lamination.”

Lam reports that Grastic is now entering the commercialization stage for rigid primary cosmetic containers like jars, bottles, caps/closures, and compacts. Because it’s compatible with existing blow molding and injection molding processes using conventional ABS, PP, and PET molds, brands can adopt Grastic without changing their tooling, significantly reducing transition time and cost.

Related: Alternative Packaging with a Conscience

Flexible packaging represents the final phase of development, and Lam says tubes, pouches, and droppers—applications that require flexibility, durability, and biodegradability—are currently in active development. 

Thoughtfully Sourced

Every package design tells a story, as do many alternative packaging materials.  

The story behind Ocean Waste Plastic (OWP), a rigorously and transparently documented raw material from Pack Tech, begins in Indonesia, where plastic is collected from the ocean and rivers. It’s then sorted, cleaned, and processed into OWP-granules, which are then used in the manufacturing of beauty packaging such as bottles, jars, caps, sprays, foamers, and airless configurations. 

“The environment is one of the top concerns across the globe, with citizens trying to have a positive impact, even in the smallest ways, whenever they can,” says Mikkel Ibsen, Chief Executive Officer, Pack Tech. “Responsible packaging is the perfect way for beauty brands to tell consumers they care, too.”

La Saponaria, an Italian cosmetic and personal care brand, uses OWP for its foamer set (pump and bottle) and a finger sprayer. The foamer set is light grey in color and is made with both OWP and conventional PCR. The plastic in this solution is a mix of PP and HDPE. The foamer has a PP mesh in size 150/250, a closure of 43mm, and a 0.8ml dosage. The finger sprayer is an off-white blend of PP and HDPE. 

“La Saponaria…liked the story behind OWP so much that they decided to contribute to the collection process,” Ibsen explains. “This means that they help us finance our plastic collectors directly in Indonesia, contributing even further to a positive impact from their brand.”

Coverpla also maintains a strong commitment to sustainably sourced packaging, evident in the company’s broad offering of certified sustainable forestry wood caps. Another example is Coverpla’s Bakelite jars and lids, which are made of 40% cellulose and contain zero petroleum, offering a beautiful balance of elegant aesthetics and responsible material sourcing.

“Packaging goes far beyond function…it serves as a tactile and visual expression of innovation, ethics, and identity,” says Gilda Mirra Cutri, Vice President of Operations & Business Development, Coverpla.

The Elena Bakelite range for creams, balms, masks, or solid perfumes comes in 5-, 15-, 30-, 50-, 100-, and 200ml sizes. They deliver a sharp-angled circular profile and matte finish derived from tooling, not a spray finish. Cutri says they offer a cool, weighty touch and a satisfying metallic sound that underscores their quality.

Natural Fibers

Wood and fiber-based materials are sustainable and flexible and can be transformed into packaging that ranges from naturally simplistic to high-end, ultra-premium.

Knoll Ecoform Molded Pulp from Knoll Packaging is a plant-based, biodegradable molded pulp developed as a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging. It can be color-matched, shaped, and decorated to meet luxury brand standards, offering both aesthetic and environmental benefits. It can not only be used to replace a platform, but also to create shapes and 100% packaging solutions that could not be achieved in other materials. 

“Created in-house through years of R&D, Ecoform is composed of natural fibers—such as bamboo, sugarcane, and wood pulp—and is fully biodegradable and recyclable,” explains the company’s Ben Cohen, Chief Marketing Officer. “We developed it as a direct response to the industry’s call for a plastic-free luxury solution that maintains the tactile quality and structural integrity expected in high-end packaging.”

Knoll Packaging has been using Ecoform molded pulp to push the bounds of refillable and plastic-free systems. One notable example is the MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, which features a molded pulp clamshell made from Knoll Ecoform to deliver the refill shades. More recently, Guerlain chose the same material to create a skincare refill for its Orchidée Impériale The New Longevity Cream. 

This patent-pending refill is the result of more than three years of collaborative R&D during which Knoll Packaging and Guerlain’s innovation teams worked to design, test, and validate “the most appropriate” molded pulp solution. More than 9,500 test pieces were produced, and over 80 airtightness tests were carried out.

