Editors’ Choice Award Winner: Sustainable Packaging
Dr. Weil for Origins Plantidote Collection
by The Estée Lauder Companies
Environmentalists consider many factors when determining if a package is truly environment friendly. Serious advocates believe in what is called a cradle-to-cradle cycle. In packaging, this means three things: that raw materials for packaging are harvested in sustainable ways, that packages are produced using sustainable energy, and that the packages can be recycled after use. The Dr. Weil for Origins Plantidote Collection features outer packaging inspired by this cradle-to-cradle philosophy and sets an example of sustainable packaging for the entire beauty industry.
Origins was the first major beauty brand to commit to manufacturing all of its cartons using renewable wind energy. “I am very excited about this launch because we were able to really take recycled packaging to the next level. This was a big commitment for Estée Lauder and our suppliers,” says John Delfausse, vice president of package development for The Estée Lauder Companies.
The skin care collection is packaged in white outer cartons accented with dark-green graphics. The cartons are made from 50% postconsumer recycled content (PCR) and 50% virgin fibers, which are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Mohawk Papers uses wind power to produce the 18-pt cartonboard. This board is called Origins Mohawk board because it was codeveloped by Mohawk and Lauder—another first for the beauty industry.
“The message behind this packaging is wonderful. It is reflective of what a 21st-century brand should be doing,” says awards panelist Dennis Furniss, vice president of strategic branding and design for design firm Kaleidoscope.
In addition to fulfilling its “green” mission, the team at Origins knew that the carton’s aesthetics and durability were equally important. A higher percentage of PCR fibers wasn’t used because the carton’s strength would have been compromised, resulting in possible cracking along the score line. “When virgin fibers are used, it is important to make sure that the trees that are supplying your fibers are grown in sustainable forests,” says Delfausse.
The board is printed and converted into cartons by Johnson Printing in its plant, which is powered 100% by wind energy. “A message to the consumer is printed on the carton that states that the package has been made using renewable energy, and asks that the user recycle it,” says Alan Bodker, executive director of package development for Origins. This completes the final stage in the cradle-to-cradle concept.
The Plantidote products packaged in these cartons include Dr. Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Lotion and Mega-Mushroom Eye Serum, both of which are in green glass bottles. The green glass is recyclable. The bottles are produced by Saint-Gobain Desjonquères, and Pfeiffer supplies the pumps. Mega-Mushroom Eye Makeup Remover Pads are packaged in a polypropylene jar supplied by O. Berk. The pads themselves are supplied by Eluci. Mega-Mushroom Face Cleanser is in a green high-density polyethylene tube supplied by TuPack.
This collection is already acting as a catalyst for positive change. “We have made a decision that Origins will only work with paperboard suppliers that use renewable energy,” says Delfausse. His next goal is to persuade all of the brand’s paperboard suppliers, for every Lauder brand, to commit to using wind energy. “We have a responsibility to our customers and to the communities in which we live to do as much as we can in the area of sustainability,” he says. By following this example, the entire beauty industry might soon be led down a more sustainable path.