Visitors to this year’s edition of Luxe Pack Monaco (October 1-3) couldn’t miss the emphasis on green throughout the many halls of the olive-hued Grimaldi Forum—itself, one of Europe’s first business and cultural centers to hold the ISO 14001:2015 environmental management certification. The event space even uses seawater as a renewable energy source for its air conditioning, as well as eco-certified products such as low-voltage light bulbs.

Luxe Pack has always held eco-responsible packaging close at heart, and this year’s 31st edition left no doubt that “going green”—including through mandates surrounding corporate social responsibility (CSR)—is no longer a trend or an option. Clever use of materials and refillable solutions were just some of the increasingly available options.

From packaging materials to manufacturing processes, many beauty industry suppliers were eager to share their capabilities in providing brands with sustainable solutions. In addition to components and practices, several suppliers told Beauty Packaging that they now provide potential (and current) customers with the detailed sustainability reports they are requesting prior to selecting a partner and placing an order. Neenah, for one, provides quarterly sustainability reports for costumers and does a lot of work with targeted end users, as to the impact the supplier has on a number of fronts.

The popular Luxe Pack in Green Awards spotlighted the many innovations and initiatives of companies who have integrated sustainable development into their business strategies and development roadmaps. (See sidebar on this year’s Luxe Pack in Green awards in Monaco below.)

Decorative techniques for stock and custom packaging also stood out at the show. Summarizing the leading trends in the industry, Isabelle de Maistre, Quadpack’s fragrance category manager, noted that brands are demanding both “WOW and Sustainability.”

Green Gradients

From fragrance bottles to sample sizes, tubes to plastic jars, eco-sustainable products were in abundance. Following is a selection of options that Beauty Packaging noted.

Always on trend, Albéa, had set up their booth as a “pop-up” concept store, with different displays for different categories and markets from Color Cosmetics to Tubes. Cecile Tuil, vice-president communications, told Beauty Packaging that the booth was designed so that visitors could touch and smell. Four main areas of development were featured: Sustainable Packaging, Fast Track Beauty, Pack & Formula and the Internet of Beauty.

Tuil pointed out that Albéa has been eco-designing packs for more than 10 years, and the “Green” corner of the booth featured a vast variety of options, including tubes, jars, single-material packs, PCR plastics, bioplastics, and more. In terms of the current drive toward sustainable packaging, Tuil said, “The onus is on the industry. It’s a social responsibility; the new challenge will be between consumers, retailers and recyclers to collect and sort the empties.”

In other “aisles” of the pop-up, Albéa showcased their Fast Track Beauty lines, now with a tube offer. Starting at 1,000 pieces, 14 references can be digitally printed, even on the cap. In Europe, delivery is under 4 weeks—and the line will soon be offered in the U.S. as well.

As part of its eco-design approach, at Luxe Pack Monaco, Arcade Beauty Group introduced its aluminum-free sachet that uses a new metallic material. The supplier says this offers a real alternative to aluminum for the same durability and protection of the product. It also saves 57% water compared to a conventional aluminum-based laminate and reduces the carbon footprint by 22%. Whether in a flat or 3D sachet, this new solution paves the way for brands wishing to develop more environmentally friendly products without compromising their specifications.

Arcade also offered mini turnkey cosmetic solutions—a range of mini-packs in a zipped kit from its own production—ideal for on-the-go use or product intros.

Verescence created an eco-designed perfume “Upcycled” in collaboration with Givaudan—to show a sustainable offer from the bottle to the fragrance. The glassmaker’s high-end bottle and cap are 100% recyclable. The glass weight of the bottle has been reduced from 180g to 130g for a lower impact on the environment. The silk-screening and lacquering are also eco-designed. The Givaudan fragrance is a 100% natural origin unisex cologne created by Givaudan perfumer Marypierre Julien. The perfume bottle was 100% made in France and was available in limited edition (see more about Verescence in the sidebar below.)

Bvlgari chose NEO Infinite Glass by Verescence for the new Bvlgari Man Wood Essence.

The perfume bottle is made from 90% recycled glass, using Verescence’s NEO Infinite Glass, which the supplier describes as “the first premium and completely clear recycled glass composed of 25% post-consumer recycled glass (PCR), 65% in-house cullet and 10% raw materials, giving a total of 90% recycled materials.”

At Italian glass producer, Zignago Vetro S.p.A., Marta Vanzetto, marketing assistant, explained that they were presenting “a major trend toward sustainability.” In addition to a multitude of glass options for fragrance and skincare, the supplier is also producing green cosmetic packaging as part of a special eco-sustainability project, including 50ml stock jars comprised of 75-85% PCR. In addition, they are working on a cap that will also be eco-friendly. As far as glass, Zignago’s “up-and-down” technology highlights a difference in glass distribution, with more glass in the shoulders—ideal for the prestige market. An expansive portfolio of specialized stock products, with new items and shapes is available, as is a wide range of decorative options.

