choosing an upcycled plastic bottle: our packaging journey

In our pursuit of creating lower-impact packaging solutions, we faced the challenge of finding the best material for our bottles. In line with our credo "less is more", our goal was to offer a solution that minimized waste. After extensive research and consultations with experts and suppliers, we made a conscious decision to opt for an upcycled plastic bottle instead of aluminum or glass. Here's why:

1. Glass and Its Limitations: Glass, although a traditional and widely-used material, was quickly ruled out due to its fragility and unsuitability for use in the shower. Additionally, adding a protective coating to safeguard the bottle would make it non-recyclable, defeating our purpose of reducing packaging waste. Glass has a high melting point (1700 °C ) and is a heavy material, leading to energy-intensive production, recycling, and transportation processes.
2. The Dilemma with Aluminum: While aluminum is known for its recyclability and relatively high recycling rates, it still requires significant energy for production and recycling due to its melting point at 660 °C. The primary environmental concern with aluminium however is bauxite mining, that often comes at a high cost to the environment and the ecosystem.
3. Embracing Recycled PET: After careful consideration, 100% post-consumer recycled PET emerged as our preferred choice. Recycled PET is both robust and lightweight, and it allows us to give single-use plastic a second life, transforming it into a durable and circular solution. With a lower melting point (260°C) than glass or aluminum, recycled PET requires significantly less energy for production and recycling than glass or aluminum. Additionally, our choice of amber tinting enables us to use 100% recycled PET material without mixing in virgin plastic, which not only helps conceal impurities but also preserves our formulation.

pump and packaging

Our approach to reducing waste extended to the pump as well. We opted for a high-performing and durable pump made with 100% recycled plastic. Although it may not yet be fully recyclable due to the metal spring inside, we are actively working on developing a fully recyclable mono-material pump in the medium term.

paper sachets and the quest for plastic-free solutions

Initially, we aimed to introduce an innovative, completely plastic-free paper sachet. After extensive research, we identified a promising supplier offering a unique paper material coated with a bio-coating made from vegetal bi-products and waste. We had tested this material extensively and were confident that it would meet our technical requirements and provide a sufficient barrier function to protect our powders from humidity and external factors.

Unfortunately, during the first day of production we identified a difference in behaviour between the final sachets and those that we had previously tested. After several weeks of investigation, we were still unable to identify the cause for these differences, and even a renewed production could not remedy the problem.

We had pre-qualified a more traditional paper sachet material as a back-up, that has a very thin plastic protective coating. This allowed us to fall back, with a heavy heart, on this solution while we continue working on fixing the issues with the completely plastic free material. This traditional paper sachet is still recyclable in the French recycling system and is sourced from sustainably managed forests. It still allows us to reduce the need for plastic by 98% vs a comparable bottle, and most importantly, it allows us to bring to market our products that take 95% less energy to produce, emit 90% less co2 in transport, and allow an overall 90% in reduction of packaging materials (both in volume and weight) than a usual liquid product.

Our journey to reduce packaging waste does not end here. Our goal remains to be entirely single-use plastic free, and we are determined to overcome the challenges with the completely plastic-free paper sachet. Once the sealing issue is resolved, we will promptly revert to using FSC-certified paper sachets to fulfill our commitment to reducing packaging materials.

Together, we can make a difference, one small choice at a time.

In conclusion, the choice of an 100% recycled and upcycled plastic bottle and our ongoing efforts to explore plastic-free alternatives reflect our ongoing commitment to reducing packaging waste. By opting for recycled PET and employing innovative packaging solutions, we strive to reduce our packaging impact. Through each purchase, please join us in changing our habits, embracing more circular packaging solutions, supporting ocean and beach clean-up activities, and reinforcing our collective commitment to reducing waste. Together, we can make a difference, one small choice at a time.