How are Indian beauty brands making packaging more sustainable?

It’s true that our grandparents lived more simply, and therefore, more sustainably. Unlike us, they didn’t need much—soap bars to bathe, and hand-pounded ubtans and hair powders to cleanse, concealed in glass or tin jars. While the world has undergone many advanced changes since, our habits and wants have expanded too; the evolution boomeranged back as an impediment towards a safer, cleaner and greener future.

In the mid-20th century, plastic, a synthetic or semi-synthetic material with “polymers” creeped into the personal care industry. It could be moulded, extruded and shaped into sturdy packaging; it was lightweight and easy to transport (unlike glass), durable and inexpensive. Brands loved it. But it also takes centuries for plastic to decompose, threatening the entire ecosystem with its toxic traits. Most of the 120 billion units of packaging generated by the beauty industry every year—plastic being the primary material—ends up in landfills. Since 1950, when large-scale plastic production began, only 9 per cent of the world’s plastic has been recycled. Then there are the tiny microplastics—smaller than five millimetres in diameter—that go into our cosmetics and later clog up our oceans. We have to stop and think about the countless shampoo and body wash bottles that will remain on the planet long after we’re gone. We need to change the way we consume, create and dispose.

The awakening

Slowly but gradually, and perhaps because there cannot be another way if we want a future to exist, brands are seeking solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. They are striving to find a balance between practicality, safety and sustainability when it comes to packaging. It’s not enough for a product to be ethically and sustainably made. How it comes to you, what you do with it and where it goes when you’ve used it are equally important questions. Homegrown, made-from-scratch beauty brands in India are redefining the momentum, growing and learning along the way. Converting the average Indian consumer that has long been a loyalist of the plastic bottle may not be an easy feat. But some brands have taken up the challenge to protect the planet’s integrity by reevaluating their packaging principles.

When I popped open a cylindrical paper box secured with medical tape, it contained little circular bars wrapped in paper—my shampoo and conditioner. I had questions—how will I use it? Will it dry out my hair? Does it actually work? And that’s mostly anyone who has typically used shampoo out of bottles all their life. The Switch Fix launched in the market in October 2020 with shampoo and conditioner bars, and is now extended to hair serums, face products and a hair mask bar. A risky move, but worth the rewards, “In 2021 alone, TSF created a tremendous positive environmental impact—three times more than 2020—by preventing 42,051 plastic bottles from ending up in landfills (i.e. shampoo and conditioner bottles),” says co-founder Abhishek Kumar. The bars saved 23,653.8 litres of water that would go in a traditional shampoo or conditioner. Their products are biodegradable, non-toxic, vegan and cruelty-free, and save a lot of water. Their packaging is mindful of this philosophy too. “For a long time, packaging was only seen as a means to entice consumers visually and cleverly designed to signal ‘throw-away’ behaviour to drive consumers to buy more frequently,” Kumar says. Their product range is made in a way that minimises the use of packaging, and the materials used are plastic-free, compostable and biodegradable. The papers are free of non-biodegradable coating or plastic lamination, and the glass bottles do not have tinting or colourants, making them easy to recycle.

Juicy Chemistry, a certified organic skincare and personal care brand that launched in 2014 has come a long way in the past seven years. Their organic deodorants and dry shampoos come in biodegradable paper tubes and a majority of their products are packaged in glass bottles and tubs. “Our liquid shampoos and body washes are made available in PET G bottles that adhere to ECOCERT standards and are highly recyclable. We also have a plastic-neutral programme,” says co-founder Megha Asher.

For Siddharth Somaiya, founder of Organic Riot,“Sustainability is the raison dêtre of the brand,” besides making it safe and effective. “As per the most stringent organic certification rules, each organically certified material has to make sure that the whole supply chain and chain of ownership is organically certified, so it can retain its status as ‘organic’.” Somaiya says his brand follows it all. They use 100 per cent recycled and recyclable packaging materials such as BPA-free, non-toxic plastic, and tubes that don’t have stickers or labels. Instead, they use adhesives similar to glue that can affect the recyclability potential of a container, as it’s difficult to separate from the plastic. They print directly on their tube using food-grade, non-bioaccumulating and heavy-metal free inks, and the outer boxes are made from recycled paper.

