New hand creams from Maison Guerlain now feature Amcor’s CleanStream premium post-consumer recycled polypropylene in their hexagonal packaging, designed to be recyclable across Europe.
With Amcor’s proprietary CleanStream technology, household polypropylene waste is recycled into ‘high-purity’ recycled plastic said to be suitable for contact-sensitive applications. This is reportedly facilitated by automated identification, sorting, and decontamination, among other AI-powered steps.
Through this process, the recycled polymer has been implemented into the Aqua Allegoria hand cream bottles. The result is a mono-polypropylene bottle that, according to Amcor, can be recycled in any European country where the necessary recycling infrastructure exists.
At the same time, the product line is set to maintain the appropriate functionality, product protection, and aesthetics. Its hexagonal shape is inspired by a honeycomb, referencing Maison Guerlain’s bee emblem; and its multilayer construction is intended to protect the creams inside, ensuring their effectiveness and quality.
The bottle and cap, both produced at two of Amcor’s factories in France, are finished with a matte colourless varnish. Additionally, the body of the bottle is screen printed.
To differentiate between different products in the range, the bottle is available in three different colours: orange for the Mandarine Basilic variant, green for the Rosa Verde variant, and pink for the Rosa Rossa.
“The beauty sector has the challenge of reconciling what were once considered the opposing requirements of luxury and sustainability,” explained Marine Sueur, sales director for France at Amcor. “CleanStream was developed to bridge this gap with a high-quality polymer that can match the characteristics of virgin material.”
The news comes after Amcor’s recent collaboration with Bulldog Skincare to implement over 62% post-consumer recycled plastic into its tubes, as well as reduce their sleeve thickness by almost 17%. Together, these changes are anticipated to save around 8.5 metric tonnes of plastic every year.
Elsewhere in the beauty industry, Albion has teamed up with Refinverse, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, and Japan Polypropylene to close the loop on its polypropylene cosmetics containers by recycling them into new packaging.
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
The ultimate guide to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation in 2025
How are the top brands progressing on packaging sustainability?
Everything you need to know about global packaging sustainability regulation in 2025
The key to increasing the use of reusable packaging in supermarkets
No comments yet