After decades of bitter fights, environmentalists seemed to be winning the war against single-use plastics in recent years, with cities around the world banning or taxing them. Then the coronavirus arrived, raising fears that reusable goods might lead to infections. The impact has been swift. From Maine to Hawaii, plastic-bag bans have been suspended or postponed. In San Francisco, reusable shopping bags — once totems of the city's vibrant commitment to sustainability — have simply been outlawed. These reversals have sparked deep concern among activists. Some fear the bans will never be reinstated; others that reusable products may be permanently tainted as “unsafe.” The good news is that activists aren’t the only ones demanding more sustainable packaging these days. So are consumers — and some of the world's biggest corporations are paying attention. Campaigns against consumer plastics date roughly to the discovery of the Pacific garbage patch in 1988. The environmental movement was soon galvanized, and single-use plastics — especially grocery bags and straws — became a focus of global activism. Much of this was misdirected. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic bags and wraps amounted to only about 0.3% of all the waste generated by homes and businesses in 2010. By comparison, containers and packaging make up about 30%. Nonetheless, the proliferation of ocean plastic has worried consumers well beyond San Francisco. Last year, a survey of 6,000 people in 11 countries found that 77% perceived plastics to be the "least environmentally-friendly packaging material.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, 72% said they're buying more environmentally friendly products than they were five years ago, and 83% thought it was important for companies to design products that can be reused or recycled. Those shifting perceptions haven’t gone unnoticed by consumer brands. Over the past decade, some of the biggest have adopted ambitious sustainability agendas. In 2017, Apple Inc. rolled out an aggressive strategy to embrace sustainable paper and cardboard, which resulted in a 30% reduction in plastic use in iPhone 7 packaging. The next year, nearly 300 global organizations, including companies such as Nestle SA, Mondelez International Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive Co., pledged to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging entirely. Some of those commitments may not amount to much. But the broader trend is unmistakable. For example, last May, 5,000 U.S. households gained access to a zero-waste e-commerce site called Loop. It offers brand-name products packaged in custom-designed glass and metal containers, which the company will deliver to your doorstep in reusable tote bags. Once you’re done with them, Loop will collect all the packaging for washing and refilling. Tom Szaky, the chief executive officer of TerraCycle, the company behind the site, told me that the experience isn't all that different from throwing stuff out; it asks almost nothing of the consumer. Loop isn’t making much money to start. But its animating idea — that reuse should be as easy as throwing something away — is powerful enough that some very big consumer-goods companies are now designing packaging specifically for the site. Want Clorox wipes delivered in a reusable metal container? Loop has them. Want the same experience with Haagen-Dazs ice cream or Pantene shampoo? Loop has those too, along with products from 400 other brands. It also has a waiting list of would-be shoppers that's about "100,000 long," Szaky says. Later this year, the company will start offering pick-up-and-return services at retail outlets around the world. "Manufacturers are promising recyclability and reusability," Szaky told me during a Zoom session, "and we're the easiest way to do it." Loop may or may not be successful in the long-term. But the fact is, consumers everywhere are expressing a clear preference for sustainability — and brands are increasingly responsive. Whatever happens with plastic-bag bans, it’s highly likely that this dynamic will ensure that single-use plastics continue to fade from the marketplace. The coronavirus, for all of its challenges, won't change that hopeful trend.

