Deciem partners with 4ocean to fund ocean plastic removal initiative

Deciem, the parent company of skin care brand The Ordinary, has teamed up with 4ocean, an environmental company that funds ocean cleanup efforts by selling bracelets made from recycled plastic. 

Deciem aims to remove 1 million kg of plastic and ocean-bound waste by 2028. The partnership will fund the removal of plastic from coastlines, rivers, and oceans globally. 

Alex Schulze, co-founder and CEO at 4ocean, says: “From reducing their plastic footprint and using recycled materials to taking responsibility for products at the end of their life, Deciem is showing what it looks like when a brand steps up and takes action.”

A third-party certification will track and verify the progress of the collaboration to ensure full transparency. 

Cleaning up ocean-bound plastic 

Deciem’s packaging is made from curbside recyclable materials. It says that while it aims to reduce its reliance on virgin plastic, it understands that “sustainability isn’t just about reducing future impact — it’s also about cleaning up the damage that’s already been done.”

According to 4ocean, the three-year partnership will remove the equivalent of 40 million plastic bottles from the ocean. 

Anika de la Flor, director of environmental sustainability at Deciem, says: “At Deciem, we are constantly working to reduce our impact on the planet. We’re doing this by increasing the use of recycled materials in our packaging to reduce waste and protect marine life.” 

“Our partnership with 4ocean allows us to take this commitment further, helping us not only lower our plastic footprint as a business but also remove plastic from our oceans. These small but intentional actions matter for our industry, planet, and shared future.”

Recycled content 

Reducing plastic content in personal care packaging is increasing as consumers demand that brands take responsibility for the waste they produce. 

Global cosmetics packager Quadpack recently launched a recyclable monomaterial PET liquid makeup bottle.

Meanwhile, Spectra Packaging provided child care brand Tiiglu and Floral Street, a UK-based fragrance company, with bottles made from recycled ocean plastic.