The eco-design of our containers
L’éco-conception est définie par l’Ademe (Agence de l’environnement et de la maîtrise de l’énergie) comme le développement d’un produit recourant aussi peu que possible aux ressources non renouvelables en leur préférant l'utilisation de ressources renouvelables, exploitées en respectant leur taux de renouvellement et associées à une valorisation des déchets qui favorise le réemploi, la réparation et le recyclage.
Existe-t-il un contenant idéal pour les cosmétiques ?
La réponse, vous vous en doutez, est bien évidemment non !
Lors de la conception et de notre refonte d’identité visuelle nous avons réalisé un travail d’éco-conception de nos produits et donc de leur cycle de vie. Vous trouverez ci-dessous les étapes principales qui nous ont permis de faire des choix qui nous semblent les moins impactants sur notre environnement, mais si lors de la lecture de cette page vous pensez avoir des propositions pour encore nous améliorer, nous sommes preneurs.
Développement du contenant
Pour avoir le plus de chance de faire les meilleurs arbitrages dans les choix qui s’ouvrent lors de la conception de contenants, il nous a semblé important de commencer par définir le rôle exact du contenant dans cette première étape. Car il est assez souvent possible que le choix le plus évident puisse être une hérésie totale d’un point de vue environnemental.
Step 1 - Define the role of the container
Containing the product : to protect it of course... a cosmetic cream is an emulsion between an oily phase and an aqueous phase. It is therefore essential to have a container that properly protects the product.
Communicate : give the name of the product and indicate the legal information (INCI), advice for use , etc. The container is therefore the first communication medium for the product. It provides information on its composition and its benefits.
Facilitate its use : the container must provide additional ease of use, and make it possible to optimize its use to save money during use and avoid waste.
Est-il plus intéressant pour notre impact environnemental d’importer des contenants en verre fabriqués en Chine ? ou en aluminium produits en Inde ? ou du plastique injecté en Italie ?
Et quels sont les processus de fabrication et leurs impacts directs en terme de rejets ?
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Sélection des matériaux à plus faible impact
The different materials used for cosmetic containers are essentially plastic, glass and, more marginally, aluminum. It is therefore necessary to take into account the necessary raw materials as well as the difficulties of taking them from nature and their abundance to understand the real impacts on our environment.
And define the embodied energy of the container, that is to say the energy it will have taken to extract the raw material, transport it to the place of production, the energy and the polluting discharges then, the energy it took to get to you.
Step 2 - Define the material
Plastic : from naphtha which is a transparent liquid obtained after distillation of petroleum, this liquid is essential in the manufacture of plastic. It is condensed between 180°C and 40°C. It then undergoes a so-called “cracking” stage to obtain small molecules called monomers, which will react to form chains of plastic polymers. But it is light, flexible, unbreakable and hygienic and offers plenty of recycling outlets.
Glass : this is the material that seems the most natural, especially since it is very well collected and therefore almost 90% recycled in France. But it requires silica sand and dolomite, a subject that seems trivial but unfortunately sand, especially rich in silica, has become an overexploited resource in the world and with dredger boat techniques sucking up sea sand having a strong impact on the seabed.
Aluminium : the production of this metal from bauxite gives rise to significant pollution, including an emission of fluorine which escapes into the air and water, notably attacking vegetation when it is melted at about 950°C. The production of aluminum also generates red mud, that is to say impurities rich in alumina and iron hydroxide which give it this color. Finally, aluminum is a resource that is also tending to become scarce.
Maximize the use phase
Le contenant doit offrir une bonne expérience d’utilisation. Comme nous l’avons vu, il doit tout d’abord protéger le produit mais, en cosmétique, il doit également le délivrer, cela évite de devoir doser avec le doigt directement dans le produit. Un flacon type Airless permet d’offrir plus de 250 doses pour un contenant de 50 ml.
Step 3 – The user experience
We opted for a bottle with an Airless-type dispenser pump.
The Airless system protects the cream from contact with the outside air. This pump system raises a piston from the bottom of the bottle, which allows all of the cream to be used without wasting anything.
The Airless system offers the advantage of a correct dosage of the product. Only this pump allows to obtain more than 250 doses of hydration delivered without any waste.
For communication we have chosen to use a label rather than hot stamping or screen printing directly on the container. Thus the label allows a large number of details and we opted, during our change of visual identity, for white as the majority color. So we use as few colors as possible to facilitate recycling possibilities.
Optimization of logistics
Le choix du plastique plutôt que le verre vient principalement de la logistique, en effet pour un système très local avec l’utilisateur qui se déplace avec son contenant en verre chez le producteur c’est le verre qui a le moins d’impact, mais si on l’expédie alors le verre demande 5 fois plus de moyens de transport à cause de son poids.
Etape 4 – Un cycle logistique qui pèse lourd
Logistics takes an important place in the eco-design of our care since more than 50% of our annual turnover is made on our website.
So we have a very large shipping and logistics position. It is therefore crucial that storage and shipping are factored into our impact.
Another example, labeling rather than screen printing is an important logistical choice because we can manage the supply of containers only according to their capacity and not their formulations.
In fact, hot stamping CREAM DAY on a container can no longer become a CREAM NIGHT. The label allows for greater flexibility. Less storage, less transport and less waste.
Finally, cosmetics regulations change very often, if we have to comply with new rules, we just have to change the labels.
Un peu à l’instar des Shadoks, il parait d’instinct assez inefficace de fabriquer des contenants en verre à usage unique pour les recycler dans une filaire que va re-fabriquer des contenants en verre à usage unique. Il semble plus important de bien définir les options industrielles de recyclage qui offriront un grand nombre de débouchés à nos contenants en plastique.
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Product end of life management
The plastic recycling rate was in 2020 according to a Citéo/Adelphe report of 54.5% and 85% for glass. We therefore quickly understand that the real problem with our plastic containers is to ensure that they are recycled.
For this reason, we have set up a free return of used containers. We have identified a partner in the Loiret who carried out an identification phase of our plastics to ensure an upgrading in textiles, insulation or even vehicle dashboards.
Step 5 – Secure outlets
Our recycling program for our containers is divided into 4 phases:
PHASE 1 : CUSTOMER COLLECTION
We initially propose to store our used containers to accumulate at least 5 of them. Then you have to take a photo of the containers, send it to us and then we send a prepaid label to stick on the package. So the return is free, but it is our customers who are the most important.
PHASE 2 : IDENTIFICATION, SORTING & SHREDDING
When we receive the containers, we collect them to ship them to our partner. You must have collected the equivalent of a full pallet to be able to ship it. The containers are then crushed into large shavings to be sent to the recycling plant and thus further reduce their volume.
PHASE 3 : RECYCLING AND GRANULATION
The chips are then washed to remove all impurities from the first use. Once clean, you have to go through the granulation phase. The granulation will make it possible to find a reusable raw material for a new industrial use. Bales of pellets are then shipped to different sites based on supply and demand.
PHASE 4 : USES (Synthetic Wadding, Textile, Insulation). We have been able to identify several manufacturers who use these granules to make Synthetic Wadding in the textile industry or in the insulation of homes. But other uses are possible, such as revaluation as a children's play area slab, or even as a car part. The important thing is that we have the assurance that your returned containers will indeed be recycled in a circular and respectful economy.
We count on you !
Recyclez vos contenants
It seems today that most consumers are ready to reduce their environmental impact, to do this, the choice of recycling has become essential. So it is essential to offer our customers a reliable solution by returning their used containers to us so that we can ensure that they will not end up incinerated but in a recycling chain with a large number of outlets such as textiles, insulation or even car bumpers.
Voir le recyclage
