The planet isn’t just the place where we live, it is the future of our children. That’s why, even the smallest of the decisions we take today, will determine the wworld in which our children will live on tomorrow. That said, a question comes to mind, what is the environmental impact of our skin care products?
Why at Tweengreens do we consider important to become aware of the impact of our cosmetic products on the environment?
Because we believe in the power of nature, and we know that if we learn to take care of it, it can provide benefits forever
Because our products are designed for children, and the most common alternatives to plastic such as glass and aluminum are not necessarily feasible for us;
Because children are our priority, and although they are the innocent, they will pay the consequences of the decisions we, their parents make.
Because we believe in Conscious Beauty, and the benefits that come from living according to a sustainable lifestyle.
Greenhouse Effect and its consequences
Environmental pollution and waste disposal remains an increasingly sensitive issue for us, the consumers who have become more aware of environmental issues.
However… do we know what is the greenhouse effect and how to avoid decisions that promote it?
In this article, we will clarify how the beauty industry participates in environmental pollution and the alternatives available in the field of sustainable eco packaging, that may replace traditional plastic packaging. Above all, we will provide you with all the tools you need to make a conscious purchase in the future.
Every time we choose a skin care product as consumers, it has had to be packed in a container, transported to the point of sale where you are purchasing it and probably, at the end of its life cycle, this container can be either recycled or discarded, in which case, if it is not made with biodegradable material, it will probably go to our oceans.
Throughout this process, from its manufacture, transport and end of cycle, skin care packaging generate a carbon footprint.
The term carbon footprint is used to indicate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions related to the manufacture of a product and the human activities carried out on that product during its life cycle. It can be considered as an index of the impact an activity has on the environment and earth’s climate system. It is expressed in equivalent carbon units (CO2eq), as it takes into account all greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and the individual results of each become CO2 equivalents.
Greenhouse gases are present in the atmosphere and help retain a considerable portion of radiation and solar heat, leading to consequent global warming.
The greenhouse effect is not a bad phenomenon in itself. In fact, it is a natural and necessary phenomenon because thanks to it, the planet creates the ideal conditions for the survival of all living species on Earth. However, when the greenhouse effect is out of control, it becomes responsible of catastrophic consequences such as climate change, melting of ice, rise in sea levels, among others.
The Impact of Packaging on the Environment
Media arround the world are calling out to us because of sea contamination. On the seas around the world, authentic floating trash islands are forming due to almost 8 million tons of trash that end up in the oceans every year, caused by excesive plastic packaging. If we don’t revert this trend, aquatic life may be threatened and our kid’s oceans will end up with more plastic than fishes.
This is the reason why many skin care companies chose to pack their products in glass of almuminum packages, since these materials can be recycled several times for cheap, thus reducing their impact on the environment. Despite that, the high cost of these types of package makes them non-viable for their use in mass produced products. However, are glasss and aluminum the only two available eco-fiendly choices?
How do I know if what I buy is eco-friendly?
If in our daily lives, our beauty routine contains different products that use plastic packaging, are we really having a negative impact on the environment? Actually, even with plastic containers, we have options to reduce their environmental impact.
A package can be considered eco-friendly if it generates a lower carbon footprint during its life cycle. This can be acheived through three main ways:
By using 100% recycled materials
Reducing the use of logistic and production chains. This reduces the environmental impact by propagating less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (reducing the carbon footprint);
When used multiple times instead of promoting single-use plastic containers. This extends the package’s life cycle therefore decreasing the carbon footprint.
Now that we’re more aware of the impact of our purchases on the environment, let’s see how we can recognize eco-friendly packaging when we shop online or at the supermarket.
What features should eco-friendly packaging have?
An eco-friendly package can be:
- Biodegradable. In this case, the material is degraded into nature without negative effects on the environment
- Compostable. A compostable material degrades in 6 months and leads to compost production. Compost is then used as fertilizer for crops
- Recycled and Recyclable. A recycled material packaging has been manufactured from the raw components of another package that was previously used, and thus can be converted back into more material to make new plastics.
Biodegradable Materials
Paper and Cardboard
They are used to package solid products such as bar deodorants, makeup or some in the form of dry powders.
Disadvantages: they do not have a wide variety of applications in the cosmetic industry since they cannot be used for products with high degree of moisture.
Biodegradable Materials
Polylatic acid (PLA)
It is a compostable bioplastic obtained from corn. It can be used for products with characteristics similar to those of traditional plastic with the drawback of having a short life cycle.
Disadvantages: Given its short shelf life, it has no wide application in skin care products and have been used instead for the food industry packaging.