Stoelzle Glass Group emphasized their “quali glass coat” which they say is more environmentally friendly than traditional methods. They also decorate competitors’ glass on request.

Golden Arrow presented its sustainable molded fiber series now available in color (rather than just black or white). The company can work with brands to match colors, shapes and sizes. Trays can be removed so boxes can be re-used. The molded products are manufactured in Shanghai in zero-emission factories.

Luxe Pack Monaco attendees looking for “green tubes” visited CTL Packaging, where several green solutions were offered: 50% PCR, 100% sugarcane and 100% PP monomaterial. Andy Olsen, vice president sales and marketing, CTL Packaging USA, told Beauty Packaging just how much tube technology has advanced from extrusion and 6-color deco. He explained that CTL Packaging has developed an injection molded “In Mold Labeling” process resulting in the sleeve, shoulder and closure to all be PP resin. “This enables our customers to claim code 5 to municipalities on their tubes produced by CTL. This new technology delivers premium decoration, supply chain agility and sustainability all in one package.”

Premi’s long-standing specialty lies in its high-quality components and its expert decorating know-how. At Luxe Pack Monaco the company revealed that it has invested in green packaging, adding an eco-plastics line (green PE, PET and PP bottles, jars and accessories) to their offerings, with a 10,000-piece flexible minimum.

Deco Delights

Decorative techniques, whether for stock or custom purposes, seem to become more refined all the time. And Luxe Pack Monaco is an ideal venue for exposure. These are some of the highlights that drew us in for a closer look.

For a “wow” statement, Premi was highlighting inkjet 3D deco on caps and pressed glass—rather than blown glass—jars, which Federico Prestini, managing director, explained, “leads to thickness and perfection of the distribution of the glass.” The Italian supplier’s pressed glass technology now has the capability for mass production, with a 50ml super-premium stock jar MOQ of 5,000 pieces.

Arkay Packaging shared a booth with their European supplier, Model Group, and featured beautiful gift set boxes Arkay created exclusively for Luxe Pack Monaco 2018, each containing a jewelry loupe as a gift. The elaborate printing and decorating processes used made the set box lid and base look like gifts, themselves. Printing and decorating techniques were the results of Arkay utilizing their Heidelberg 106XL 8-Color 40” FoilStar, cold foil leaf, 4-color format (2 black, teal, special blue), film lamination, emboss/deboss technology, double sequence process, multi-leveled sculptured tooling, precision in-line master stamping, and die cutting. A vellum insert and a thermoform display tray were included and the lid’s very tactile peacock designs resembled fanciful artistic mosaics.

Bormioli Luigi showcased a number of striking fragrance bottles including their new 2-color inside process, delivered with the new Juicy Couture Oui bottle. New Prada and Giorgio Armani Si bottles used the same process of direct application inside color. Givenchy Gentleman highlighted a beautiful distribution of glass.

Piramal Glass, headquartered in India, with U.S. facilities in MO and NJ, reported that fragrance is doing well in the U.S. market. In terms of innovation, they showed Beauty Packaging what they termed “a unique new range” of perfume bottles with heavy bottoms, hand polished on the bottom—and available in short runs (20,000 pieces). The supplier is also investing in expanding their deco facilities in India.

Quadpack was highlighting secondary packaging and accessories capabilities in addition to their vast assortment of primary packaging. New to accessories included a tourmaline sponge for detoxification and silicon spatulas to apply clay masks. 

As far as primary packaging, Quadpack’s Elemental Collection imagined new solutions in standard glass bottles, in which they were matched with various caps in materials including wood, cork, leather, concrete and chrome—all designed to show brands that they don’t have to mold glass from scratch. The caps represent a library of new and reinvented materials that Quadpack can apply to their fragrance packaging, as original proposals for custom packs. The supplier offers expertise in design and manufacture for each material, as each one has its own technical and aesthetic characteristics.

Quadpack’s de Maistre noted that cork is becoming increasingly popular among brands. Gemel, a 2-oz. line for fragrance travel is easily refillable or can be disassembled for recycling. Some packages are taking on a super luxe look and feel, as Quadpack displayed with the Loewe cap they had produced—with a wow technique; real gold leaf is added to the wood cap for a stunning combination.

Gorgeous caps were a highlight at TNT Global Manufacturing, which designs, develops and manufactures high quality metal (zamac), aluminum, brass, stainless steel and plastic components for the perfume, cosmetics and makeup industry, including caps, shells, decorative plates, luxury boxes and cosmetic applicators.

