We’re beginning to see the light at the end of a long COVID tunnel and the beauty industry is slowly ramping back up to pre-pandemic production levels. But backlogs, wait lists and shipping delays abound, and for pressing beauty and personal care launches, swift access to packaging is critical. The solution? Stock packaging. Now more than ever, it has become an important, go-to option for brands across the CPG spectrum, and thanks to an increasing array of decorating options, brands can add their personal touch with specialty embellishments and finishes while staying on time and on budget.

According to Mark Bellard, president, Siloa, stock packaging delivers on two time-sensitive fronts: There are no tooling investments and no mold delays. “Customers are able to build a brand on a lower budget and a faster schedule using graphics to give their stock package its identity,” he says. “They can also work on the design aspects from actual physical samples which can help the creative process reach an entirely accurate conclusion with benefits also for the assessment of the filler and distribution needs.”

Dave Desai, vice president of sales and marketing, New High Glass, says his company has been focused on bringing secondary packaging operations closer to the point of sale to dramatically shave lead times. Rather than outsource dip tube cutting for pumps and sprayers, the company fortified its in-stock product volumes and invested in in-house dip tube cutting machines, dropping typical dip tube wait times of 14-16 weeks down to 1-2 weeks. “All of our bottles also have an identical neck finish so the same pump will fit on all 15-, 30-, 50- and 100ml sizes,” he says, adding that the company is also shifting more of its Europe-based deco processes closer to home.

At SeaCliff Beauty Packaging, Brian Saputo, president, says stock packaging effectively cuts costs by eliminating engineering and mold building phases and shortening development processes, all without sacrificing customizability. This year SeaCliff added to its patented, customizable BeautiLock Airtight Packaging Collection with a refillable, 59mm PCR compact, retractable liner, mascara and more.

“Our BeautiLock Collection is a unique, airtight system that achieves less than 1% product weight loss,” Saputo comments, adding that along with its patented, airtight, valve-seal technology, BeautiLock components boast an ultra-thin, low profile to protect against formula drying or cracking.

Given the current potential for overseas-dependent supply chain delays, access to domestic packaging is important for reduced lead times. “Customers both large and small are looking to use domestic sourcing and stock packaging for new product launches,” says Mark Egan, vice president of sales and marketing, Colt’s Plastics Co. Inc. “This allows brands to launch their packaging lines quickly and with little to no tooling investment.”

Siloa’s Bellard believes we’re currently in a period of increased development amid a return to “normal” that will have established brands “looking to re-fill their pipeline and many new brands emerging with almost exclusive on-line platforms.”

Siloa’s newest stock option is its Patented Dual Neck Vials (US Patent No. D920,808), which are refillable and offer two dispensing systems on one vial. “Having the two common dispensing systems on one product chamber allows the consumer to use the product in line with their preference at the time of use,” Bellard explains. “The fragrance version allows the consumer the choice to roll-on or spray on the product [and] the fact that it can be filled and refilled from a full-size fragrance and rendered easily portable is a major convenience factor.”

The oil version of the package incorporates a dropper or roller, while the treatment vial features a pump and glass roller.

Eco-Conscious Opportunities

It’s an exciting time for new stock packaging options given the proliferation, ongoing innovation and increased availability of environmentally friendly materials.

While glass packaging isn’t appropriate for all items, it’s considered infinitely recyclable, and reigns as the most eco-friendly packaging material. “Glass doesn’t lose any mass; none of it goes into the atmosphere; if you put a kilo of glass into the furnace, you’ll get a kilo back out, whereas plastic can only be recycled a handful of times before it’s degraded and becomes unusable,” says New High Glass’s Desai. “Only about 30% of recyclable packaging in the U.S. is actually recycled and about 70% winds up in landfills or the ocean. If glass is thrown into the ocean, it sinks to the ocean floor and eventually reverts to sand without hurting anything.”

“Many brands are pivoting away from using traditional plastic components for certain products for environmental reasons,” agrees Jeff Carbone, south region sales manager, Baralan.

