Web Exclusive: More Latest Launches
For Aveda's new Green Science skin care line, the brand worked with Inoac Packaging Group (Bardstown, KY) to create 100% postconsumer recycled (PCR) PET jars.
"The challenge with PCR has always been sourcing and sorting good, clean material," says Dean Maune, Aveda's executive director of packaging development.
Maune says that Aveda has been working with a company called Phoenix Plastics to collect and sort the PCR materials that Aveda uses. "We continue to work with Phoenix to find new streams of clean materials," says Maune. "For Green Science, we used a deposit-grade resin for the first time. This means that the recycling stream from which Phoenix Plastics gets the material is by-deposit only. Basically, this has to do with how you go about collecting materials. With regular waste-management recycling, there's one bin in which people dump all of their recycling in, whether it's paper, plastic, or glass. Those materials are then sorted at a facility. With deposit-based recycling, all PET, for instance, is deposited in one recycling bin, rather than being mixed with other materials."
Because the color of recycled material varies, Maune says that Aveda had to make some adjustments to achieve the jar's white color. "We're seeing tints of grays and blues coming from the PCR recycling stream," he says. "Some of that can be caused by additives that the beverage industry uses in order to run blow-molding equipment faster. We had to do a little work to achieve the jar's brilliant white color." Varying PCR colors also required that the jar be opaque rather than translucent.
The FSC-certified paperboard for the line's cartons was supplied by Mohawk Paper Mills (Cohoes, NY). Johnson Printing (Minneapolis) converted the paperboard into cartons. "Mohawk rates its paperboard from an FSC-certification standpoint, and it uses renewable resources to generate the board," says Maune. "Johnson Printing is also a facility that uses wind power. We also use soy-based inks to print the cartons." Aveda uses 100% wind power in its own manufacturing facilities.
The line's glass bottles are eco-friendly because they are recyclable. In addition, the glass material helped to provide the barrier properties required by the natural products in order to keep the product formulations stable.
Alcan Packaging Cebal (New York City) provided the small, 3-ml MDPE tube for Green Science's Line Minimizer product. "The tube material comes from Germany. We are actively working with Alcan Cebal to incorporate PCR content," says Maune. "They have not actually tested it to date, but they are actively working on it."
"PCR from Europe is a challenge to work with because of the collection stream," he continues. "Most of the plastics in Europe are being burned for energy versus being recycled into new containers, or what we call cradle to cradle."
The rest of the line's larger tubes were supplied by CCL Tube (Los Angeles). "We've been working with CCL Tube for many years to incorporate PCR content," says Maune. "For the launch of Green Science, the tubes by CCL contain a minimum of 35% PCR. For Green Science line extensions to follow, the tubes are going to be 50% PCR." Maune says that 50% will be the highest percentage of PCR that Aveda has achieved in a tube to date.