Cosmetic waste in France.

Firstly, industrialists are responsible for their packaging choices. In France, the cosmetic sector consumes approximately 55,000 tons of plastic per year, which is just over 5% of all household plastic packaging.However, the law relating to the fight against waste and the circular economy (AGEC) of February 10, 2020 provides for the elimination of single-use plastic packaging by 2040 and 100% of plastic packaging to be recycled by 2025.

Furthermore, skincare and beauty companies are also responsible for managing their unsold and defective product stocks. In this regard, the AGEC law imposes an obligation to manage unsold items by setting priority orders in three R's: Reuse (donation), Reutilization, and Recycling. Furthermore, it prohibits the destruction of unsold items. Industrialists are thus encouraged to promote eco-design, as well as recycled and recyclable raw materials. Concentrated formulas and large sizes are also alternatives to reduce waste in cosmetics.

At Typology, we have prioritized recyclable materials :

• Our serums and vegetable oils are stored in glass bottles, a recyclable and durable material. Glass is made up of natural minerals (sand, limestone, and soda carbonate), making it ideal for preserving cosmetic products due to its neutrality and stability: it is inert and unalterable. Furthermore, the flat and rectangular shape of the glass bottle optimizes volumes during transportation, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of each package. Indeed, this allows for easy nesting, thus reducing the size of the packages and the rate of void space. The amber color of the bottle helps to protect the product from light.

• The large plastic bottles of our hydrolats, shampoos, cleansers, etc... contain a portion of 30% recycled plastic. We are in search of alternative solutions with the ambition to use only already recycled plastic. Indeed, in 2022, we set ourselves the goal of increasing this portion to 100% recycled plastic. Just like our glass bottles, the flat and rectangular shape, and the amber color have been favored to reduce the carbon footprint of each shipment.

• We have also made the decision to opt for aluminum tubes for our creams, masks, scrubs, etc... Extremely lightweight and durable, it is one of the few materials that can be infinitely recycledwithout ever losing its quality. Moreover, it does not allow air to pass through and thus helps to reduce the risk of formula oxidation. Therefore, you can use your skincare product to the last drop without wasting any, thanks to better preservation. We have transitioned to 100% recycled aluminum, of which 95% is PCR (Post-Consumer Recycling) from used aluminum packaging and 5% is PIR (Post-Industrial Recycling) from industrial waste.

Finally, all our shipping boxes, tissue papers, and paper-based cases are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, issued by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) association. This certification guarantees the legality of wood exploitation, no connection with illegal deforestation, sustainable forest management, and the conservation of biodiversity.