Baralan recently worked with One Love Organics to produce 4- and 8ml glass rollerball packages with acid etch frosting and one-color silk screening for the brand’s Eye Serum. “We offer many bottles with ‘families’ or ‘lines,’ where a bottle with the same characteristics is available in multiple capacities,” Carbone says. “One Love Organics wanted a mini and full-size product, and we were able to offer both options with a uniform design.”

Aluminum is another sustainable option. “Aluminum is by far, one of the most sought-after packaging materials for recycling,” says Liana Marchese, West Coast regional sales manager, ABA Packaging Corp., noting that ABA now offers both PCR and PIR content in many of its aluminum bottle and can sizes.

ABA’s glass bottle and jar business has grown with the eco movement. “Many of our glass manufacturing partners are now manufacturing bottles and jars for us with high levels of PCR content to further glass eco appeal,” she says. “Our plastics manufacturers are also making a strong effort to enhance their eco signatures, and we now have plastic bottles, jars, tubes and caps available with certified PCR content.”

On the plastic front, Gilda Mirra Cutri, vice president of operations and business development, Coverpla Inc., reports that in September, Coverpla will launch its new LORD cap made of PHA, a thermoplastic obtained by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipid sand that’s bio-based and biodegradable. The FEA15 cap is built to adapt to Coverpla collars and is being billed as a sustainable fragrance closure.

Al Lustrino, president of Inoac, observes that the emphasis on sustainability has increased dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic. “There is a new focus on sustainability at the highest level in most global companies and commitments are being made that will require a call to action,” he comments, noting that it has changed the approach brands take in selecting packages in order to meet their commitments. “In many cases, the package substrate is being chosen based on the impact a package has on the environment, whether that perception is real or perceived.”

Inoac Packaging recently partnered with Eastman Chemical to commercialize their molecularly recycled Renew PET, which Lustrino says is indistinguishable from virgin material. Inoac is also the first bottle manufacturer in North America to be certified by the ISCC, enabling the company to market this material.

Colt’s Plastics is currently meeting the eco demand by making modifications to its existing jar tooling and building new closure tools to complement its existing stock lines of heavy wall jars. “We are currently working on two major projects that will be launched later this summer,” adds Egan. “Both packages have been modified with sustainability as the main focus. The first package uses PCR materials in both the cap and jar and the second package will be fully recyclable.”

At Allstar Packaging Corp., Michelle Wu, regional sales manager, says, “The current demand for more eco-friendly and sustainable packaging has contributed to an increasing need to bring in or carry more ecofriendly/sustainable packaging in stock.” Allstar is currently offering new-in-stock mini droppers available in 3-, 10- and 12ml sizes.

Wu points out that PCR is typically more expensive than virgin plastic packaging because of the steps that go into its handling and processing. “The cost of a clean stream of PCR resin is significantly higher than virgin resin, which is why our company has been testing and developing PCR options with different percentages of PCR resin to bring into our stock packaging line to offer at lower MOQs and at affordable costs,” she says. “These plans were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, we have been able to restart the testing and development plans to eventually bring PCR to our stock packaging. We are also working on changing some of our stock packaging to more recyclable material, like PET.”

APC Packaging has launched over 15 new sustainable stock packages, including its patented ARS airless refillable system. The supplier provided the perfect solution for BeautyStat when it was searching for an airless bottle and jar made from polypropylene: APC’s SWTS030 Airless Pump and GA030 Sustainable Jar for its Universal C Skin Refiner (serum) and Universal C Eye Perfector (eye cream).

“We were looking for an airless component that had a minimal yet prestigious look and feel that is easy to use and delivers the correct dosage of our product” states Ron Robinson, founder and CEO of BeautyStat. “We used our brand logo and color palette to customize our package to be a perfect fit for a brand.”

The fruitful partnership was exactly what BeautyStat had hoped for. “As a startup, it is essential that you have the right partnership with your packaging team,” says Jules Zecchino, co-founder and CTO,

Simply Active Cosmetics Inc., BeautyStat Cosmetics. “Many large packaging suppliers do not want to spend the time and energy for the low volume orders a startup generates in the beginning yet without high quality packaging, the startup never makes it to the next level. However, APC has given us personal, detailed attention from the beginning, propelling us ahead with high quality affordable packaging that has instantly become our brand image.”