Of special note was the Surlyn cap TNT had achieved for Lolita Lempicka’s latest fragrance for women. Like a piece of glass, its complex shape “shines” and reveals itself by a contrast of polished and frosted areas that highlight the details. An additional transparent PP ring allows the cap to clip onto the pump. TNT highlighted the know-how of its design office and its Portuguese factory to produce the cap.

Decoration techniques that tricked the eye into thinking cartons and papers were multidimensional drew attention at Wavefront Technology, where Simon Thompson, head of design showed Beauty Packaging a selection of different designs using Fresnel films, that were all optical illusions—sure to attract attention at shelf. Designs are seemingly endless and colorful, with silver to gold and multi-hued holographic patterns.

Color Cosmetics

At HCP Packaging, Cheryl Morgan gave Beauty Packaging an overview of new stock items, including the new “Glitter Storm” compact top plates in a new pressed powder size. “Glitter is still really hot,” said Morgan. The Luna range of palettes features soft corners and organic shapes in three pressed powder shapes. These are also transparent so customers can easily view the color through the cover. It’s been a year since HCP brought Rusi into the group and they are engaged in exploring design capabilities. A new Spider Brush, for instance, applies extra bulk through bubble-like tips on the brushes.

HCP’s soft Square Jumbo lip gloss has a very contemporary look with “a highly engineered injection blow-molded, thick-wall PETG bottle” offering attractive shade ID. This 14mm neck pack has an OFC of 13.3ml and is paired with a doe foot applicator with black antibacterial flocking. It’s manufactured in HCP’s European facility in Bechhofen, Germany.

Lumson, which continues to add more options in Color Cosmetics, is augmenting their successful and striking digitally decorated lipstick collection, expanding the technique to new shapes and metal components. An assortment of 50 lipstick SKUs will now be available in North America. Already well-established in prestige airless, they are now customizing their airless containers via different exterior packs and with customized pumps.

At Samhwa, whose strength lies especially in cushion compacts (specifically in a strong sealing performance), overseas marketing manager Ryan Jo showed Beauty Packaging a number of possibilities, including a two-formula cushion compact, for a 2-in-1 package. Samhwa has also “initiated” a pump cushion compact. Another compact features a mirror that can pop in and out.

The brand-new Pebble compact resembles a smooth pebble or shell, right down to its luminous finish. The organic shapes are smooth, but appear textural. They are also refillable. In addition, a number of slim jars featured built-in applicators. 

Pibiplast, which touts a Made in Italy label, told Beauty Packaging that the U.S. makeup market is important to them. The company specializes in mascara, eye shadow and eyeliner packaging and full service. While they don’t provide formulas, they have numerous partnerships with fillers and guide brands in matching the two. Their special focus is on fibers, for maximum brush performance. Everything is decorated internally with a wide variety of options.

Luxury was evident at first glance at Metapack, where materials used for fragrance to candles to color cosmetics made a strong statement. In particular, Tom Ford products stood out with leather, zamac and Teflon lacquering on the bottle and cap. By Killian’s new bottle with a round cap was available in three different sizes and five different engraved texts. Deco includes gold hot stamp, red print, white print and UV lacquering. A roll-on fragrance pendant, coated with PVD (a sustainable coating) is refillable, too. A refillable stock lipstick is also available. Isaure de la Noue, sales manager-co-founder, Metapack, told Beauty Packaging: “All brands want products that are refillable, sustainable and good for the environment.”

Competitive Customization

Neenah Packaging and Retail Solutions has the unique ability to help envision and manufacture custom packaging colors, textures and basis weights. Known for high precision color matching, unique textures, decorative finishes, and the ability to create special basis weights and custom sheet sizes, Neenah says they help global brands to be, and stay, competitive with their packaging.

Dispensing Designs

At Silgan Dispensing, John Ferro demonstrated the many ways to adapt fine mist and fragrance sprayers to different consumer applications and brand needs. Of special interest was a new cap and closure, MarkVII Max Style, designed for sun and hair care application. Sinfonia Infinite is a "next-generation" versatile spray pump with a redesigned orifice for smaller particles and a longer duration spray. Ferro also highlighted Silgan Dispensing's Fragrance Design Studio, which enables customization via decorative overtubes collars, and actuators tailored to the brand image.   

Applicators Imagined

A special Inspiration Room at Cosmogen’s stand featured the supplier’s newest brush developments, and was designed for customers to imagine and create their own brush, from ferrule to tuft, for benefits of functionality as well as size, purpose and ergonomics.

