Locking lips with sustainability: Eco Lips unveils plastic-free, plant-based lip balm pod

01 Mar 2021 --- US-based Eco Lips is launching a plastic-free, 100 percent plant-based tube pod for lip balm formulations, dubbed PlantPod. 

The novel packaging solution is the “first-ever” environmentally sustainable lip balm tube made entirely from plants and designed to look, feel and function like a plastic tube, the company supports.

Steve Shriver, founder and CEO of Eco Lips, says the challenge to remove all plastic from lip balm packaging was significant. However, the company managed to produce a plant pod that catering to zero waste demands.

“With our new 100 percent plastic-free packaging, we’re truly ‘eco’ in every sense of the word. With the absence of plastic and fossil fuel-based ingredients, we are dramatically reducing our carbon footprint and decreasing the production and disposal of plastic,” Shriver says. 

“Not to mention, because plants absorb CO2 before harvest, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This move not only aligns with our values as a company but satisfies the ever-growing demand for environmentally conscious products.”

Eco Lips CEO Steve Shriver holding the PlantPod.“Eco Lips doesn’t give lip service to sustainability,” he adds. “Our organic and fair trade ingredient sourcing proves this, as well as our manufacturing running on 100 percent renewable energy.”

Eco Lips – a certified B Corp – is the US’ largest independent organic lip balm manufacturer. Each year the company develops and manufactures sustainably-produced branded and private label lip balms for millions of lips worldwide. 

Eco Lips’ plant-based tubes are available via online order and will begin appearing at retail in the next several months.

Zero waste NPD
In the same spirit and with zero waste in mind, L’Oréal’s Garnier brand recently relaunched its Ultra Doux line of shampoos in a solid bar format with recyclable and FSC-certified cardboard secondary packaging.

The launch represents the brand’s first no-waste shampoo and boasts 94 percent plant-based ingredients pressed into a solid shampoo bar.

Meanwhile, product designer Jonna Breitenhuber found a way to eliminate shampoo bottle packaging entirely and created Soapbottle, a soap-based shampoo bottle. 

Previously, PackagingInsights reported on some of the most interesting zero waste and eco-packaging launches within the deodorant business – one that has found it notoriously difficult to achieve zero waste packaging materials.

By Kristiana Lalou