After decades of bitter fights, environmentalists seemed to be winning the war against single-use plastics in recent years, with cities around the world banning or taxing them. Then the coronavirus arrived, raising fears that reusable goods might lead to infections. The impact has been swift. From Maine to Hawaii, plastic-bag bans have been suspended or postponed. In San Francisco, reusable shopping bags — once totems of the city's vibrant commitment to sustainability — have simply been outlawed. These reversals have sparked deep concern among activists. Some fear the bans will never be reinstated; others that reusable products may be permanently tainted as “unsafe.” The good news is that activists aren’t the only ones demanding more sustainable packaging these days. So are consumers — and some of the world's biggest corporations are paying attention. Campaigns against consumer plastics date roughly to the discovery of the Pacific garbage patch in 1988. The environmental movement was soon galvanized, and single-use plastics — especially grocery bags and straws — became a focus of global activism. Much of this was misdirected. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic bags and wraps amounted to only about 0.3% of all the waste generated by homes and businesses in 2010. By comparison, containers and packaging make up about 30%. Nonetheless, the proliferation of ocean plastic has worried consumers well beyond San Francisco. Last year, a survey of 6,000 people in 11 countries found that 77% perceived plastics to be the "least environmentally-friendly packaging material.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, 72% said they're buying more environmentally friendly products than they were five years ago, and 83% thought it was important for companies to design products that can be reused or recycled. Those shifting perceptions haven’t gone unnoticed by consumer brands. Over the past decade, some of the biggest have adopted ambitious sustainability agendas. In 2017, Apple Inc. rolled out an aggressive strategy to embrace sustainable paper and cardboard, which resulted in a 30% reduction in plastic use in iPhone 7 packaging. The next year, nearly 300 global organizations, including companies such as Nestle SA, Mondelez International Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive Co., pledged to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging entirely. Some of those commitments may not amount to much. But the broader trend is unmistakable. For example, last May, 5,000 U.S. households gained access to a zero-waste e-commerce site called Loop. It offers brand-name products packaged in custom-designed glass and metal containers, which the company will deliver to your doorstep in reusable tote bags. Once you’re done with them, Loop will collect all the packaging for washing and refilling. Tom Szaky, the chief executive officer of TerraCycle, the company behind the site, told me that the experience isn't all that different from throwing stuff out; it asks almost nothing of the consumer. Loop isn’t making much money to start. But its animating idea — that reuse should be as easy as throwing something away — is powerful enough that some very big consumer-goods companies are now designing packaging specifically for the site. Want Clorox wipes delivered in a reusable metal container? Loop has them. Want the same experience with Haagen-Dazs ice cream or Pantene shampoo? Loop has those too, along with products from 400 other brands. It also has a waiting list of would-be shoppers that's about "100,000 long," Szaky says. Later this year, the company will start offering pick-up-and-return services at retail outlets around the world. "Manufacturers are promising recyclability and reusability," Szaky told me during a Zoom session, "and we're the easiest way to do it." Loop may or may not be successful in the long-term. But the fact is, consumers everywhere are expressing a clear preference for sustainability — and brands are increasingly responsive. Whatever happens with plastic-bag bans, it’s highly likely that this dynamic will ensure that single-use plastics continue to fade from the marketplace. The coronavirus, for all of its challenges, won't change that hopeful trend.

