Recycled PET bottles for cosmetics: Bormioli Rocco paved the way

Interview by Jean-Yves Bourgeois

21 March 2011

For the past six years, the italy-based group of Italian origin, present in both the glass and plastic sector, has engaged itself in a proactive approach to use recycled plastic materials, namely PET, for the production of containers specially intended for the cosmetic industry. For Premium Beauty News, Bormioli Rocco Plastics’ sales management draws up an initial review intended for the cosmetic market.

Premium Beauty News - What is the weight of Bormioli Rocco Plastics in the European market of packaging converters?

Bormioli Rocco - The Bormioli Rocco group as a whole, that is to say, Tableware and Packaging in 2010 achieved a turnover of more than EUR 500 million. The plastics activity itself accounted for more than 25% of the turnover achieved in the packaging activity. Three factories produce plastic packaging, two in Italy and one France.

Premium Beauty News - And the customer markets?

Bormioli Rocco - Pharmacy remains our first customer market, followed by the cosmetics and food industries. The capping activity is the most important segment, followed by bottles and accessories. Finally, France is our largest market for the cosmetics sector.

Premium Beauty News - Since 2005, there has been a real environmental awareness at Bormioli Rocco Plastics?

Bormioli Rocco - Yes, it’s our R&D department who initially assessed and approved the recycled material channels. We logically started with recycled PET channels. One of our first projects was a bottle for a phytosanitary product.

Premium Beauty News - How many PET recycling channels currently exist in Europe today?

Bormioli Rocco - Half a dozen with acceptable quality levels for cosmetics. After having found "safe" channels, we then had to work on the injection blow moulding process with bi-orientation.

Premium Beauty News - In 2008, you are all set for the cosmetic market!

Bormioli Rocco - Yes, we then started producing the first 100% PET recycled bottles for the cosmetic market. With some success since the L’Occitane Group in Provence entrusted us with the design of 300ml and 500ml ’Aromachologie’ bottles and of 150ml ’Verdon’ bottles. Italian brands of cosmetics like Landoll, Natyr and Bjobj have also opted for our solution.

Premium Beauty News - Your efforts are rewarded!

Bormioli Rocco - They are actually starting to be. The technique is perfectly controlled and the results are very promising. Using one ton of recycled PET results in a decrease of 1,5 tonne of CO2. Sometimes Marketing managers still need to be convinced that the transparency of a recycled PET bottle is obviously not as good as that of a bottle made from virgin resins. But habits are changing very quickly. As a result, this type of bottles represented last year a significant part of our cosmetic activity. We are seeking to increase reasonably the production of PET-R bottles in the two to three years to come.

Premium Beauty News - And beyond recycled PET, what else?

Bormioli Rocco - Recycled HDPE is also available, even if demand is still low for the time being.