Lumson utilizes grape by-product for smart and refillable personal care jars

Lumson, an Italian leader in primary cosmetic packaging, has unveiled a refillable jar made from PCR glass and grape residue as part of its Memora project. The newly launched initiative designs personal care packaging from by-products like food waste.

The 50 mL refill jar was created in collaboration with Krill Design and Politecnico di Milano. It features a near-field communication (NFC) chip providing product traceability, anti-theft verification, and product information.

The refillable jar is made from ReKrill Uva, a biodegradable bioplastic developed by Krill Design.

“As the symbol of a new industrial vision that reinterprets waste and by-products from other sectors — primarily food — into valuable raw materials worthy of a second life, Memora turns grape residues into design packaging,” says Lumson.

The project was presented at Milano Circolare 2025, November 3. It is funded by the Ministry of Universities and Research under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

The company says: “Thanks to Memora, Lumson continues to march forward by redefining the concept of packaging as a digital tool that might revolutionize the customer experience and project consumers into a future built on transparency and ethics.”

Bioplastics can offer an alternative to conventional virgin plastic, with researchers highlighting the potential of bio-based solutions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. However, critics argue that bioplastics are not a viable solution to reducing plastic pollution. 

Ecological beauty packaging

Personal care companies are increasingly shifting from traditional single-use plastics to refillable packaging alternatives. Packaging Insights previously spoke to Kao, Clean Cult, and Elopak about how innovation, collaboration, and consumer participation in household packaging can converge to clean up homes and the environment.

Recently, Bormioli Luigi expanded its makeup packaging line with Swing, a refillable, recyclable, and glass lipstick which has thin walls and reduced glass content.

Additionally, Amcor provided Cut by Fred with its Exclusive refill technology for the brand’s Detox Stick Shampoo. The Exclusive stick and refill solutions are recyclable and made entirely from PP. The original 75 mL container weighs 55 g, and each refill weighs 18 g.