After decades of bitter fights, environmentalists seemed to be winning the war against single-use plastics in recent years, with cities around the world banning or taxing them. Then the coronavirus arrived, raising fears that reusable goods might lead to infections. The impact has been swift. From Maine to Hawaii, plastic-bag bans have been suspended or postponed. In San Francisco, reusable shopping bags — once totems of the city's vibrant commitment to sustainability — have simply been outlawed. These reversals have sparked deep concern among activists. Some fear the bans will never be reinstated; others that reusable products may be permanently tainted as “unsafe.” The good news is that activists aren’t the only ones demanding more sustainable packaging these days. So are consumers — and some of the world's biggest corporations are paying attention. Campaigns against consumer plastics date roughly to the discovery of the Pacific garbage patch in 1988. The environmental movement was soon galvanized, and single-use plastics — especially grocery bags and straws — became a focus of global activism. Much of this was misdirected. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic bags and wraps amounted to only about 0.3% of all the waste generated by homes and businesses in 2010. By comparison, containers and packaging make up about 30%. Nonetheless, the proliferation of ocean plastic has worried consumers well beyond San Francisco. Last year, a survey of 6,000 people in 11 countries found that 77% perceived plastics to be the "least environmentally-friendly packaging material.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, 72% said they're buying more environmentally friendly products than they were five years ago, and 83% thought it was important for companies to design products that can be reused or recycled. Those shifting perceptions haven’t gone unnoticed by consumer brands. Over the past decade, some of the biggest have adopted ambitious sustainability agendas. In 2017, Apple Inc. rolled out an aggressive strategy to embrace sustainable paper and cardboard, which resulted in a 30% reduction in plastic use in iPhone 7 packaging. The next year, nearly 300 global organizations, including companies such as Nestle SA, Mondelez International Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive Co., pledged to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging entirely. Some of those commitments may not amount to much. But the broader trend is unmistakable. For example, last May, 5,000 U.S. households gained access to a zero-waste e-commerce site called Loop. It offers brand-name products packaged in custom-designed glass and metal containers, which the company will deliver to your doorstep in reusable tote bags. Once you’re done with them, Loop will collect all the packaging for washing and refilling. Tom Szaky, the chief executive officer of TerraCycle, the company behind the site, told me that the experience isn't all that different from throwing stuff out; it asks almost nothing of the consumer. Loop isn’t making much money to start. But its animating idea — that reuse should be as easy as throwing something away — is powerful enough that some very big consumer-goods companies are now designing packaging specifically for the site. Want Clorox wipes delivered in a reusable metal container? Loop has them. Want the same experience with Haagen-Dazs ice cream or Pantene shampoo? Loop has those too, along with products from 400 other brands. It also has a waiting list of would-be shoppers that's about "100,000 long," Szaky says. Later this year, the company will start offering pick-up-and-return services at retail outlets around the world. "Manufacturers are promising recyclability and reusability," Szaky told me during a Zoom session, "and we're the easiest way to do it." Loop may or may not be successful in the long-term. But the fact is, consumers everywhere are expressing a clear preference for sustainability — and brands are increasingly responsive. Whatever happens with plastic-bag bans, it’s highly likely that this dynamic will ensure that single-use plastics continue to fade from the marketplace. The coronavirus, for all of its challenges, won't change that hopeful trend.

Last February, ELLE editors along with a team of experts reviewed hundreds of submissions for our thirteenth annual recognition of the best in eco-friendly and sustainable beauty. From Dove’s bottled products, now made from 100% recycled plastic packaging, to French heritage brand Guerlain’s goal to help save a billion bees in the next ten years, the 2020 Green Beauty Stars not only deliver results, they also leave a lighter footprint on the planet in the process.

While the COVID-19 crisis has drastically changed the current state of our world, its future remains in the balance making these beauty brand’s efforts to be more sustainable all the more critical. The need to treat each other and the planet with kindness is now.

Hoje, 22/04, é comemorado o Dia da Terra. E mais do que celebrar o planeta que vivemos, é preciso refletir sobre nossas atitudes na preservação e manutenção do meio ambiente. Para ajudar na missa, Casa Vogue listou 25 atitudes que podemos colocar em prática já, algumas para nos inspirar a cuidar melhor do planeta e outras para ficarmos de olho. Confira!

The beauty industry has a bad reputation when it comes to sustainability, and a lot of that is because of the sector’s dependence on single-use plastic packaging. The numbers are staggering — the cosmetics industry produces about 120 billion units of plastic-containing packaging a year, according to Zero Waste Week, an awareness campaign in the U.K. And after 60 years of global plastic production, only about 9 percent of the collective 8.3 billion metric tons has been successfully recycled, according to a study by Great Britain’s Royal Statistical Society. It’s unclear how much of that successfully recycled plastic has come from the beauty industry, but the industry’s penchant for housing tinctures in bottles made from multiple materials means the packaging is often tough to recycle, according to TerraCycle’s Gina Herrera, senior director of brand partnerships.  “The easiest rule to follow is that the more materials — plastics, glass, metals — that compose your beauty product packaging, the lesser chance it is recyclable in your blue bin. This is because it can be too costly, in regard to both time and money, to separate and process,” Herrera said.

The platform, which ships things like ice cream in metal containers you then send back for reuse, is expanding this summer, after a huge surge during the pandemic.