Deco Developments

Most stock packaging is a veritable blank canvas that encourages brands to get creative with decorative embellishments like metallic accents, silk screening or embossing to help boost visibility at retail.

“Stock packaging can include a variety of packaging options such as Boston Rounds in opal glass, solid black glass, green, amber and frosted, metal shelled airless sprayers and pumps, acrylic jars, double wall jars, mini trigger sprayers, treatment pumps and more,” says Jim Lemmons, general manager, McKernan Packaging Clearing House. “Since many of these options already have a sophisticated or elegant look to them, it is easier to finish that look with the right kind of decoration.”

Lemmons believes a cohesive packaging lineup is a great way for brands to get noticed at retail. “Larger companies in the cosmetic, fragrance and other personal care areas continue to sell in mass merchandising stores where they fight for shelf space and visibility,” he says. “Standardized packaging helps maximize a business’s product availability per linear foot on a shelf.”

Haircare brand Curls turned to McKernan Packaging Clearing House to unify its range of shampoos, conditioners, hair moisturizers, hair masks, creams and scalp treatments for ethnic hair and curly hair. The company ultimately selected clear bottles and jars with black dispensing cap closures, sprayers and droppers. Brightly colored, custom labels indicate each of their product lines.

The result is clean and visually unified. “Since these bottles were consistent and only the labeling is different, it created a cohesive product line,” Lemmons says. “By buying the same bottle for multiple lines of product, they are able to buy in bulk and save even more on packaging costs.”

Curls is currently expanding its line with a new product category. Lemmons says their choice of stock packaging has made it easy to expand while retaining the same look and feel.

Color also delivered a signature wow-factor in the stock packaging partnership between Alpha Packaging and KM Herbals Inc., which sought to create a beautiful family of packages for its plant-based aromatherapy products such as bath salts, facial cleansers, after-shave moisturizers and other body care products.

KM Herbals chose dark amber PET bottles and jars ranging in size from 1oz to 24oz, embellished with richly colored, pressure-sensitive labels that correspond to the different herbal ingredients used in the formulations.

“All of the branding is tied together with high-end metallic inks for the KM Herbals logotype and other key label elements,” says Marny Bielefeldt, vice president of marketing at Alpha Packaging. “Alpha’s stock bottles and jars were a great fit because they come in such a wide range of sizes, and dark amber is a stock color with low minimum order requirements. The consistent color of the bottles allows KM Herbals to leverage the color scheme of their labels to highlight the different product families.

“Using Alpha’s Stock Packaging services gave our company a convenient way to establish a cohesive and sophisticated look for our brand, while offering the practical protection from the light and elements that our formulas dearly need,” reflected Bonnie Campbell, director of marketing and business development at KM Herbals. “The consistent quality and esthetic flexibility in selecting stock packaging allowed us to elevate our vision without sacrificing convenience.”

ABA Packaging has made advances in the decorating options for its threaded neck and crimped-neck aluminum bottles and 1-in opening aluminum cans. “Customers can make our aluminum bottles and cans unique for their brand and can enhance their branding efforts with off-set printing for up to six colors, inline hot-stamping (including full hot-stamping in certain sizes), special effects like gradient, iridescent, pearlescent and soft-touch coatings, and the spot application of tactile effects,” says the company’s Marchese. “At higher volumes, we are also able to combine these decorating techniques with embossing and debossing options on many aluminum bottle and can sizes—the opportunities are endless and the best part is that none of the decoration impacts the recyclability of the bottles and cans; they are still 100% recyclable.”

Marchese surmises that the true value of stock packaging is its flexibility for customers of all sizes. “[It gives brands the] flexibility to buy the quantity required, whether it is large or small; the flexibility to enable speed to market; [and the] flexibility to fulfill unforeseen requirements or to satisfy those pop-up opportunities quickly.”