Scent of sustainability: Armani launches refillable fragrance bottle

28 Jul 2020 --- Marking a significant stride in zero waste beauty packaging, Armani Beauty has unveiled a refillable perfume bottle for the latest addition to its olfactory family. The high-end brand’s latest fragrance launch, dubbed My Way, is the first in seven years and will be commercially available starting mid-August. The design of the fragrance bottle is in line with the Italian luxury brand’s five-year commitment to reducing its carbon footprint by 25 percent, along with achieving carbon neutrality for all its products.

The sleek flacon is manufactured with recycled and recyclable materials, while the pink-tinted juice is composed of sustainably sourced ingredients, according to the company. To minimize material waste, Armani Beauty will employ a bottle refill system – with details of how the system will work set to be revealed post-launch.

The brand describes My Way as “a bright white flowers fragrance which unfolds a new chapter of femininity, designed with a commitment to sustainability.” 

“I believe that environmental issues should be close to everyone’s heart, now more than ever. There is no way we can ignore the fact that the future of the younger generations depends on our choices,” notes Giorgio Armani.

Refillable and circular personal care
The refill-reuse-recycle mantra is increasingly gaining followers and the zero waste movement is growing momentously in the personal care and packaging segments. Realizing this, major companies are making moves. Waste management specialist TerraCycle’s reusable packaging initiative Loop is set to expand into the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and Germany after promising trials in France and the US, which were met with “an overwhelming global appetite for sustainable and circular solutions.” 

Despite the increased COVID-19-induced demand for at-home delivery services, Loop states that the international expansion was planned before the pandemic outbreak. Loop also announced that Phase Two is on the horizon, which will see the integration of the platform into retailers’ websites, starting with Carrefour in France in June 2020.Armani Beauty will employ a bottle refill system, with details of how the system will work set to be revealed post-launch.

In the same circular spirit, Package Free, the “first and largest zero-waste lifestyle shop,” has announced a US$4.5 million seed round led by Primary Venture Partners to grow the brand and begin manufacturing its own sustainable product lines. The US-based seller currently runs an e-commerce business and operates a storefront in Brooklyn, New York.

Refill trend resurfaces
Guerlain produces Bee perfume bottles, which can be replenished for life, and also created Ne M’Oubliez Pas, the first refillable lipstick case in the ’70s. Today the company offers Rouge G, a modern version of the launch. Originally Rouge G was designed to cater to bespoke lipstick needs, however it also fits with the company’s sustainability plan, including being carbon-neutral by 2028 and switching to entirely “eco-designed” packaging by 2022. 

Joining the refill bandwagon, Olay remodeled its Olay Regenerist Whip moisturizer with a refill pod made from recyclable polypropylene that fits within its jar. Brand-owner Procter & Gamble (P&G) says the beauty brand project will save over 1,000,000 lbs of plastic per 5 million jars sold. Consumers are able to purchase the refillable Olay Regenerist Whip package that contains one full jar of Olay Regenerist Whip and one refill pod of moisturizer that can be placed inside the jar once it is emptied. The package will be sold and shipped in a container made of 100 percent recycled paper and will not contain an outer carton in order to reduce the use of paperboard. The pods are also recyclable.

In the past The Body Shop also introduced a refill concept in stores in the early ’90s but ultimately discontinued the program after a few years because people “didn’t get it.” As the trend resurfaces, the company is bringing refill stations back in locations across London, UK and Vancouver, Canada.

Recently, PackagingInsights reported on eco-friendly formats in deodorant packaging, as eco-focused brands grow in popularity and big players begin to take notice.

By Kristiana Lalou