Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has taken a step toward bolstering its commitment to sustainable packaging by partnering with SK chemicals, “one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chemical and life science products.”
A South Korean company, SK chemicals is renowned for its advanced recycling technology that chemically breaks down waste plastic into monomers, the essential building blocks of plastic.
As the company explains, advanced recycling “is considered important technology for the advancement of packaging-to-packaging recycling, helping solve plastic waste issues in a circular and innovative way.”
Under the agreement, SK chemicals will provide recycled and recyclable materials for ELC to use in its packaging.
In its press release announcing the partnership, SK chemicals writes that the two companies will “gradually increase the amount of recycled materials in their products and replace other non-recyclable materials, with designs that incorporate recyclable or recycled materials.”
With more than 20 brands, Estée Lauder makes makeup, fragrance, and skincare and haircare products. Some of its brands include Clinique, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and Aveda, and their products are sold in about 150 countries and territories.
In 2021, Estée Lauder declared a series of ambitious sustainability targets. These goals included achieving 25% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in its packaging by 2025, along with a pledge to reduce the use of virgin petroleum plastic in packaging to 50% or less by 2030.
The partnership with SK chemicals aims to help ELC achieve these goals.
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Ahn Jae-hyun, CEO of SK chemicals, emphasized the potential for positive synergies to emerge from this partnership, benefiting both businesses and the environment, saying:
“Through this agreement, we believe positive synergies can be created in both business and environmental aspects as SK chemicals, leading the circular recycling plastic technology, partners with The Estée Lauder Companies, leading the global cosmetics market. We will continue to work harder to create a sustainable cosmetics container ecosystem.”
This initiative from ELC reflects a broader trend in the beauty industry, where major players are unveiling plans to improve the environmental footprint of their packaging materials.
Earlier this week, British anti-aging skincare manufacturer Elemis announced its partnership with biodegradable materials firm Xampla to develop plastic-free sampling sachets for its beauty products. As part of this agreement, Xampla would transform Elemis’ ingredient leftovers into a biodegradable, heat-sealable film.
As Estée Lauder Companies and SK chemicals join hands to incorporate advanced recycled materials into packaging, the beauty industry takes another step toward a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — In the Featured Photo: Estée Lauder sale and display at Robinsons The Heeren, Orchard Road. Featured Photo Credit: Choo Yut Shing.