Recyclable Materials
Just as it happens with glass and aluminum, recycling is the safest way to reduce the negative impact fo skin care products in the environment. However, regarding plastic, not all packages can be used to a 100% efficiency in their recycling cycles. This will depend on the type of plastic used.
This is why when we talk about recyclable plastics a «recyclability index» has been established using the numbers between 1 to 7 to identify the material. When we learn to identify this symblology in our packages, we can take mor responsible an conscious decisions when selecting our products. Any plastic container must have this symbology.
Symbology 1
Polylatic acid (PLA)
It is perhaps the most widely used type of plastic in the cosmetic industry due to its low cost and light weight. Although significant investments have been made in recent years to improve their recycling rates,
they have not yet reached the 20% of global production. They are characterized by being transparent plastics that highlight the contents of the packaging.
Disadvantage: it is not biodegradable and not all countries have enough technology or efficient production chains for their collection, recycling and transformation.
Polylatic acid (PLA)
Recycled plastic (PET or HDPE) can become the raw material for new cosmetic containers. Although new bottles aren’t composed 100% by this, it does allow to avoid the extraction of more petroleum, thus reducing its carbon footprint.
The recycling of plastic is usually regulated by organizations like the FDA in the USA, that through rulings like this, they supervise the recycling procedures to make sure they avoid the release of quemicals that pose a health risk during the producing process. Although the recycling symbol 1 on the plastic bottle (or 2 in case of PCR or HDPE), the label of the product must clarify that it is recycled plastic.
Disadvantages: In order to mass produce the plastic without risk to the consumers, there are many regulations that have not allowed it to be cost effective. However, it is presented as an excelent option that will take great relevance in the medium and long run in order to reduce the negative impact of skin care products
Symbology 2
High Density Polyethylene or HDPE
It is a plastic that allows the manufacture of rigid and flexible packaging in the cosmetic industry. It has great utilization and widely established recycling systems.
Disadvantage: Not biodegradable but widely recyclable. Product color perception may vary because it is based on an opaque, non-neutral or transparent basis such as PET.
Green Plastic or Bioplastic
In contrast to conventional plastics that come from petroleum, the raw materials for Bioplastic come from renewable sources and natural ingredients like corn or sugar cane. This allows it to have similar physical properties to any common polyethylene with a lower carbon footprint. It is very versatile and can be used in the skin care industry.
Disadvantages: Although it can be recycled, and in fact comes from the same rcycling cycle as HDPE, thus having a high use rate, it is not a biodegradable material.
Symbology 3
Polyvinyl chloride or PVC
It is a low-cost plastic that should not be used in the cosmetic or food industry. So if you get to see recycling symbol 3 in some package of an ingestible product or if it’s going to be in contact with your skin, stay away from that product as fast as you can.
Disadvantage: PVC releases highly toxic substances called phthalates, which can have an impact on the endocrine system, thyroid, weight disorder, cancer cell growth, among others. This is why phthalates have mostly been banned from the cosmetic industry in the European Union. Additionally, it is not biodegradable and is rarely recycled
Symbology 4
Polyvinyl chloride or PVC
It is characterized by its flexibility so it is used for flexible tubular shaped packaging in the cosmetic industry.
Disadvantage: It is not biodegradable and although it can be recycled, it does not have stable collection chains, so it often ends up as plastic waste in our oceans and threatening marine life.
Symbology 5
Polypropylene or PP
It is one of the plastic materials that best adapt to recycling. In addition, it has been consolidating as a sustainable alternative, and unlike conventional plastics that take hundreds of years to degrade, PP can do so in less than 30 years.
Disadvantage: It is not biodegradable but is widely recyclable and its degradation takes approximately 30 years versus the hundreds of years it takes for conventional plastic.
Just like that, there are many beauty companies like us that have the dream of becoming big in the cosmetics industry. When begining to grow in times like this, we must commit ourselves to revolutionise the way we produce and pack our products. It is important to highlight that it is crutial to feed our consumers the necessary information to allow them to make responsible and informed choices. As a result, we seek to reduce the negative impact of skin care products.
As you saw during the article, you just need to pay a little bit of attention to the package of your products to make a contribution in building a better world for our children. Remember always to put your plastic containers in the right recycling bin so that its recycling cycle may be fullfilled. No choice is to small or insignificant when speaking of our heritage.
Our goal at Tweengrens is to not only make products with natural ingredients, but also products that are highly aware of the environment and that allow to reduce the carbon footprint.
If this article was of use to you, don’t forget to share it with others here!