If you’ve started buying basic supplies like shampoo and toothbrushes online during the pandemic, you may notice that you’re creating a lot of extra waste in your house. But soon you’ll also be able to buy versions that come with sustainable, reusable packaging. Loop, the milkman-style platform that partners with big brands to offer subscriptions to common products like Tide detergent in reusable packaging, will expand its delivery service across the contiguous U.S. early this summer. The startup, which began its first pilots in and around New York City and Paris in 2019, has seen record sales in March and April as consumers have turned to e-commerce to avoid shopping in crowded stores. The expansion is a response to demand from customers, but also offers an alternative to recycling at a time when the recycling industry is struggling even more than it already was. [Photo: Loop] “We’re in a waste crisis,” says Tom Szaky, Loop’s CEO, who is also CEO of Terracycle, the recycling company that first helped launch the new platform. “That’s only worse because of COVID. During COVID, recyclers are hurting even more because oil is at an extreme low, so it makes it hard for recyclers to compete. And many are struggling because of health and safety—recycling is crashing during COVID.” Instead of shipping products in packages designed for a single use before recycling (or going straight to landfill), the platform sells products in packages designed for multiple reuses. When a container is empty, a consumer drops it in a shipping tote, schedules a pickup, and then sends the packaging back to be fully sterilized and then repackaged for another customer. Reuse has faltered in some cases during the coronavirus outbreak—some grocery stores have banned reusable bags, and some coffee shops have stopped reusable cup programs. But Szaky says that hasn’t been the case for Loop. “We’re learning that consumers are comfortable with reuse during COVID, which is very important,” he says. “If you give a coffee cup to a barista at a Starbucks, it has no dwell time, no health and safety protocol, and no cleaning. So it’s pretty bad. In Loop, it’s a professional reuse system, which has all of those three things in a very, very big way.” The platform now offers around 200 products that major brands have redesigned for reuse, either in the packaging or the product itself. A new toothbrush from Oral B called Clic has a reusable base and a head that snaps off to be sent back for recycling. Pantene shampoo comes in a lightweight aluminum bottle instead of plastic. Puretto, Loop’s in-house brands, sells snacks like chips and pretzels in stainless steel tubs instead of plastic bags. The design process for each item takes months; a tub designed for Häagen-Dazs ice cream, for example, uses a unique structure that works in the system, but also keeps ice cream colder longer. Four hundred brands have now signed onto the platform and are working through the process of developing new packaging for their products. As the company tracks where orders are most popular across the country, that will help its retail partners—Kroger and Walgreens—decide where to prioritize offering the same platform in stores later this year.

