The fifth edition of the Polo Innovation Day focuses on the latest market trends and innovative projects for sustainable cosmetics.

One of the predominat trend is the sustainability of the supply chain.

At a time in history when attention to the environment and man’s impact on the planet are of fundamental importance, it’s important that the cosmetics industry is also facing a turning point, reinventing itself in a sustainable way.

Sustainable cosmetics

“Sustainability” means taking into account social, environmental and economic aspects along the entire production chain of a product to ensure an overall positive impact.

When we talk about sustainable cosmetics, the term sustainability does not only refer to how ingredients are sourced or the methods for its realization, but also the materials used, both during the production and post-production phases.

It’s needed a holistic approach that make sustainable the cosmetic formulation and the processes that lead to its production.

Implementing automated machinery in its supply chain made by companies which, in turn, significantly contribute to the transition to the use of more sustainable ingredients and materials for the production of natural and organic cosmetics is the beginning of a greener future.

At IDM Automation, we believe in innovation and have always supported green evolution, which we promote with our automation systems. Automation represents the future, as thanks to it, production is managed in an optimized way, in a continuous cycle and with the utmost precision, without wasting raw materials, less failures and less inefficiency.

How cosmetics can be sustainable

Innovation in the cosmetics industry is essential to start approaching the issue of sustainability in a simple way, from the formulation and production of ingredients to the process that concern post-consumer that have an environmental impact, such as packaging disposal and biodegradability of ingredients and waste.

Biodegradability is a key factor increasingly used in cosmetics to contribute to environmental protection. The innovation and the newest formulation allowed to find alternatives to the use of certain substances traditionally used for the formulation of cosmetics.

This is precisely the case with microplastics, plastic particles, insoluble in water, included in cosmetics to perform different functions, such as exfoliating in skin care products or polishing teeth in oral hygiene products.

Due to their small size, microplastics can easily pass through the filters of water treatment plants and flow directly into the sea under certain conditions. Because of their potential threats to marine ecosystems, many cosmetics brands have already begun on some initiatives to limit or ban microplastics from their products.

Rather, many cosmetics brand are moving to natural alternatives such as inorganic minerals or products of plant origin, such as seeds and fruit shells.

Alternatives to plastic in cosmetic packaging

Until the last years, plastic has been the main source for cosmetic packaging.

However, the environmental impact of this material is a point to work on, as more and more consumers are looking for eco-friendly and sustainable products, also because, in some areas such as e-commerce, packaging is increasing. The cosmetics packaging of the future is made up of recyclable and renewable materials such as cardboard, aluminium and glass. Furthermore, it is important to make efforts to reduce packaging, whenever possible but keep the properties of cosmetic intact.

Through their purchasing decisions, consumers and cosmetic manufacturers can help reduce the global environmental footprint by supporting brands and products that promote, in turn,  respectful practices to protect the future of our planet.

Collaborate with IDM Automation to help this transition to more sustainable packaging easy, intuitive and intuitive. Thanks to our automated filling and packaging machines, you can also improve the productivity of your company, giving your business a competitive advantage.

IDM Automation will be at the Polo Innovation Day on Thursday, 22 September in Crema. Come and visit us at stand ID24**, to see how we design our own systems.