Shiseido Launches Plant-Based Refillable Containers for Main Cosmetic Line

Copyright Shiseido Co.

Shiseido Co., a major Japanese cosmetics manufacturer, announced on May 23, 2012, the launch of a line of cosmetics in containers made from sugarcane-derived polyethylene as refill the original cosmetic bottles. This is the first time for Shiseido to introduce this new container into its main skin-care product line. The company has been working for environmental preservation with three major goals: (1) introduce cosmetic containers made from sugar-cane derived polyethylene, (2) increase the number of refillable product containers in its line-up, and use bagasse paper for print materials. The skin care brand line is the company's first one to achieve these three targets.

The amount of carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing sugar cane-derived polyethylene is understood to be lower than from petroleum-derived polyethylene, by more than 70 percent less during the total lifecycle, in fact. Furthermore, as it is made from residual liquid left after the sugar is purified from sugarcane liquid, it unlikely competes with food for resources.

The company first introduced sugarcane-derived polyethylene into its cosmetic/daily life products in 2011, and it intends to shift more than 70 percent of its use of petroleum-derived polyethylene materials used in its domestic cosmetic production to plant-derived ones by fiscal 2020.

Posted: 2012/08/30 06:00:15 AM