PLANET

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Planet

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The cosmetic industry plays a substantial role within our environment, from its usage of materials to its output of wastage. The negative effects of our industry are caused by the way economic growth is valued more than the quality of processes, leading to the problems we now face in the environment. This makes it pivotal for us to understand how to make the industry more renewable and how we can reimagine the lifespans of our products and packaging. 

 The starting point for a good deal of innovation around sustainability is to try to dissociate business success from relentless expansion of material consumption, in an attempt to temper resource depletion, pollution and associated effects such as climate change (Fletcher, et al, 2012). Goal 12 of the UN’s sustainable development goals focuses on responsible consumption and production, aiming to achieve efficient management of our shared natural resources alongside the demand for economic growth (UN, 2015). Cosmetic brands are responsible for the quantity and process by which they utilise our natural resources, as well as how they dispose of waste. They should be engaging with ideas that focus on how to potentially maintain their level of economic sales without having to sacrifice environmental protection and sustainability in the process.

According to the British Beauty Council, 95% of cosmetic packaging goes to waste, with only 14% of it being sent to recycle plants, and 9% actually being recycled, leaving the rest to go to landfills (The British Beauty Council, 2018). Packaging plays a notable role in the beauty industry, as every product requires some form of packaging. The volume of plastic packaging, however, is unnecessarily high, with the way in which we dispose of it being equally as inefficient. Sustainability in cosmetics is first addressed in the design phase, which influences all the subsequent phases (Martin et al, 2023), therefore the approach towards achieving sustainability starts from square one. It’s the early stages that help contribute to the regenerative, recyclable nature of a products lifespan, which overall creates a circular economy for products. By creating a circular economy within the cosmetic industry, we are enabling products to consistently have a purpose and use from the initial design of the product, through to the end, where it can be recycled/repurposed. 

A brand that has successfully adapted its products towards a circular life cycle is Ren skincare, a British skincare company that is working on their zero-waste journey. By utilising landfill and ocean plastics, they have managed to remove and repurpose 1.5 tonnes of oceanic plastics to bottle their Atlantic Kelp range alone. They’ve also worked on removing single use sachets and partnered with multiple companies, including the Surfrider Foundation, by helping to remove 400kg of plastic on beach cleanups. With a moto that skincare should work for everyone, including the planet, and take action to preserve its natural resources for future generations (Ren, 2022) it’s evidence that companies can work towards a more sustainable future in cosmetics.

Reference list:

The British Beauty Council (2018) Planet Positive Beauty Guide: Packaging. Available at: https://britishbeautycouncil.com/ppbg/packaging/ (Accessed: 4 October 2023).

Fletcher, K, & Grose, L 2012, Fashion and Sustainability : Design for Change, Laurence King Publishing, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. (Accessed: 5 October 2023)

Martins, A.M. and Marto, J.M., 2023. A sustainable life cycle for cosmetics: From design and development to post-use phase. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 35, p.101178 (Accessed: 5 October 2023)

Ren Skincare (2022) Our Zero Waste Journey so Far Available at: https://usa.renskincare.com/blogs/clean-thoughts/our-zero-waste-journey-so-far (Accessed: 7 October 2023)

United Nations (2015) Sustainable Development Goals Available at: https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals/responsible-consumption-and-production (Accessed: 4 October 2023).

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Planet

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Between 1950 and 2015, researchers found that global production of plastics, including resins and fibres, has increased from 2,000 Kg to 380,000 Kg, with the cumulative production totalling 7,800 000 Kg — Enough to wrap the entire planet in a layer of plastic wrap (Gross, 2017). Over the decades, our plan has been a topic of concern.

When analysing the circular economy and the objectivity of its goals, products are in circulation through processes involving maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, and recycling. The circular economy addresses global challenges such as economics, waste and pollution. Although it is becoming increasingly crucial for the economic future and competitiveness enterprises to redesign existing products and create new products, the CE plays a vital role in the industrial economy for sustainability development (Rocca et al., 2022).

Generally, the cosmetic industry has a firm reliance on fresh water for the production and life cycle of products, and a way to bring sustainable innovation in the industry would be by companies introducing an assessment of reduced Water footprint in their systems (Chapagain, 2017) to help understand whether or not production is sustainable. The United Nations has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the 2030 Agenda to rearrange areas that need joint resolutions. In the cosmetic industry, SDG 12 is essential for responsible consumption and production because the global cosmetics market lies in near third place in terms of the fastest growth. However, sustainable development allows the industry to analyse the approach of a green vision, allows the consumer to evolve and helps increase the diversity of products, functionality, product turnover and innovation(Rocca et al., 2022).

Although sustainability can be perceived in different aspects (e.g., consumers, supply chain, materials, and product life cycle) when it comes to cosmetics, it could also be valuable to evaluate change and adaptation in different countries with different cultures and economic development. Researchers debate that implementing sustainability in business practices and processes (e.g., by reducing waste and increasing operational efficiencies) can lead in the long term to several benefits, such as increased market share and reduced operating costs (Nidumolu et al.,2009).