The final package delivers both structural performance and aesthetic refinement, providing product protection via a product-preserving polymer film; precision tolerances achieved through advanced tooling and custom molding techniques; and luxury-grade finishes that meet Guerlain’s exactingly elegant standards. The innovation recently won Best Refill at the Formes de Luxe Awards in Monaco. 

“Eco-design, a driving force behind innovation at Guerlain, is reflected in this unprecedented cellulose refill, opening up new perspectives for our products and, more generally, for refills in the cosmetics industry,” says Claire Coletti, Global Sustainability Director, Guerlain. “The Formes de Luxe Award demonstrates Guerlain’s sustainable commitment, anchored in all our businesses and partnerships.” 

A Tactile Approach

Tanbark Molded Fiber Co. makes thermoformed molded fiber insert components for presentation, organization, and protection in cartons and set boxes. The manufacturing technology is similar to that of egg cartons, but incorporates matched metal tooling with heat and pressure to create parts with clean surface finishes. The result is a sophisticated, FSC-certified paper form that looks and performs similarly to thermoformed plastic. 

The company’s Charlie Langston, Director of Sales and Marketing, notes that the type of equipment used to produce the componentry is especially suited to creating fine details. “[This gives] product and packaging designers more flexibility to add depth, logos, texture, and other interesting geometry,” he says. “The most noticeable benefit is the tactile appeal–it’s a material people want to hold and touch, a desirable feature for CPG packaging.”

The molding process, says Langston, allows for complex, curved, multidimensional designs which include textures, logos, shapes, and patterns. “It can be printed (it’s paper after all), labeled, or combined with other materials to make a package that really stands out.”

Sulapac’s wood-composite material, Sulapac Flow 1.8, is designed to replace ABS, AES, and PVC in sharpenable cosmetic pencil barrels. It is crafted with recycled biopolymers and FSC-certified wood flour from industry side streams. 

“As a ‘drop-in’ extrusion material, Sulapac Flow 1.8 is processed with the exact same machinery as conventional plastic,” says Dr. Heidi Peltola, Chief Product Officer, Sulapac Ltd.

“Pencils made with Sulapac Flow look and feel exactly the same as the ‘original’ versions but come with a lower carbon footprint. Furthermore, our material is free from PFAS and leaves no permanent microplastics behind.”

Schwan Cosmetics selected Sulapac Flow 1.8 for the barrel of its Sharpenable Cosmetic Pencils, called The ProBarrel. L’Oréal Groupe also recently announced that they, too, will start using Sulapac in their sharpenable pencils.

Sulapac Flow 1.8 is one of six materials in the company’s portfolio of sustainable solutions for cosmetic packaging, which includes sustainable, biobased, and biodegradable materials for luxurious injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and 3D printing. The company develops and sells these materials in granule form to packaging manufacturers, who convert the material into beautiful packaging solutions for cosmetic brands like Chanel, Dix Hectares, Byredo, and Shiseido. 

“We aim to maximize the biobased content of all our materials, with 100% biobased material grades already in our portfolio, enabling the industry to minimize the dependency on oil-based feedstock,” Peltola says. “Our materials are also all industrially compostable certified and can be digested by naturally occurring microbes.”

The Allure of Aluminum

The beauty industry has always lived in lockstep with the fashion industry, exploring and creating trends through the use of new and tried-and-true materials. 

Alder Packaging offers a wide array of materials ranging from eggshell bio-fillers for caps, to bio-PE for tubes, and bamboo caps and compacts. One of its biggest hits has been recyclable 100% aluminum lipsticks and cold-extruded aluminum caps, produced in partnership with Axilone. 

“Aluminum has a high recyclability rate due to high value to recyclers; its recycling rate is 70-75%,” explains Jerome Fraillon, President and CEO, Alder Packaging. “When brands work with us on mono or close-to-mono material aluminum packages, they can be confident that the package has a higher chance of being recycled than other materials.” 

Alder’s partnership with Axilone gives brands broad access to beautiful lipsticks, chubby sticks, compacts, and fragrance caps, as well as aluminum bottles and tubes. And although aluminum bears a slightly higher price point than plastic, its durability, recyclability, and premium shine make it an ideal material for eye-catching cosmetic packaging with a conscience.

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