THE REFILL REVOLUTION
The beauty industry is sitting on a ticking time bomb; it generates over 120 billion units of packaging in a year – most of which is not recycled, instead ending up in landfill or the ocean. The UN classifies the world’s production of waste as a “planetary crisis” and its partners predict that, if it continues at this rate, our oceans will carry more plastic than fish by 2050.
‘ZERO WASTE IS AT ODDS WITH THE TRADITIONAL, LUXURIOUS IMAGE OF THE INDUSTRY’
But more of us are starting to question brands on their eco-ethical practices and hold them to their promises. A recent report published by market intelligence agency Mintel concludes that the industry needs to respond: “If beauty and personal care brands don’t change their approach now, they won’t exist in the future,” it states. There are indie brands, such as Le Labo, Jane Iredale and Ilia, that have built their business practices around environmental ethics, but many mass market and luxury manufacturers are dragging their feet. “These businesses must switch to
