While there is no denying the march towards more sustainable practices in the paper and packaging world continues, for many in the beauty industry the word “recycled” is synonymous with imperfection, and this presents resistance to using reclaimed fiber in beauty packaging.

While brands are desperately trying to strike the balance between creating packaging that delivers both experience and eco credentials, the concerns over the aesthetic and functional quality of reclaimed fiber may hold some beauty brands back from really exploiting the sustainable options available.

The beauty world is full of unboxing videos and has a thriving resale market for the packaging from luxury goods, so it is understandable that packaging needs to reflect the craftsmanship and quality of the product itself. Luxury beauty brands must put their trust in the quality of upcycled fiber—it’s time to trust the blending process.

We often get questions about the integrity of reclaimed fiber because of the degradation that happens over time and reuse, resulting in a loss of strength. This is a bit of a misnomer; in our established supply chains the fiber we use is typically being recycled for the first time, and as such is pretty much indistinguishable in terms of strength from fresh fiber. This story doesn’t begin and end with recovered fiber, though. We believe that the perfect balance of paper performance, a sustainable story, and visual appeal lives in the unique blend of virgin and recovered fiber.

Crucial to this is the process of fiber selection, specific to every brief. Taking a bespoke approach to each project means the perfect blend of fibers are selected to ensure the desired outcome is achieved. Being selective of the supply chain is key; our team conducts rigorous tests to validate the quality of the fiber stream, testing for levels of contamination, optical brightening agents, mechanical content, long-fiber to short-fiber ratio, and more.

Stringent fiber selection takes us a long way in achieving the same results that virgin fiber offers. However, the key to zero compromise in terms of quality and environmental impact is absolutely in the blend of virgin and reclaimed.

But what about color? How do we allay concerns about reclaimed fiber affecting the ability to color match or produce clean finishes without visible inclusions? There is an argument that consumers are increasingly happy to see that recycled fiber has been used; perhaps there is a mindset change that needs to happen in order to accept imperfections that can sometimes be seen, especially in lighter shades.

In cases where brands are ready to embrace the aesthetics of reclaimed fiber and natural dyes and their brands allow for this transition, we can make the most of any visible inclusions; but what is the answer if color perfection is a must? Again, it’s all in the blend of fibers. Recycled fibers can be highly fibrillated and so accept color very well. Fiber that has more visual impurities would be used for darker colors, while we need to be more selective with recycled sources or might need to increase the percentage of virgin fiber for white.

The environmental opportunity is meaningful. Paper is one of the most widely recycled materials in the world. In 2021, 71.4% of all paper and board consumed in Europe was recycled and the total amount of paper and board collected and recycled increased by 2%, up to 57.1 million tons. Giving a second life to that recycled fiber as luxury packaging is a wonderful story to tell and one which we know consumers want to hear.

While brands were understandably concerned about the move towards packaging that has contributed to the circular economy in recent years, what we now know about fiber innovation has wound down those concerns. There are answers for every brand, answers that promise that aesthetics and performance need not be sacrificed at the altar of circularity. All brands need to do now is trust the blending process.