Lumene, UPM, SABIC join forces on large-scale bio-based cosmetic jar rollout

FINLAND – Nordic beauty brand LUMENE has launched a biobased packaging application in partnership with UPM and SABIC.

The company is launching a jar, topped with self-adhesive labels that are made of BioVerno naphtha, a wood-based material developed by UPM in Finland.

The biobased material is then processed by SABIC into certified renewable polypropylene before it is converted into various recyclable cosmetics containers and product labels.

Essi Arola, head of R&D, packaging and sustainability at Lumene said: “At Lumene, we constantly invest in novelty technologies to improve the sustainability of our packaging. This new 97% bio-based jar is one option to reduce the use of fossil-based plastic.

“By 2025, we aim to have 80% of our plastic packaging made of recycled or renewable raw materials.”

The labels are printed on UPM’s Raflatac Forest Film, which is claimed to be the world’s first film label material made with wood-based biomaterials.

SABIC PP & E4PS general manager Lada Kurelec added: “We firmly believe that collaboration and innovation are driving the sustainable transformation of our industry.

“SABIC’s certified renewable materials demonstrate how our TRUCIRCLE solutions can contribute toward our shared goals for carbon neutrality.

“We are delighted to work with our value chain partners LUMENE and UPM Biofuels as a further step towards creating a more circular and sustainable economy for plastics.”

Upcycling wood pulp residue

The companies detail that tall oil, a side stream material of pulp manufacturing, is used to produce wood-based feedstock to replace fossil raw materials.

According to the partners, their certified renewable solutions are not directly competing with the food chain and can contribute to reducing carbon emissions.

Additionally, no additional forest logging is required since the jar is made of side stream material.

“At Lumene, the packaging forms a large part of the product’s carbon footprint. The 50 mL jar is our most used packaging with 1.5 million pieces annually. That is why it has an important role in our sustainability roadmap,” adds Arola.

“With the new jar, Lumene reduces the use of fossil plastic by 64 metric tons annually. For consumers, the change is not evident.

“The bio-based jar has the same appearance and properties as the current fossil-based plastic jar. However, it is a more sustainable option for a conscious consumer and one possibility to make a better choice.”

Recently, Lumene chose Eastman Cristal One E Renew for the packaging of its skin care product Nordic Hydra Birch Dew Jelly.

The bottle contains recyclable resin with molecularly recycled content designed for extrusion blow molding.

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