Another small way to ensure you’re not leaving behind a legacy of discarded empties is by refilling them. While global brands like M.A.C and Kiehl’s have started refillable programmes, the homegrown community is not far behind. asa Beauty, a vegan and cruelty-free luxury beauty brand making skincare-infused make-up, conceals their products in sustainable elements like FSC-certified paper, which are chlorine- and heavy metal-free, 100 per cent biodegradable and recyclable, andin-house engineered and crafted aluminium. Every product (except their minis), from lipsticks to concealers, can be refilled. “We also have a recyclable programme where we encourage our consumers to send back their empties, in collaboration with our recycling partner, to ensure it is ethically recycled,” says founder Sukriti Jindal Khaitan.

Out of the box

While it is clear that innovation, efficacy and a passion for the planet resonates with most homegrown beauty brands, there needs to be a collective effort from companies at all levels in order to make a sustainable difference. E-commerce companies like Sublime Life are curating and onboarding “clean” and sustainable beauty brands that are cruelty-free and adhere to their “no-toxins” list. “We have almost 160 brands on board, and we ensure that whoever we partner with is transparent and honest about their ingredients and the environmental impact of their products, along with their planet-friendly and zero-waste packaging,” says Sublime Life’s founder Deep Lalvani. To deliver them they use 100 per cent plastic-free shipping—everything from their packaging boxes, wrapping materials, to tape and sleeves is made of recyclable materials or material that can be further recycled and is free of plastic. The company also accepts empties that are then sent to a recycling organisation called ReCircle.

At Organic Riot, too, all e-commerce shipments from their website are completely devoid of plastic. An outer box made of recycled paper (no bubblewrap) is generally used, except during the monsoons. But Somaiya has found a safer solution to not let the rains dampen his mission. The brand protects their products in a biodegradable plastic bag that does not lead to microplastics, can be recycled or will naturally biodegrade in an irreversible process, and are the first in their industry in India to do so.

The challenges

Eschewing traditional packaging needs to be a priority, not only for brands, but manufacturers of materials too. “The biggest barrier in the Indian market right now is the lack of manufacturers who create sustainable packaging,” says Jindal Khaitan. “There is also the problem of limited R&D and reluctant suppliers,” adds Kumar. “We’re in the super early stages of the sustainability wave in our country, and the demand for sustainable packaging is still super low. This puts the onus on a handful of sustainable brands like us to also get involved in innovating packaging material and navigating through reluctant suppliers at smaller MOQs.” This, along with tighter regulations would work, so brands are more transparent about the ingredients and practices. Transparency will also help make customers make an informed choice and simplify the onboarding processes of clean e-commerce platforms, who are often privy to greenwashing and vendor misinformation.

What you can do

Research, reduce and recycle—but you know that already. How can you do it right? After checking what empty containers are recyclable, send them to recycling centres around you. Most bath and household supplies like aerosols, shampoo, face wash, conditioner bottles can be recycled, “Make sure the container is completely empty before sending it for recycling,” says Lalvani. He warns about pouring any leftover product in the sink, “Take out as much as you can and put them in a normal bin. Glass bottles, lids, cotton pads—you can recycle all of them!” If not at a recycling centre, give your glass bottles to kabadiwalas (local scrap dealers) or waste collectors as part of dry waste. Be wary of buzzwords including green, organic, eco-friendly. Read up on claims and certifications required before purchasing a product, and always ask questions.

“There’s a delicate relationship between our own health and that of our planet’s. In a way, looking after our planet becomes an act of self-love,” says Kumar. Ultimately, every individual's goal should be to live a plastic-free life, and to realise that less is more. The less you use, the less you'll discard, and the less waste you’ll leave behind. Making a mindful change can be initially overwhelming but think of it as gradual progress. Perhaps the next time you run out of your moisturiser or shampoo, remember that there may be a sustainable swap for it, easily accessible and waiting to be picked. Treat yourself to it.

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