Cosmogen recently received a new patent to innovate on tuft shapes for an easier makeup application. It provides unlimited possibilities for handle and ferrule designs to imagine new makeup gestures and create tailor-made collections, with tuft shapes that perfectly fit each of several targeted areas.

To illustrate that concept, the supplier launched the first collection of six specific brushes, designed as both “effective and decorative accessories.” Cosmogen’s new Perfect Match brushes feature a silicone insert inside the tuft. Isabelle Lawson, Cosmogen’s communications manager, said this is ideal for applying liquid formulas. Put the formula inside with a dropper, then brush on. A logo can be added to the tuft by embossing it on the bristles. The brush hair is synthetic, the ferrule is plastic—and multiple decorative techniques are available, including lacquering, hot stamping, tamp printing, metallization and varnish.

Getting Connected

On the digital front, there was an increased number of suppliers offering instant connectivity and information to customers through software packaging solutions. 

Luxe Pack in Green Awards

The Luxe Pack in Green awards recognized what jurors determined to be “the most environmentally friendly packaging solutions and corporate social responsibility initiatives” entered in the Monaco edition’s annual competition.

In the corporate social responsibility (CSR) category, Verescence won the award for its CSR approach “Glass made to last.” The jury said they wanted “to emphasize the maturity of their approach, which is perfectly organized. The figures, vision and ambitions are carried through to every level in the company—from the shop floor to the general management.”

Qualipac received the award in the Packaging Solutions category for its makeup holder “L’essentiel,” which is “ultrafine, lightweight and recyclable,” and which used a bio-sourced, resistant mono-material.

A special jury award went to Billerudkorsnäs for its Fibreform cap for champagne bottles. Its design makes it easy to remove; instead of the usual aluminum, BillerudKorsnäs FibreForm is a sustainable packaging material made of 100% primary fiber, and so is 100% recyclable.

The jury stated that they wanted “to encourage Billerudkorsnäs for this real innovation and for substituting a material firmly rooted in current practices but taking a paper approach.”

The wooden trophies were designed and created by Pujolasos.

Observations with Marc Rosen

Internationally known packaging designer Marc Rosen and I met up for our 11th annual walk around the show floor, eager to see what would draw our eye.

Our gaze went immediately to Verescence, where Rosen was especially impressed with their advances in light weighting and decorating—as well as their outstanding capabilities in sustainability in glass. Even their booth design, with its “living green wall” reflected their committment. The supplier is buying clean cullet of which 25% is PCR for glass as well as cosmetics. According to Sheherazade Chamlou, vice president sales & marketing, now due to Ecovadis, all vendors are pursuing this route. The supplier showcased the new bottle they had produced for Bulgari Men, which the brand is marketing as a sustainable product. Verescence offers a CSR monitoring platform for brands. The supplier’s accomplishments in light weighting were shown with their new jar for Guerlain’s Orchidee Imperiale. They have a special furnace to run this glass.

The “video technique at Heinz also attracted our attention. The Times Square bottle is a novelty, featuring new technology with a recess for an electronic medium. The electronics are inside the regular flint glass bottle; charge it and the moving image lasts for 8 hours. The cool gimmick works like an app; you can change the image. It would certainly be eye-catching on counter.

An innovation process in which Eastman collaborated with Groupe Rocher on a new “eco-design compact” concept, made entirely of Eastman’s two new materials, also proved interesting. Groupe Rocher shared their concept for the eco-design, which simplifies processing into a single step instead of the typical three-step process. The design also eliminates the metal hinge pins and uses plastic pins instead.

What perhaps captivated Rosen’s attention most was the new Prada bottle, which he called “a bottle in drag.” Showing that “everything old is new again,” Rosen pointed to the bottle, with the double-take side neck and said that it closely resembled a design he had won a FiFi (Fragrance Foundation award) for in the past.

Here are Rosen’s comments on the bottle:

“Burberry has just launched ‘Burberry for Her’ a new women’s fragrance. Their ad in the Bloomingdale’s catalog features a headline ‘Designed to Stand Out’ with copy: ‘The most striking fragrances this season are as fashionable and luxurious as their namesake designers—down to their display-worthy bottles.’

Well the adage ‘Everything Old is New Again’ certainly applies here. This same bottle, was designed by me, at Elizabeth Arden, who had the original license back in 1981, when it was created as Burberry for Men. The unique bottle was the very first to feature an off-center neck which was engineered by Pochet.

The new women’s fragrance features a pink cap instead of the original brass one to feminize it. Interesting that after the many fragrances that Burberry has launched over the years they would go back to the original glass bottle for their newest fragrance. Talk about Unisex.”