Kinship is on a mission to make the world a better place. And we’re not just talking about giving people better skin, but of course the clean skincare line does that too. Kinship was created by two industry vets—Alison Haljun and Christin Powell, the former vice president of marketing at Benefit Cosmetics and co-founder of Juice Beauty, respectively—to address the white space they saw in the beauty world. “Kinship is at its heart all about connection and self-care,” Haljun says. “Christin and I created Kinship because we felt the values of today’s generation were not being represented in a meaningful and conscious way.”     Specifically, they wanted to bring sustainability and wellness to the forefront, as well as other values. “We were tired of seeing blonde, blue-eyed girls—we didn’t feel that was representative of the population and certainly not today’s generation,” Powell says. “We didn’t see the beauty industry keeping up with the changing cultural values of today, so we felt like we needed to create it. When we came together, we had 16-plus years in the industry; we had seen and done a lot of it.”   A mutual industry friend set Haljun and Powell up on a blind 30-minute coffee date, which turned into breakfast and then lunch. “I had five meetings that day, but I kept pushing them back because I felt so connected to Alison,” Powell says. “We had to keep putting money in the parking meter because we couldn’t stop talking.” They instantly bonded over everything from being moms to realizing they had complementary skill sets in the beauty industry.       “I wanted to buy products for myself and my family that were that were clean and formulated more consciously and so my intention was to go to this meeting to get a bunch of production recommendations for myself and my kids because I knew Christin was also a mom,” Haljun says. But when Powell revealed that was struggling with the same mission for her daughter. “I don’t want to use [cheap] products because I know what’s in them and I don’t trust it, but I don’t want to spend $50 on an acne serum because she’s 12,” Powell recalls. That essentially sparked the creation of Kinship.   “As we reflected on our experience and our personal journey with our own skin, we had this moment of if we don’t do it who will?” Haljun says. “I remember Christin saying she could formulate it and I could market it. It was this really palpable connection that she and I had that was all built upon this premise that everyone deserves healthy skin and there is an undeniable connection between inner and outer health. Kinship is really a love letter to the next generation because it’s everything we’ve learned and know and we’re wanting to share it and have an impact on people’s health and the health of the planet.”     Kinship launched in November 2019 with five core products that cover the essentials: The Supermello Hydrating Gel Cream Moisturizer, Insta Swipe Lemon AHA Pads, Naked Papaya Gentle Enzyme Face Cleanser, Pimple Potion Retinal + Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment and Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen Zinc Oxide SPF 32. The line took two and a half years to formulate, since they had to walk the fine line of being luxurious and efficacious from an ingredient standpoint, but at an accessible price. The entire range features their exclusive Kinbiome complex, which boosts the skin barrier and microbiome. “With the skin barrier and probiotics we saw a tremendous difference in how skin looked, felt and behaved,” Powell says. “We started experimenting with pre and probiotics and were amazed with how well they work, alongside tried and true ingredients like AHAs, retinal and vitamin C. I think they will become part of the toolbox for formulation from here on. You have this ecosystem that lives on your skin and is constantly changing because of your environment and the products you use, so it’s important to keep it balanced and protected.”   But Kinship goes much further than skin deep. “We felt to be authentic, this brand needed to reflect the values of the founders throughout the organization,” Powell says. “We really wanted to express this was missing in the beauty industry because we feel there’s a lot of superficiality in beauty. There’s not anything wrong with that, but I think people—especially Gen Z—want something with a meaning and purpose behind it. Gen Z doesn’t like to be marketed to—they can see through all that. This was our chance to express our own values authentically and honestly.”   That’s why Kinship uses Ocean Waste Plastic (OWP) for their jars and lids. Every year, 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean. OWP works with local fisherman and volunteers to collect that plastic waste in and around the Java Sea and beaches of Bali, then it’s recycled into new, sustainable packaging. Kinship is the first clean skincare brand in the US to be using OWP. “It just seemed insurmountable from a cost perspective to invest in but I went to a conference and learned about how bad the problem is when I heard biologists talk about it having such a detrimental effect on the ocean,” Powell says. “Alison and I said we have to do this. We can’t develop a product that contributes to the plastic problem in ocean. We saw this opportunity as a way to lead in sustainability, especially as a startup, to show other brands you can do it. Yes, it’s more expensive, but our investors were aligned with us. And it’s really setting you apart in doing the right thing.” Clients can even trace where the plastic from their product came from on Kinship’s app.       To reduce their carbon footprint, Kinship uses the minimal amount of outer packaging—only two of their products have an actual box, which was legally necessary to list all of the drug information. “Those boxes are made using FSC paper and all shipping material is also made from 100% recycled FSC paper,” Haljun says. “There is no bubble wrap or any plastic used in shipping. It’s really important to us that we’re thinking it through and realizing there are so many different ways and so much more we can do to be earth conscious.” They are currently working on explaining what each material is made out of and how it can be recycled on their website. Since curbside recycling varies from city to city, they are developing a program to pay for customers to send Kinship empties to be recycled with TerraCycle.   Ultimately, as Kinship expands and launches new products, all of them will meet their exacting standards of products with purpose. Haljun says, “We really only want to create something if it can improve people’s lives and move the industry forward.”

