REN Clean Skincare

Sample skincare in aluminium tubes / Source: REN Clean Skincare

AluminiumBeautyEuropeMonotubeNorth AmericaOceaniaPackaging

5 MINUTE READ

Kaltrina Bylykbashi

WHAT WE SAY:

Product samples and travel sizes may be small, but they leave a big impact on the planet. The beauty and personal care industry generates 122 billion sample sachets every year, each one made of hard-to-recycle mixed materials – all of these are incinerated, or worse, end up in our environment, existing for centuries.

REN Clean Skincare is disrupting this space with a 100% aluminium tube that’s said to be easy to recycle and made from 95% PCR aluminium. We love the new innovation of the built-in capless nozzle. Our only question is, is it too small to actually be picked up by recycling facilities – as most miniature beauty packs are?

KEY FACTS:

REN has teamed up with European Aluminium tube manufacturer Tubex to create mono-material, aluminium sample packaging for its skincare. The brand is using Tubex’s Monotube design, launched in 2021.
The tubes are made of 95% PCR aluminium and 5% PIR (post-industrial recycled) aluminium, and feature a re-closable, break-off nozzle to avoid the use of tamper seals or plastic caps. The nozzle can be turned on its head and used to temporarily re-close the tube.
Due to the mono-materiality of the design, the tube can be manufactured in just one production step, reducing time, cost and emissions. The company says that it chose aluminium not only for its recyclability rate, but because it is effective at protecting product from light degradation and oxidation too.
The malleability of aluminium makes it easier to squeeze out all the product from the tube, minimising product waste often found in single-use sachets and plastic tubes.
The brand claims that the tubes can be disposed of in household recycling in their entirety, but it must be noted that due to their size, they might slip between recycling infrastructure and be lost. This will vary across regions.
REN says the tube is more costly than plastic solutions, but that it’s committed to reducing single-use plastic across its brand. Tubex does not disclose the cost of its Monotube packaging without a consultation.

An array of aluminium sampling tubes / Source: REN Clean Skincare

Capless aluminium sampling tubes / Source: REN Clean Skincare

DIVE DEEPER:

According to Euromonitor International, beauty samples are the third-largest driver to purchase for full-size beauty products, but these samples – whether in sachets or miniature, travel-sized packs – are wreaking havoc on our planet. Often made from layers of plastic and aluminium, sample sachets are impossible to separate and, therefore, impossible to recycle.
Aluminium on its own, however, is a different story. Praised for its infinite recyclability and high recycling rates, the material’s global recycling rate stands at 69%, compared to PET at 43%, and glass at 46%. A mono-material aluminium pack is likely to be completely recycled and used again.
A product made of recycled aluminium like REN’s sample tube goes one step further. Using recycled aluminium saves 95% of the energy which is generated during the production of virgin aluminium, while bringing the aluminium industry closer to full circularity.
REN’s sample tube won the Premium Skincare category in the PCD Innovation Awards in 2022. It also won a 2022 ELLE Magazine Green Beauty Stars Award.
The brand’s tube supplier, Tubex, was awarded a Gold sustainability rating by EcoVadis in 2022. The methodology of ratings is based on international sustainability standards: the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000.
REN’s aluminium tube marks the reintroduction of product sampling for the brand, something it paused in 2018 to rethink its model. Since its pause, the company claims to have prevented 4.5 million plastic sachets from going to landfill.
In 2021, REN Skincare joined forces with Biossance, Caudalie, Herbivore and Youth To The People to launch #WeAreAllies, a campaign to eliminate competition in the beauty industry by working collaboratively to develop environmentally friendly packaging by the end of 2025. REN is open-sourcing its mono-aluminium tube within this alliance.

"While more costly, we are committed to using these new tubes to reduce plastic waste and hope to encourage other beauty brands to rethink their sample packaging with the planet in mind."

Arnaud Meysselle – CEO, REN Clean Skincare

Key Design Considerations:

Size matters

Recycling machinery is built for standard sized beauty products such as bottles of shampoo, with an average size of six to eight ounces. Anything smaller is often unable to be recognised by machinery, slipping through the cracks and ending up in landfill regardless of intentions. While REN claims these tubes can be recycled kerbside, it will depend on regional infrastructure and services. If unsure, a collection scheme – whether in-store or postal – will ensure samples are sent to the correct facilities, while refill sampling solutions, as used by Credo, are a viable option for indie brands.

Experiment with experiential retail

Consumers are heading back to stores post-COVID, meaning in-store experiences and sampling solutions can be reintroduced, potentially negating the need for so many sampling packs. With hygiene an on-going concern, contactless digital sampling solutions such as Coty’s new fragrance dispenser allow customers to test products safely and with minimal waste. The device simply releases a droplet of fragrance onto the arm or blotter, rather than requiring individually packaged samples for every customer. Consider how you can bring a product to life, in real life.

Seek responsible suppliers

The production of aluminium is handled very differently around the world. Some producers use majority hydropower for energy, recycled material where possible, and have safe working conditions for staff – others are known for human rights abuses and energy intensive methods. Researching suppliers must be a priority before opting to use aluminium.

Secondary packaging

REN’s sample tubes are packaged in cardboard boxes, but is this really necessary? Aluminium is durable and the tubes can be tightly packed together to prevent damage when shipped. Given that sample tubes can be displayed in-store in bowls or other vessels and posted to customers with purchased items, a box doesn’t add much to the experience.