The global beauty industry has pledged to become more eco-friendly, with a focus on reducing plastic waste, increasing recyclability, and promoting transparency in product ingredients. However, experts say that the industry's efforts are "a patchwork at best," with inconsistencies and shortcomings in its sustainability initiatives.
A recent study by Simon Kucher found that 60% of consumers around the world consider sustainability when making purchasing decisions, while 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products. In response, beauty brands have set environmental goals, such as moving away from single-use plastics, providing recyclable and reusable packaging, and offering more transparency around product ingredients.
However, many consumers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of many products. The British Beauty Council notes that the industry's clean-up efforts have been inconsistent and lack standardized regulations, leading to "greenwashing" – where companies make unsustainable claims without substantiating them.
One major challenge is the lack of international standards for product ingredient information sharing. Brands can set their own rules, resulting in confusion among consumers and allowing companies to tout sustainability claims that are not backed up by facts.
The cosmetics industry uses an estimated 95% of plastic packaging, with plastic being about 67% of the industry's packaging volume. However, recycling rates are low – only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, and in the US, just 4% is recycled. Many brands are trying to phase out harmful plastics and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, but sourcing PCR can be difficult due to high demand and pricing issues.
Beauty retailers also play a crucial role in sustainability, with control over stocking decisions and supply chains. However, many vary in their standards for brands they sell. Certifications like the US-born B Corporation are available, but voluntarily pursued by brands.
Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting baseline standards would greatly help address climate shortcomings in the industry. As Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability at Credo Beauty, notes, "Regulation can raise the floor a bit... But market leadership is key." In the absence of bold regulations or global standards on sustainability practices, it will be up to brands and customers to drive change through collective advocacy and initiative.
For example, companies like FEKKAI claim that they use up to 95% PCR content in their packaging, but face challenges due to pricing and supply issues. The lack of standardization in recycling laws across countries also poses a challenge for beauty brands looking to sell globally.
Ultimately, the beauty industry's sustainability journey will depend on the leadership and initiative shown by companies and consumers alike. As Susanne Kaufmann, founder of her namesake brand, notes, "I package our product in a recyclable material... If I send this to the US, the garbage is not separated... and it's not recyclable." This highlights the need for global cooperation and standardization on sustainability practices to address climate shortcomings.
A recent study by Simon Kucher found that 60% of consumers around the world consider sustainability when making purchasing decisions, while 35% are willing to pay more for sustainable products. In response, beauty brands have set environmental goals, such as moving away from single-use plastics, providing recyclable and reusable packaging, and offering more transparency around product ingredients.
However, many consumers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of many products. The British Beauty Council notes that the industry's clean-up efforts have been inconsistent and lack standardized regulations, leading to "greenwashing" – where companies make unsustainable claims without substantiating them.
One major challenge is the lack of international standards for product ingredient information sharing. Brands can set their own rules, resulting in confusion among consumers and allowing companies to tout sustainability claims that are not backed up by facts.
The cosmetics industry uses an estimated 95% of plastic packaging, with plastic being about 67% of the industry's packaging volume. However, recycling rates are low – only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, and in the US, just 4% is recycled. Many brands are trying to phase out harmful plastics and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, but sourcing PCR can be difficult due to high demand and pricing issues.
Beauty retailers also play a crucial role in sustainability, with control over stocking decisions and supply chains. However, many vary in their standards for brands they sell. Certifications like the US-born B Corporation are available, but voluntarily pursued by brands.
Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting baseline standards would greatly help address climate shortcomings in the industry. As Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability at Credo Beauty, notes, "Regulation can raise the floor a bit... But market leadership is key." In the absence of bold regulations or global standards on sustainability practices, it will be up to brands and customers to drive change through collective advocacy and initiative.
For example, companies like FEKKAI claim that they use up to 95% PCR content in their packaging, but face challenges due to pricing and supply issues. The lack of standardization in recycling laws across countries also poses a challenge for beauty brands looking to sell globally.
Ultimately, the beauty industry's sustainability journey will depend on the leadership and initiative shown by companies and consumers alike. As Susanne Kaufmann, founder of her namesake brand, notes, "I package our product in a recyclable material... If I send this to the US, the garbage is not separated... and it's not recyclable." This highlights the need for global cooperation and standardization on sustainability practices to address climate shortcomings.
they need 2 set some stricter rules and standards 4 recyclability and ingredient transparency cant just rely on brands voluntarily doin it 
think if theres a global standard, its easier 4 consumers 2 make informed choices 
and recycling rates are pretty low too
, but then I started thinking... isn't that just a surface level thing? like, what if ppl are just buying into it cuz its trendy? 
, right? so they're trying to get eco-friendly but it's all super inconsistent 
. companies are doing their best but it's not enough 
, but if we wanna take it seriously we gotta have some real standards in place, like international guidelines on ingredient sharing and recycling rates 
. it's so easy to get caught up in greenwashing where companies just make claims without backing them up 
. we need some real leadership and initiative from both brands and consumers to drive change 
️. it's not gonna be easy, but if we wanna make a difference, we gotta start talking and demanding more from the industry 
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from beauty brands. On paper, they sound amazing – reducing plastic waste, using more recyclable materials... but have you ever tried to research a product's ingredients or sustainability claims online? Forget about it! It's like trying to navigate a never-ending minefield 
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The lack of international standards for ingredient sharing is just ridiculous. And don't even get me started on the recycling rates... 9% global plastic waste recycled? That's wild 
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. We need governments and multinationals to step up and create some real standards. Otherwise, we're just going to keep on guessing and wasting our time trying to figure out what's really going on behind the scenes 
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