Infinite Aluminium

The Infinite Aluminium range / Source: Meiyume

AluminiumAnti-MicrobialAsiaBeautyEuropeInfinite AluminiumLeak ProofLightweightNorth AmericaPackagingRigid

WHAT WE SAY:

The concept behind Meiyume’s 100% recyclable Infinite Aluminium range makes perfect sense. Aluminium is the obvious choice for beauty containers – it’s lightweight, infinitely recyclable, durable, mouldable, and nearly 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use today.

With scope for global reach and mass production capacity, this range of aluminium bottles and jars could exemplify the future of closed-loop packaging. Meiyume’s use of a plastic pump, however, is a missed opportunity for a fully recyclable product, but we have high expectations for a plastic-free iteration that is truly infinite.

Infinite Aluminium

WHAT IS INFINITE ALUMINIUM?

Meiyume’s Infinite Aluminium is a range of cosmetic bottles and jars designed to replace the go-to plastic varieties, chosen for their infinite recyclability.
Containers are crafted with a high-quality finish, featuring a curvature to the base. Bottle capacities range from 100 to 250 millilitres and jar capacities range from 60 to 80 millilitres. The brand claims all are highly compatible with all cosmetic formulas, including cream, liquid and gel.
The packs are compatible with a range of pumps and caps, but plastic is unfortunately the material of choice at present. This invalidates a product’s status as being 100% recyclable, requiring a rethink during the design process.
Dependent on the levels of complexity involved in branding and decoration, Infinite Aluminium can be applied to both mass-market and luxury products. The durability of the material also makes the Infinite Aluminium range an ideal solution for refills.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Anti-Microbial
Leak Proof
Lightweight
Rigid

INDUSTRY:

Beauty
Packaging

AVAILABILITY:

Mass Market

DIVE DEEPER:

Aluminium is celebrated as a sustainable material. 100% recyclable without any reduction in quality or change in properties, the volume of recycled aluminium still in use today totals 1.5 billion tonnes.
In 2020, the global recycling efficiency rate was reported as 76% by the International Aluminium Institute. On average, recycling one tonne of aluminium saves over 16 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to driving 40,000 miles, while the recycling process uses only around 5% of the energy needed to produce the raw material.
Meiyume launched Infinite Aluminium in 2020 – it was conceived as a closed-loop alternative to plastic beauty packaging.
Meiyume manufactures across five facilities in the UK, US, China, Indonesia and Thailand, adapting production to brands’ needs, from small MOQs to mass production.
While Infinite Aluminium is recyclable, the company does not disclose whether its source materials are virgin or recycled. This is a key area for investigation when developing your packaging.
The company offers a range of antimicrobial coating options too, tapping into the post-pandemic consumer focus on health and hygiene.
In March 2022, Meiyume collaborated with cannabinoids provider NeXtraction on the launch of its personal care brand Kriva. The brand chose Infinite Aluminium for its Daily Wellness Body Lotion.

Kriva body lotion packaged in Infinite Aluminium / Source: Meiyume

An Infinite Aluminium bottle and jar / Source: Meiyume

KEY FACTS:

1.5bn tns

of recycled aluminium is still in use today

40,000mi

On average, recycling one tonne of aluminium saves over 16 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to driving 40,000 miles

60-80ml

Jar capacities range from 60 to 80 millilitres, and bottle capacities range from 100 to 250 millilitres

Key Questions to Ask

Could you make your product fully recyclable?

Infinite Aluminium is marketed with plastic lids and pumps, which undermines the closed-loop concept of the range. A low-waste solution is good, but a 100% recyclable, plastic-free one is better. Explore using aluminium lids and screw tops, with one pump sold at first purchase which can be reused time and time again. Better yet, opt for a refill model so that both pumps and packs are kept in long-term, active use.

Are your containers made from recycled aluminium?

Ensuring your range is made from recycled aluminium rather than virgin will maximise your gains in energy reduction per unit. If you are celebrating the infinitely recyclable nature of aluminium with your audience, why not embrace it from source? Look to makers such as Emballator.

Where are you selling your product?

Recycling rates vary by as much as 40% between nations. Marketing to a consumer base with low recycling rates reduces aluminium’s efficacy as a sustainable material. Prioritise nations with high recycling efficiency and consider a prefill or refill concept – or another material entirely – where the probability of recycling is low.

Are you certain your product will be recycled?

Even in nations where aluminium recycling is high, we know bathroom waste is recycled at much lower rates than other household waste. Aluminium in landfill loses its potential benefits, so consider how you can communicate the need to recycle clearly – on the product and within your marketing.

Is there a plastic liner?

Most aluminium packaging requires a thin layer of plastic coating inside to ensure products are safe for use and consumption. This is burnt off and reused as fuel during the aluminium recycling process but does mean a product isn’t 100% plastic-free. We’re waiting for alternatives to this liner as much as you are, and will be the first to update you when one arrives.