Cosmetics Packaging First: New Compostable and Biodegradable ‘Cellophane’

London based skincare company Aethic is the first cosmetics company in the world to use a clear compostable and biodegradable cellophane packaging material

Aethic continues to lead the way in making eco-compatibility the norm in luxury skincare. The London-based skincare company is also the one that launched Sôvée, world’s only scientifically proven eco-compatible sunscreen.

The material, a version of the MATER-BI cellophane, has been specially developed by Italian manufacturer Novamon and is to debut with Aethic’s next production run of its sunscreens and face creams. Aethic initiated the collaboration after it had already adopted an eco sugarcane derived material for its bottles.

The word Cellophane has become a generic term to describe a transparent material used to protect packaged products from tampering and surface damage and to make them look shiny.

Cellophane was originally derived from cellulose and was biodegradable, yet the polluting effects of carbon disulfide and other by-products of the process used to make viscose made it less popular and other lower-cost petrochemical materials supplanted cellulose.

Being based on an efficient use of renewable resources and presenting sustainable end-of-life options, Novamont’s MATER-BI packaging now represents an environmentally-friendly alternative to the existing products.

The new MATER-BI grade developed for Aethic is in fact made from sustainably-sourced base ingredients, promoting the setting up of innovative agro-industrial value chains and the use of local raw materials cultivated on marginal land.

Moreover, its production process adopts a “cascading” approach to biomass and has low carbon emissions. The end material is biodegradable and compostable according to the European standard EN 13432.

Says Allard Marx, CEO of Aethic:

“I vividly remember holding a bio-plastic Mickey Mouse watch made from this material in my hand when consulting for Novamont in 1989. I never forgot the company and had recently heard that their material was now used for magazine wraps and disposable carrier bags. I asked them to develop a MATER-BI grade that would hold its fold, heat-seal easily, be sustainable, biodegradable and look great. They promptly and successfully rose to the challenge. I am absolutely delighted that we can now protect our products responsibly.”

Adds Alessandro Ferlito, Novamont Sales Manager:

“Consumer brands like Aethic are the future. We have no choice but to take care of the only planet we have and Aethic leads the way in preventing damage to skin and the ocean. It is a pleasure to have developed this version of MATER-BI with them and we hope other cosmetics companies will soon follow their lead and adopt this material”.

MATER-BI is used successfully in a variety of other applications and Novamont’s revenues are in excess of €145m worldwide.

Aethic’s skincare range is stocked at leading retailers and its Sôvée sunscreen was recently announced as the official sunscreen of UK’s America’s Cup challenger Land Rover BAR.