Also, if you liked this post, you should check out our blog on alternative products in skin care
The planet isn’t just the place where we live, it is the future of our children. That’s why, even the smallest of the decisions we take today, will determine the wworld in which our children will live on tomorrow. That said, a question comes to mind, what is the environmental impact of our skin care products?
Why at Tweengreens do we consider important to become aware of the impact of our cosmetic products on the environment?
Because we believe in the power of nature, and we know that if we learn to take care of it, it can provide benefits forever
Because our products are designed for children, and the most common alternatives to plastic such as glass and aluminum are not necessarily feasible for us;
Because children are our priority, and although they are the innocent, they will pay the consequences of the decisions we, their parents make.
Because we believe in Conscious Beauty, and the benefits that come from living according to a sustainable lifestyle.
Greenhouse Effect and its consequences
Environmental pollution and waste disposal remains an increasingly sensitive issue for us, the consumers who have become more aware of environmental issues.
However… do we know what is the greenhouse effect and how to avoid decisions that promote it?
In this article, we will clarify how the beauty industry participates in environmental pollution and the alternatives available in the field of sustainable eco packaging, that may replace traditional plastic packaging. Above all, we will provide you with all the tools you need to make a conscious purchase in the future.
Every time we choose a skin care product as consumers, it has had to be packed in a container, transported to the point of sale where you are purchasing it and probably, at the end of its life cycle, this container can be either recycled or discarded, in which case, if it is not made with biodegradable material, it will probably go to our oceans.
Throughout this process, from its manufacture, transport and end of cycle, skin care packaging generate a carbon footprint.
The term carbon footprint is used to indicate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions related to the manufacture of a product and the human activities carried out on that product during its life cycle. It can be considered as an index of the impact an activity has on the environment and earth’s climate system. It is expressed in equivalent carbon units (CO2eq), as it takes into account all greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and the individual results of each become CO2 equivalents.
Greenhouse gases are present in the atmosphere and help retain a considerable portion of radiation and solar heat, leading to consequent global warming.
The greenhouse effect is not a bad phenomenon in itself. In fact, it is a natural and necessary phenomenon because thanks to it, the planet creates the ideal conditions for the survival of all living species on Earth. However, when the greenhouse effect is out of control, it becomes responsible of catastrophic consequences such as climate change, melting of ice, rise in sea levels, among others.
The Impact of Packaging on the Environment
Media arround the world are calling out to us because of sea contamination. On the seas around the world, authentic floating trash islands are forming due to almost 8 million tons of trash that end up in the oceans every year, caused by excesive plastic packaging. If we don’t revert this trend, aquatic life may be threatened and our kid’s oceans will end up with more plastic than fishes.
This is the reason why many skin care companies chose to pack their products in glass of almuminum packages, since these materials can be recycled several times for cheap, thus reducing their impact on the environment. Despite that, the high cost of these types of package makes them non-viable for their use in mass produced products. However, are glasss and aluminum the only two available eco-fiendly choices?
How do I know if what I buy is eco-friendly?
If in our daily lives, our beauty routine contains different products that use plastic packaging, are we really having a negative impact on the environment? Actually, even with plastic containers, we have options to reduce their environmental impact.
A package can be considered eco-friendly if it generates a lower carbon footprint during its life cycle. This can be acheived through three main ways:
By using 100% recycled materials
Reducing the use of logistic and production chains. This reduces the environmental impact by propagating less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (reducing the carbon footprint);
When used multiple times instead of promoting single-use plastic containers. This extends the package’s life cycle therefore decreasing the carbon footprint.
Now that we’re more aware of the impact of our purchases on the environment, let’s see how we can recognize eco-friendly packaging when we shop online or at the supermarket.
What features should eco-friendly packaging have?
An eco-friendly package can be:
- Biodegradable. In this case, the material is degraded into nature without negative effects on the environment
- Compostable. A compostable material degrades in 6 months and leads to compost production. Compost is then used as fertilizer for crops
- Recycled and Recyclable. A recycled material packaging has been manufactured from the raw components of another package that was previously used, and thus can be converted back into more material to make new plastics.
Biodegradable Materials
Paper and Cardboard
They are used to package solid products such as bar deodorants, makeup or some in the form of dry powders.
Disadvantages: they do not have a wide variety of applications in the cosmetic industry since they cannot be used for products with high degree of moisture.
Biodegradable Materials
Polylatic acid (PLA)
It is a compostable bioplastic obtained from corn. It can be used for products with characteristics similar to those of traditional plastic with the drawback of having a short life cycle.
Disadvantages: Given its short shelf life, it has no wide application in skin care products and have been used instead for the food industry packaging.
