Estée Lauder is enamored with space. Last year the company was the first-ever beauty brand to participate in NASA's efforts to enable business opportunities on the International Space Station, sending its iconic Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex into space. Now the beauty brand is funding research into sustainable plastics alternatives utilizing the space-based lab.

Estée Lauder is the exclusive partner of the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory Sustainability Challenge: Beyond Plastics. The beauty brand has partnered on a research and development opportunity for innovators to propose concepts leveraging the ISS National Lab to advance sustainability research for plastics alternatives. As part of the brand's commitment to support research that can help drive sustainable packaging innovation, Estée Lauder will provide funding for the awarded proposals.

The mission is to address plastic waste and enable scientific or technological advancements that help improve Earth's environment. The research has the potential to uncover new insights into cost-effective and innovative avenues for environmentally responsible biopolymers or plastics alternatives.

“We are proud to be the exclusive partner of the ISS National Lab Sustainability Challenge, funding research for future-thinking plastics alternatives," said Stéphane de La Faverie, Global Brand President, Estée Lauder & AERIN, and Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies. "As a global leader in the beauty industry, we are committed to furthering scientific research and innovation for more sustainable business practices. We are excited to be part of an initiative that could be truly transformative for our brand, our beloved consumers and the future of our planet.”

“We are excited to collaborate with Estée Lauder as we seek novel advancements through space-based research and development to mitigate plastic pollution on our planet," said Christine Kretz, Vice President of Programs and Partnerships for the ISS National Lab. "We thank Estée Lauder for its enthusiastic support of the ISS National Lab Sustainability Challenge: Beyond Plastics, and we look forward to working alongside researchers as they propose science that will improve the environment of our beautiful planet.”

The ISS National Lab Sustainability Challenge is an open solicitation for US-based entities to propose projects that leverage the orbiting research platform for applied research and technology development.