Grove Collaborations partners with research institute for plastic-free home care packs

US-based personal care company Grove Collaborations has launched a limited edition collection with ocean pollution research non-profit, The 5 Gyres Institute, to replace single-use plastic packaging with aluminum and glass.

The collection features two natural fragrances and Grove staples: dish soap, hand soap, room spray, laundry detergent sheets, and home goods. The products are packaged in aluminum cans, glass bottles, and recyclable and recycled paper packaging. 

Jenn Pann, Grove’s VP for merchandising and e-commerce, says: “At Grove, we believe the biggest impact we can make as consumers is to stop using single-use plastic in our homes by switching from single-use plastics to recyclable, refillable, and reusable options.”

Grove’s fragrances Atlantic Dune Grass and Pacific Primrose were inspired by the US coastline. Meanwhile, the packaging pattern was inspired by coastal grasses, marshland plants, coastal wildlife, and weather patterns. 

The 5 Gyres Institute has been Grove’s plastics packaging research partner since 2019. According to Grove, the partners collaborate on multiple projects that “celebrate the beauty and power of our world’s oceans through fragrance and design while prioritizing sustainability and healthier ingredients in the lines’ formulations and packaging.” 

Microplastic concern 

Founded in 2009, 5 Gyres Institute researches the impact of microplastic in the ocean on human and animal welfare. This research resulted in the “first-ever” Global Estimate of Marine Plastic Pollution, which revealed the widespread presence of microplastics. 

Single-use plastics break down in the ocean and environment, creating microplastics that have been found in the human body through breastmilk, the placenta, blood, and the brain. 

Recently, researchers at Portland State University, US, found particles from plastic packaging, clothing, and other products in the edible tissues of six seafood species caught near Oregon’s shores.

Moreover, scientists from the University of Birmingham, UK, who work on personal care products, are concerned about the misconception that microplastics are present in leave-on products like lipstick, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, deodorant, and nail polish.