With it being Earth Month and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, making conscious beauty decisions is on our minds more now than ever. But things like monitoring our consumption, optimizing our usage, and working toward more sustainable habits is important year round, not just on Earth Day. Now, before you go off thinking we’re suggesting you completely abandon your old ways, hear us out: it doesn’t take drastic measures to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly. There are plenty of tiny conscious beauty tweaks you can make.   “The beauty industry is only behind the food and beverage industry as one of the world’s biggest sources of waste,” said Belinda Smith, the founder of St. Rose. “However, instead of feeling guilty or discouraged let’s do something about it. Small progress every day is a big win and we all need to do our part if we are going to steer this ship around.”   Ahead, we’re sharing a few conscious beauty changes you can make in your everyday life to work toward a more eco-friendly, sustainable routine.  

Do Your Research and Support Eco-Friendly Brands

  We’re not recommending you give up your 10-step skin-care routine, but you can look to include more eco-friendly and sustainable products. “Support eco-friendly brands with sustainable ingredients,” said Allison McNamara, founder of MARA. “You have the power with your dollar to support brands that are doing their part to make a difference.”   You can usually determine if a brand is eco-friendly by looking at its mission. “Being more mindful as consumers is the number one thing,” said Smith. “Choosing better and buying less. Looking to invest in brands that are practicing what they preach.”  

Recycle Empty Beauty Product Contains

  Instead of just throwing your empty beauty products away in the trash, recycling them properly with beauty-specific programs. Unfortunately, many beauty products cannot be recycling in regular blue bins with other cans and bottles. That’s why programs like TerraCycle exist — they allow you mail your empty, typically non-recyclable beauty products to them to be properly repurposed.   To take your efforts a step further, you can look to support brands that partner with recycling programs. Garnier, Love Beauty and Planet, and Göt2b, to name a few, are all partners with TerraCycle and reward customers in various ways for recycling their empty products.   To help your products get recycled, McNamara explained you should clean them out before tossing them. “I know when you’re in the moment it feels like a chore, but anything (beauty, food, etc) with more than 10 percent left in the component doesn’t get recycled,” said McNamara. “Do your part and rinse out your containers.”  

Trade Your Single-Use Cotton Rounds For Reusable Options

  If you use a cotton pad every time you take off your makeup or use a toner, the amount you’re throwing away can quickly add up. To reduce your waste, switch to reusable cotton pads. “Not only are single use cotton pads wasteful, many contain plastics too,” said McNamara. “Invest in a cute acrylic stand and reusable cotton rounds and clean them like you would your towels.” Try The Good Stuff Reusable Cotton Pads.  

Opt for Products Made With Biodegradable Ingredients

  Plastic waste in landfills can take hundreds of years to decompose. So, next time you’re shopping for things like a toothbrush or hair brush, try looking for biodegradable options. For example, WedBrush’s Go Green Oil Infused Brush is made from all-natural biodegradable plant starch that naturally breaks down in a landfill within five years.  

Think About Packaging

  On the list of potential packaging materials, plastic is one of the worst. Glass, on the other hand is endlessly recyclable and is a better option of the two (however, when thrown out or recycled improperly, it can take twice as long as plastic to decompose). Whenever possible, look for zero-waste packaging. This includes items like shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars by Bottle None that come in plastic-free packaging.  

Buy Refillable Beauty Products

  More brands are allowing shoppers to buy refills to their favorite products without needing to purchase an entirely new jar or bottle. For example, OUAI sells refill pouches for their shampoos which uses less plastic than rigid bottles. Outside of the shower, the new brand Gelo Hand Soaps sells refillable, highly concentrated plant-based soap pods that are housed in a 100 percent biodegradable, water-soluble film that activates when combined with water and J.R. Watkins has a hand soap refill pouch, eliminating the need to purchase a new bottle.  

Cut Back on Single-Use Everything in Beauty

  Taking it a step further than just single-use cotton rounds, consider cutting back on single-use everything. “I stopped using sheet masks and face wipes years ago originally because I realized just how wasteful and unsustainable single use beauty products are,” said McNamara.