Recyclable Materials
Just as it happens with glass and aluminum, recycling is the safest way to reduce the negative impact fo skin care products in the environment. However, regarding plastic, not all packages can be used to a 100% efficiency in their recycling cycles. This will depend on the type of plastic used.
This is why when we talk about recyclable plastics a «recyclability index» has been established using the numbers between 1 to 7 to identify the material. When we learn to identify this symblology in our packages, we can take mor responsible an conscious decisions when selecting our products. Any plastic container must have this symbology.
Symbology 1
Polylatic acid (PLA)
It is perhaps the most widely used type of plastic in the cosmetic industry due to its low cost and light weight. Although significant investments have been made in recent years to improve their recycling rates,
they have not yet reached the 20% of global production. They are characterized by being transparent plastics that highlight the contents of the packaging.
Disadvantage: it is not biodegradable and not all countries have enough technology or efficient production chains for their collection, recycling and transformation.
Polylatic acid (PLA)
Recycled plastic (PET or HDPE) can become the raw material for new cosmetic containers. Although new bottles aren’t composed 100% by this, it does allow to avoid the extraction of more petroleum, thus reducing its carbon footprint.
The recycling of plastic is usually regulated by organizations like the FDA in the USA, that through rulings like this, they supervise the recycling procedures to make sure they avoid the release of quemicals that pose a health risk during the producing process. Although the recycling symbol 1 on the plastic bottle (or 2 in case of PCR or HDPE), the label of the product must clarify that it is recycled plastic.
Disadvantages: In order to mass produce the plastic without risk to the consumers, there are many regulations that have not allowed it to be cost effective. However, it is presented as an excelent option that will take great relevance in the medium and long run in order to reduce the negative impact of skin care products
Symbology 2
High Density Polyethylene or HDPE
It is a plastic that allows the manufacture of rigid and flexible packaging in the cosmetic industry. It has great utilization and widely established recycling systems.
Disadvantage: Not biodegradable but widely recyclable. Product color perception may vary because it is based on an opaque, non-neutral or transparent basis such as PET.
Green Plastic or Bioplastic
In contrast to conventional plastics that come from petroleum, the raw materials for Bioplastic come from renewable sources and natural ingredients like corn or sugar cane. This allows it to have similar physical properties to any common polyethylene with a lower carbon footprint. It is very versatile and can be used in the skin care industry.
Disadvantages: Although it can be recycled, and in fact comes from the same rcycling cycle as HDPE, thus having a high use rate, it is not a biodegradable material.
Symbology 3
Polyvinyl chloride or PVC
It is a low-cost plastic that should not be used in the cosmetic or food industry. So if you get to see recycling symbol 3 in some package of an ingestible product or if it’s going to be in contact with your skin, stay away from that product as fast as you can.
Disadvantage: PVC releases highly toxic substances called phthalates, which can have an impact on the endocrine system, thyroid, weight disorder, cancer cell growth, among others. This is why phthalates have mostly been banned from the cosmetic industry in the European Union. Additionally, it is not biodegradable and is rarely recycled
Symbology 4
Polyvinyl chloride or PVC
It is characterized by its flexibility so it is used for flexible tubular shaped packaging in the cosmetic industry.
Disadvantage: It is not biodegradable and although it can be recycled, it does not have stable collection chains, so it often ends up as plastic waste in our oceans and threatening marine life.
Symbology 5
Polypropylene or PP
It is one of the plastic materials that best adapt to recycling. In addition, it has been consolidating as a sustainable alternative, and unlike conventional plastics that take hundreds of years to degrade, PP can do so in less than 30 years.
Disadvantage: It is not biodegradable but is widely recyclable and its degradation takes approximately 30 years versus the hundreds of years it takes for conventional plastic.
Just like that, there are many beauty companies like us that have the dream of becoming big in the cosmetics industry. When begining to grow in times like this, we must commit ourselves to revolutionise the way we produce and pack our products. It is important to highlight that it is crutial to feed our consumers the necessary information to allow them to make responsible and informed choices. As a result, we seek to reduce the negative impact of skin care products.
As you saw during the article, you just need to pay a little bit of attention to the package of your products to make a contribution in building a better world for our children. Remember always to put your plastic containers in the right recycling bin so that its recycling cycle may be fullfilled. No choice is to small or insignificant when speaking of our heritage.
Our goal at Tweengrens is to not only make products with natural ingredients, but also products that are highly aware of the environment and that allow to reduce the carbon footprint.
If this article was of use to you, don’t forget to share it with others here!
Also, if you liked this post, you should check out our blog on alternative products in skin care