References :

Chapagain, A.K. (2017) Water footprint: State of the art: What, why, and how?, Encyclopedia of Sustainable Technologies. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780124095489101642 (Accessed: 07 October 2023). 

Gross, M. (2017) Our planet wrapped in plastic, Current Biology. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982217310163 (Accessed: 07 October 2023). 

Nidumolu, R., Prahalad, C.K. and Rangaswami, M.R. (no date) Why sustainability is now the key driver of Innovation. Available at: https://billsynnotandassociates.com.au/images/stories/documents/sustainability_the_key_driver_of_innovation.pdf (Accessed: 07 October 2023). 

Roca, R. et al. (2022) Sustainability paradigm in the cosmetics industry: State of the art, Cleaner Waste Systems. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772912522000574?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=810ce4a0586f4886#section-cited-by (Accessed: 07 October 2023). 

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Biodegradable Cosmetics?

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Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development or sustainability as the development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs(1). But the present scenario depicts itself as the last hope to bring a change; thus the question being that whether planet, the first pillar of FBS, is left without a cure or hope is still there.

The most striking understanding of sustainable development emerged with the Brundtland report which did not come as a reformulation of terms such as trade-offs but rather it answered its apparent conflicts by stating “the concept of sustainable development does imply limits – not absolute limits but limitations imposed by the present state of technology and social organisation on the environmental resources and by the ability of the biosphere to absorb the effects of human activities.(1)

Cosmetics industry, being one of the vastly developing sectors in fashion and beauty is known to consume plastic with an annual average increase of 2.5% waste(2). Though plastics are the best known polymers, they are now considered an environmental problem that should be rectified as a priority. As reported, in 2015, 4.9 billion metric tons of plastics were produced(3). 

The ever-increasing use of plastics whose biodegradability is questionable has created an urgency to develop sustainable innovations in the cosmetics industry, amongst which is the concept of Circular Economy. The idea of circular economy was first proposed by scholars in China in 1998 and formally accepted in the year 2002 by the central government as a new development strategy that aimed to elevate the contradiction between rapid economic growth and the shortage of raw materials and energy.(4)

With the present case of overproduction and consumerism, the linear model of the economy was termed unsustainable, while introducing a circular model that is more sustainable, “circular economy”, however the concept of CE is largely at the theoretical and experimental stage, the approach that CE focuses on is product, component and material reuse, remanufacturing refurbishment, repair, cascading and upgrading as well as solar, wind, biomass and waste derived energy utilisation throughout the product value chain and cradle-to-cradle life cycle thereby reducing the negative impacts on the environment and stimulating new business opportunities(5).

Therefore, taking the information into account and correlating it with one of the 17 SDGs given out by the UN, actively tackling with one of the issues can practically and partially help to fulfill around 5 different SDGs, that is, if the cosmetics industry were to come up with a polymer for packaging which, theoretically, would have biodegradability higher than those in use currently as well as creating more awareness regarding responsible consumerism, then the SDGs involving good health and wellbeing, clean water and sanitation, climate action, life below water and life on land might have positive impacts on them as well.

REFERENCES:

  1. Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N.M. and Hultink, E.J., 2017. The Circular Economy–A new sustainability paradigm?. Journal of cleaner production, 143, pp.757-768. 
  2. Kolling, C.; Ribeiro, J.L.D.; Medeiros, J.F. Performance of the cosmetics industry from the perspective of Corporate Social Responsibility and Design for Sustainability. Sustain. Prod. Consum. 2021, 30, 171–185
  3. Okoye, C.O.; Addey, C.I.; Oderinde, O.; Okoro, J.O.; Uwamungu, J.Y.; Ikechukwu, C.K.; Okeke, E.S.; Ejeromedoghene, O.; Odii, E.C. Toxic Chemicals and Persistent Organic Pollutants Associated with Micro-and Nanoplastics Pollution. Chem. Eng. J. Adv.
  4. Yuan, Z., Bi, J. and Moriguichi, Y., 2006. The circular economy: A new development strategy in China. Journal of industrial ecology, 10(1‐2), pp.4-8.
  5. Korhonen, J., Honkasalo, A. and Seppälä, J., 2018. Circular economy: the concept and its limitations. Ecological economics, 143, pp.37-46.
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Planet Week

