Traditionally, small-format flexible packaging, typically used for sachets, wrappers, and pouches, has been dominated by the use of plastics. The beauty industry produces an estimated 120 billion units of packaging every year, with 62% of plastic packaging used in cosmetics being non-recyclable. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a non-profit that aims to create a circular economy, estimates that flexibles account for approximately 80% of the plastic packaging polluting oceans and have some of the lowest recycling rates globally. Beauty companies have made targeted efforts to tackle plastic waste through sustainability campaigns and partnerships with organizations such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Pact Collective, founded to confront beauty’s packaging problems by helping recycle beauty empties.
In September 2026, Unilever joined the newly launched PaperFlex Consortium to accelerate the development of paper-based flexible packaging as an alternative to plastic flexibles. The consortium, formed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and environmental consulting firm (Re)set, includes Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever as founding members.
Under the consortium, the corporations aim to work collaboratively to fund and conduct trials in developing paper-based flexible packaging that still protects products, preserves shelf life, and performs efficiently on manufacturing lines.
As Pablo Costa, Unilever’s Global Head of Packaging, explained, reducing plastic waste is not as simple as swapping materials, but requires a transformation of the supply chain. Products across industries have different packaging needs. For example, Unilever’s 2024 paper-based packaging launch in the UK addresses the fat content of stock cubes, used for soup. The recyclable paper-based Knorr stock cube wrappers are designed to stop grease from soaking through or staining the paper, which can weaken the pack and affect shelf life. As part of the PaperFlex Consortium, Unilever will contribute to refining and innovating paper-based packaging.
Through its early launches, the PaperFlex Consortium will continue to shift the supply chain, adapt factory lines, and take account of consumer feedback on new packaging.
“The focus is on markets where flexible plastic packaging is widely used, but there are limited formal collection and recycling systems,” said Costa. “The aim is to design alternatives that are recyclable as collection systems improve and biodegradable in the event that they unintentionally end up in the environment.”
According to Costa, Unilever has taken steps to develop new flexible options by doubling its investment in packaging R&D in recent years. Furthermore, Unilever has a team of over 60 material scientists working on paper-based materials and specialized barrier coatings.
The launch of the PaperFlex Consortium reflects the beauty and wellness industry’s continued investment and involvement in sustainability action. As some climate change experts believe we are nearing a point of no return, cooperation and collaboration among major corporations is ever more key to accelerating sustainable innovations in beauty.