Customers of today want more than just great products, an appealing brand, and a fair price point. They – along with the governments of the world – see sustainability as a key incentive for all kinds of products. Fragrances and their packaging are no exception.
At Fillcon, we provide a quality service for fragrance filling, helping you get your products on the market. In this article, we’ll explore how to make your packaging more sustainable to meet regulatory requirements and customer expectations.
If you want to start your journey towards better product filling, get in touch.
Why Sustainable Packaging Matters in the Fragrance Industry
The three main pillars behind the rise in sustainability are the planet, its people, and the policies that governments put in place.
For the planet, sustainability is vital to maintaining our environment, including the plants and animals that live there – us included! The main way this can be benefitted is by cutting back on the number of hazardous materials in packaging, the amount of packaging that goes to landfill, and the emissions caused by the production and distribution of your products.
For people, these same reasons apply, but there is the added incentive born from public awareness and sentiment towards sustainability. Climate change has been a hot topic for years, and brands have come under fire in the past for not doing enough to be sustainable – or for greenwashing over the reality.
Finally, the most important thing for your business is to be at least aware of and in line with the policies and regulations.
UK Packaging Waste Regulations
In the UK, there are regulations that guide how your packaging must be constructed so it is both safe and adequate for the customer, and better for the planet.
The key takeaways from these regulations are:
- Using materials in the right quantities. Too many materials lead to wastage, while too few could mean packaging that doesn’t deliver a quality product to your customers.
- Eliminating hazardous substances. Hazardous waste tends to have different recycling requirements than other types of waste, and can be harmful to your customers regardless.
- Recyclable packaging. Sustainable packaging of course means it needs to be recyclable. With most different types of packaging being recyclable – even those like plastics which have often thought to be unrecyclable – this is easier to achieve than ever before.
- Energy recovery. Not all packaging has to be melted down and turned into something new to be sustainable. Some can be burned, with the energy recovered from this process feeding back into sustainability. Product packaging of this type must be at least 50% organic materials e.g. wood, carboard, paper.
- Reusable packaging. Even better than a recyclable product is one that can be reused. This can utilise refilling stations at dispensaries across the country, and make use of the same product packaging multiple times without the need for processing.
Alternative Materials for Your Fragrance Packaging
For fragrances, and the beauty industry at large, there are many different materials that can be great for your products. Here are some of the most common ones used for fragrances, along with an analysis of their sustainability.
Glass
The traditional choice for perfumes, glass provides a luxury feel for a luxury product. This is vital in conveying the quality of your fragrance to your customers and ensuring they feel satisfied with their purchase.
Glass is highly recyclable, but the difficulty comes with the dispensing mechanism for the fragrance. This often involves plastic components like tubes and spray nozzles, which are recycled through a different process than glass. Relying on customers to separate these out isn’t really feasible, so this needs to be separated at the recycling station or else it’ll likely end up as waste.
Plastics
Although plastics aren’t generally seen as sustainable, they come with a lot of benefits over other options. For example, they’re lightweight, meaning less emissions in transport. They’re also generally highly recyclable, meaning fewer virgin materials are needed.
In contrast to glass, the mechanisms that make up a plastic perfume bottle will likely be the same or similar materials. This makes them far easier to recycle, albeit at the cost of some of the quality that glass provides.
Wood or Bamboo
Wood and bamboo are becoming an increasingly popular choice for sustainability across a number of industries, and perfumes are no different. Sustainably harvested timber is much more available than ever before, and bamboo can grow up to a metre a day in some cases, making both incredibly replenishable.
While this type of packaging isn’t highly in use, this could serve as a novel way for you to market and distribute your perfumes.
…and anything else!
At Fillcon, we fill receptacles, whatever form they may be. If you’ve got a particular bottle you want to fill with a fragrance, then we’ve got the facilities to help you achieve that. Just get in touch to find out more!
Designing Sustainable Packaging Without Losing Your Appeal
Although the main focus has been on sustainability, you still want to make sure your product and brand are recognisable. While cutting out all types of décor would be the most sustainable solution – removing inks and processing from the equation – you’d end up with a bland product that no one wants to buy.
The solution is to find the right balance between sustainability and design. Cut back on harmful materials like hazardous inks or throwaway plastics, and focus instead on eco-friendly decisions.
If done right, you can make packaging that’s both sustainable and appealing. You can then market this to your customers, improving your image in the eyes of the public. A notable example of this has been Lush with their ‘Naked’ range, which has removed packaging altogether. While this tactic isn’t applicable in every scenario, it does show the impact that some creative thinking can have towards sustainability.
Find out more about personalisation and branding >
Improve Your Fragrance Packaging with Fillcon
Creating sustainable fragrances starts with choosing the right partner. At Fillcon, we provide an efficient and effective solution to filling your fragrances which aims to cut costs and wastage while finding ways to optimise your product delivery. Helping businesses small and large, we’re your friendly face for sustainable perfume filling. Get in touch today!
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