Henkel advances sustainable packaging in its Beauty Care portfolio

With the latest brand relaunches of Nature Box, Gliss Kur and Syoss, Henkel takes another important step in promoting sustainable packaging solutions and advancing its portfolio.

“We are fully committed to contributing to a circular economy and are working towards our ambitious packaging targets for 2025. The relaunch of three of our biggest brands marks a true milestone and demonstrates our holistic approach to transform our entire portfolio with regards to sustainability”, said Philippe Blank, Head of Circular Economy at Henkel Beauty Care.

Continued use of Social Plastic^®

As of September, the hair and body care brand Nature Box is carrying the ECOCERT label, proving that it has met the standards by COSMOS-NATURAL for natural cosmetics. This certification confirms that all Nature Box products are made with at least 98 percent natural-origin ingredients (including water). In addition, all products have vegan formulas, this means they are free from ingredients of animal origin and are free from synthetic colorants and/or silicones (depending on respective products). With Nature Box’s relaunch, Henkel is also taking further steps in its collaboration with the social enterprise Plastic Bank. Nature Box is the first beauty brand to introduce Social Plastic^® as a packaging material for its complete bottle portfolio: All bottle bodies of Nature Box are made of 98 percent Social Plastic^®* - plastic that has been collected by people living in poverty before it can enter oceans and waterways. Henkel is currently working to replace the remaining 2 percent virgin plastic, which are based on the bottle’s color, with the recycled material as well. For that, the company is already testing a color carrier consisting of Social Plastic^®.

Pioneering the development of recyclable black packaging

Due to the carbon black color that is often used in black packaging, it usually poses a challenge for the recycling value chain because the material cannot be identified and properly sorted by recycling systems. Last year, Henkel introduced its first recyclable black plastic packaging and with that created an innovative solution to make black plastic packaging more sustainable. Since the relaunch of Henkel’s hair care brand Syoss in September, the brand’s iconic black packaging is fully recyclable due to the innovative carbon-free colorant. Additionally, all shampoo bottles are made of 98 percent recycled material (excluding cap).

Increasing the proportion of recycled plastic

With a of the well-known Schwarzkopf brand Gliss Kur, Henkel increases the proportion of recycled material along the entire product range. Whereas the new shampoo and conditioner PE bottles are made of 30 percent recycled content, the shampoo and Express Repair Conditioner PET bottles consist of 97 percent recycled material. All bottle bodies are 100 percent recyclable and by reducing the use of metallic foil, the overall recycling process is simplified. Additionally, the new black caps are made of carbon-free material which means that they are fully recyclable as well.

Ambitious packaging targets

As part of Henkel’s sustainability efforts, the company has set itself ambitious packaging targets for 2025 to promote a circular economy. By then, 100 percent of Henkel's packaging will be recyclable or reusable** and the company will reduce fossil-based virgin plastics by half in its consumer goods packaging. Additionally, Henkel wants to contribute to avoiding plastic waste being disposed in the environment.

On the way to achieving these goals, Henkel has already made many advances in its three business units. The company further increased the share of recycled plastic in its packaging and a number of Henkel’s packaging already consists of 100 percent recycled material. Next to developing sustainable packaging solutions, Henkel is engaged in several partnerships and cross-industry initiatives that aim to drive innovation in packaging development and the transition towards a circular economy. For example, the company is not only a partner of Plastic Bank but also a member of the global Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) and the New Plastics Economy (NPEC).

^{* excluding caps, packaging of shampoo bars and shower bottles & tubes
** excluding adhesives products where residue may affect recyclability or pollute recycling streams}

Learn more about Henkel’s initiatives for sustainable packaging at www.henkel.com/sustainability/sustainable-packaging