Produced by Aptar Reboul - the entity of the Aptar group which specialises in metal packaging, and particularly in lipstick packaging - the tube is made in aluminium and brass, 40% of which is recycled material, and does not contain any plastic. It has been designed to be fully refillable and recyclable.
The lipstick refills are inserted after removing the black wax tab from their base: then all that’s needed is to slide the stick down by twisting the tube so it slots into place until the next product refill is needed.
“Every year, 800 to 900 million lipstick tubes are sold worldwide, most being made of plastic or containing plastic derived elements that are difficult to recycle. According to Lush, 25 billion tubes are thrown away in England every year [1]. This is inconceivable for the brand, which advocates a more ethical cosmetics consumption, and presented a challenge for Aptar Reboul, who was invited to come up with an environmentally friendly
solution,” explained Aptar Beauty + Home.
Acquired by Aptar in 2018, Reboul is well-known for its in-depth expertise in metal processing (from drawing to completion), parts decoration and multi-material assembly, and is also an expert in the field of innovative lipstick mechanisms.
“We discovered Reboul at the last PCD trade show in Paris; it is one of only two companies in the world with the technology and experience needed to manufacture them on the scale we needed,” highlighted Lee Carpenter, Lush Creative Packaging.
While all brands are looking for more sustainable solutions, Aptar Beauty + Home has accelerated its transition to a circular economy. The company already offers several solutions for the different categories of cosmetics: mono-material packaging to facilitate recycling, incorporation of post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR), rechargeable products, etc. Beyond the eco-design of packaging, Aptar also explains being transforming its manufacturing processes to minimize their environmental impact.
"We have a launched an important innovation effort. But talking about sustainability makes sense only where it is possible to measure the reduction of the environmental impact. Therefore, we are also setting targets such as using 55% renewable energy in our manufacturing sites by 2021," said Jean-Jacques Ligny, Vice President Global Marketing, Digital and Communications.
