For liquids too: COSSMA

photos: Hekla, Robyn Mackenzie/Shutterstock.com

Paper packaging is considered ecological and sustainable. But limits were reached quickly with viscous or liquid cosmetic products. A newly developed form of pods shows innovative ways to significantly reduce the use of plastic here.

For 2020, the global market for cosmetics and personal care products reported sales of approx. 428 billion Euros, thus continuing its uninterrupted growth for over two decades¹. Not only are consumers ready to spend more on their favourite products; the demand for sustainable alternatives is also growing. A quarter of all consumers claim that a sustainable lifestyle is an important aspect of their personal well-being².

As eco-friendly products become more attractive, manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products are rethinking conventional packaging concepts. Paper packaging solutions is one of the big trends. However, packaging viscous and liquid products sustainably in paper poses several challenges for the interaction between packaging material, product, and machine.

Most of the skincare products and cosmetics filling countless shelves in drugstores, pharmacies, cosmetic studios, and perfumeries are packaged in plastic. Confronted with an overwhelming offer, more and more consumers are basing their purchase decisions on one feature: the product’s environmental footprint. They want to contribute to responsible resource consumption and reduce plastic waste.

Get attention

At the same time, products must catch consumers’ attention at the point of sale. This is where personalised packaging plays a key role, as it helps to create a positive brand experience. This is especially advantageous in the very dynamic cosmetics industry, where aesthetic demands are particularly high. Using personalised, high-quality packaging concepts, manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products can grab consumers’ attention and set themselves apart from competition. Especially the growing market for men’s cosmetics requires new packaging solutions that are geared towards this target group.

Paper-based packaging materials offer a sustainable alternative to conventional packaging solutions. Consumers consider them to be more eco-friendly than plastic, which increases acceptance when making purchasing decisions. These are ideal prerequisites to transfer established paper packaging from traditional areas of application, such as the food industry, to new market segments.

Well-established packaging material

Secondary and end-of-line packaging made of cardboard material is omnipresent in consumers’ day-to-day lives. Sustainable variants of paperbased packaging materials consist either of recycled paper fibres, paperboard, or paper with a thin coating or finishing.

In line with the circular economy, paper-based solutions are optimal because they can be recycled repeatedly, ensuring long lifecycles and reducing waste. While the processing of paper for secondary and endof- line packaging is well established

– not least due to good machinability

– there are still some hurdles to overcome regarding paper-based primary

packaging.

Paper for primary packaging

When using paper as primary packaging, the interaction between packaging and product is key. The product requirements determine the application possibilities of the packaging material. For example, paper is well established as a primary

packaging material for products with low barrier requirements. Dry foods, such as flour, sugar, and pasta, can be packaged in paper bags or folding cartons without difficulties.

However, the food industry has shown that other products, like sticky candy bars, fragile cookies or chocolate, which require higher barrier protection, can also be packaged more sustainably: cold-sealable barrier papers that can be processed on horizontal flow wrapping machines without any speed or format restrictions when compared to plastic variants. With a low plastic content, they can be completely disposed of via the paper recycling stream in most countries.

As a result, paper is becoming an increasingly attractive material for primary packaging in other sectors, like the cosmetics and personal care industry.

New options for viscous products

However, safely and reliably packaging viscous substances, such as creams, liquids, face masks and liquid cosmetics in paper requires completely new packaging concepts. So-called shaped paper pods developed by Syntegon were created during the development of paperbased packaging solutions that are

both sustainable and efficient.

They can be individually shaped to manufacturers’ specifications and represent an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic packaging solutions. They offer the option of packaging viscous and liquid cosmetics in paper-based, single-use portion packs. Thanks to their reduced plastic content, paper pods can be disposed of and recycled in the wastepaper stream in many countries.

Their customisable, high-quality appearance opens the door for unique designs – a distinct advantage at the point of sale on the drugstore shelf or at the cosmetic studio. The embossing of the textured pods create a haptic experience that underscores value and quality. Consumers immediately perceive its sustainability and associate the novel packaging with an equally innovative and environmentally friendly content.

The new packaging concept can be used for viscous and liquid products such as cream that were usually packaged in blisters. The paper pods can be shaped as desired. photo: Syntegon

Personalised, practical, and beautiful

Particularly in the cosmetics industry, which constantly introduces new products, manufacturers must win over customers not only with the internal content, but also with the external packaging. The creative packaging concept of the customisable 3D shaped paper pods immediately catches consumers’ attention

on the shelf and influences their purchase decision. For example, especially sustainable products can be packaged in leaves, while lipstick samples for younger target groups can be pressed into butterfly shapes. Dry products, such as face powders, can also be personalised with a unique embossed pattern on their packaging to reinforce the brand experience. Moreover, the lids of shaped paper pods can be equipped with smart QR codes to provide additional information and further reinforce customer loyalty. There is also a growing demand for travel-sized products that take up little space. Favourite creams or makeup products need to be available on the go.

In addition to single-use products and testers, this packaging solution is particularly suitable for refill products. Razor blades, bandages and toothpicks

are often shrink-wrapped in plastic packs. Shaped paper pods fulfil the same barrier requirements and ensure hygienic protection of the product.

Even liquid refill products can be packaged in the paper-based pods. To date, manufacturers have used them for concentrates that are later diluted with water. The concentrates can be packaged as capsules, tablets, or liquids. The paper packaging increases recyclability and significantly reduces the proportion of plastic. In the future, products that would otherwise be shrink-wrapped in plastic can be packaged using mainly renewable materials – a major sustainability advantage for brand owners.

Flexible and cost-efficient

Another advantage of shaped paper pods is their innovative, more sustainable process. While classic paper packaging is formed from pre-cut sheets, this method allows the paper to be processed directly from the roll without the need for an additional conversion step. This eliminates high storage costs, as the

required packaging is precisely cut on the line and does not have to be pre-produced. Moreover, manufacturers can produce different packaging sizes on the line.

Conclusion

Shaped paper pods can be a sustainable solution for manufacturers of personal care products, cosmetics and other liquid and viscous products that reduces plastic and paves the way for innovative products. The machine used to produce shaped paper pods was even awarded the German Packaging Prize for its technology for environmentally friendly packaging materials. Furthermore, packaging experts are developing technologies that will, in the long term, function entirely without sealing layers, thereby delivering completely plastic-free packaging.