Technological watch

SABIC collaborates with The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), Origins Natural Resources and Albéa for the upcoming 2021 market debut of an advanced beauty tube pack for Origins. Origins will be the first prestige beauty brand to use certified circular polyolefins from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio to launch a tube pack format of its best-selling Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Mask.
Recycled Polymers for Circular Economy
Origins will be using tubes made from certified circular polyolefins manufactured by SABIC as a result of a revolutionary recycling process. The cap of the new packaging will be made from certified circular Polypropylene (PP), while the tube structure is made from certified circular Polyethylene (PE). SABIC’s advanced recycling technology regenerates hard-to-recycle plastics, which would otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill. It breaks them down to produce purified chemical products, which are then used as a feedstock to recreate high-performance plastics akin to a virgin material – in this case, polyethylene and polypropylene. SABIC’s ground-breaking, certified circular polyethylene and polypropylene are part of its TRUCIRCLE portfolio of circular solutions.
Through the use of this innovative technology, Origins, ELC, SABIC and Albéa are pushing the pace of development needed across the value chain to drive a circular plastic economy.
“At The Estée Lauder Companies, we approach sustainable design options for our prestige and luxury packaging with a spirit of collaboration. To further our focus on reducing the potential environmental impacts of a package across its lifecycle, we are proud to partner with SABIC and Albéa on Origins’ industry-first sustainable packaging innovation,” states Sushil Iyer, vice president, global packaging, The Estée Lauder Companies. “Exploring the uses of Post-Consumer Recycle – PCR – is an incredible resource to drive our sustainable packaging goals, and we are excited to bring a more advanced recycled PCR solution to market.”
Mark Vester, circular economy leader at SABIC, adds “The new Origins packaging is the result of true collaboration and innovation, and another step forward to closing the loop on used plastics. We are committed to collaborating with partners across the value chain in working towards a more sustainable, circular future.”
Using Recycled, Refillable and Reusable Packaging
In line with ELC’s sustainable packaging goals, which include increasing the amount of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material in its packaging, the strategic partnership will further Origins’ commitment to convert at least 80% by weight of its packaging to recyclable, refillable, reusable, recycled or recoverable by 2023. The masking beauty leader’s long-term goal is to convert all of its current mask tube packs to include recycled plastic by 2023.
A true pioneer in the ‘naturals’ space, Origins’ investment in sustainable packaging solutions truly reflects its core values. For 30 years, the brand has continued to seek out the most powerful ingredients from nature, identify safe alternatives and use breakthrough science to unleash and deliver transformative results – all while continually striving to make decisions that help reduce environmental impact.
“Respect for our planet is ingrained into our brand’s DNA. It guides all that we do and is reflected in our Origins offerings, which is why we’re excited to partner with SABIC and Albéa and provide our consumers with a safe, high-quality and sustainable packaging solution that reduces our impact on the environment,” says Francesca Damato, Origins’ vice president for global marketing and product development. “Together, we have an exciting opportunity to define how the prestige beauty industry can create attractive as well as responsible packaging that pleases both consumers and the planet. This is a significant first step in the transition towards a circular economy, helping to close the loop on plastic waste.”