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 This week was Planet week, discussions arose around problems facing our planet. Such as pollution, climate change, and carbon emissions. Solutions were given like a circular economy and adhering to the UN’s SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) plan. The UN SDG plan is composed of 17 goals for global sustainability in hopes to accomplish them by 2030 (UNDP, 2023). Applying these goals in action in all aspects of society is essential to slowing down climate change. For example, in the cosmetic industry responsible consumption and production is one goal that can be applied.This looks like making containers that can be recycled and using refillable containers. The Body Shop is a good example of this, with in store recycling bins and refillable stations (www.thebodyshop.com, 2023)  It means having rags that can be used as makeup wipes instead of the disposable ones. An excellent example of this is the Original Makeup Eraser, which uses only water and can be rewashed (MakeUp Eraser, 2023) Sourcing your ingredients used in the cosmetics ethically and without damaging the ecosystem is another way to accomplish responsible production.Lush  does a good job of this, their ingredients are sourced through local farmers and fair trade. (We are Lush, 2023) Cosmetic production can also be a way to reduce carbon emissions, for example GUCCI’s perfume, The Alchemist Garden Where My Heart Beats, uses alcohol that has been made from carbon capture (Gucci.com, 2023). Applying all these values of sustainability to cosmetics means understanding how to make the cosmetics industry as sustainable as possible, while simultaneously understanding that there is a privilege and expense to being sustainable.Affordability of many sustainable products is low, not to mention costs to manufacture and produce sustainable products. Oil and gas products like plastics are cheaper compared to glass and metal.Paying employees livable wages is more expensive than underpaying them or relying on child labor. However, another solution to the problems with our planet is a circular economy, where instead of focusing on solely the consumer and company, the focus is on the entirety of the economy. A circular economy is defined as an economy where main focuses are to regenerate ecosystems/nature, eliminating waste/pollution, and the circulation of products and resources (Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2023).It’s a style of economy that is almost opposite of the one many countries have now, where the focus is on taking resources and making a product then using and wasting it.(Jørgensen and Pedersen, 2018) .

Bibliography: 

Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2023). What is a circular economy? [online] Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview  [Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

Gucci.com. (2023). The Alchemist’s Garden, Where My Heart Beats, 100ml. [online] Available at: https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/pr/beauty/fragrances/fragrances-for-women/the-alchemists-garden-where-my-heart-beats-100ml-p-729946999990099[Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

Jørgensen, S. and Pedersen, L.J.T. (2018). The Circular Rather than the Linear Economy. RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation, [online] (978-3-319-91970-6), pp.103–120. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91971-3_8. [ Accessed 7 Oct 2023]

MakeUp Eraser. (2023). Our Mission. [online] Available at: https://makeuperaser.co.uk/pages/our-mission[Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

We are Lush. (2023). Ethical Buying. [online] Available at: https://weare.lush.com/lush-life/our-values/ethical-buying/#:~:text=For%20many%20years%20we%20have[Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

www.thebodyshop.com. (2023). Changemaking For The Planet | Environmental Impact | The Body Shop. [online] Available at: https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/about-us/changemaking-beauty/for-planet/a/a00090[Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

UNDP. (2023). Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations Development Programme. [online] Available at: https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals?gclid=CjwKCAjw4P6oBhBsEiwAKYVkq4PNFdRXG3cK0HaTkcF2jOL08A3-sQGercKmgUpeDKOs7NuqJLfa4BoCee4QAvD_BwE [Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

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Planet Blog 1

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Over decades concerns over the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the environment were brought up by global citizens.The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of humanity’s carbon emissions (UNEP, 2018). If the fashion sector continues on its current trajectory, that share of the carbon budget could jump to 26% by 2050 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017). Fashion industry was responsible for 1,715 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2015 (Nature Climate Change, 2018) and is rapidly increasing.

When ‘circular economy’ was introduced, the fashion industry was skeptical of the idea of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’.T he concept of maintaining/ repairing to extend product lifespan, reuse or remarket refurbished outdated products and recycle by retrieving parts of the materials for future usage. According to the ‘Italian national research council’, ‘In a typical 5kg wash of polyester garments around 6 million microfibers end up in the sea.’ Therefore it is nearly impossible to remain fully sustainable in the fashion industry as long as non- biodegradable textiles and disposable garments are used. Energy intensive materials like oil base textiles and cottons are heavily altered by chemicals and toxins in order to remold its properties into something useful for humans. This majorly impacts goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) , ‘Life below water’ is leaking micro plastics that are harmful for marine species. Articles surrounding the presence and impacts of plastic pollution on aquatic animals including fish species have become a regular occurrence on media platforms (Kramm et al. 2018) and scientific publications. (Henderson & Green, 2020)

As for now, scientists are finding materials to replace polyesters, making them equally as practical and long lasting. Difficulties arise when enemies like fast fashions and brands that take advantage of the situation, forcing manufacturers to produce goods using unqualified materials to maintain a low budget. Moreover, ‘58% of 1000 people polled in Hong Kong revealed that they owned clothes that were still tagged, compared with 51% in mainland China, 46% in Italy, 41% in Germany’ De Castro.O (2021) proving that people often buy brand names just for the brand, not for the quality of the product itself. Additionally, sustainable fashions are usually expensive. Recycling processes are costly. In the end people prefer cheaper brands knowing its impact on the environment. Currently, It is impossible to satisfy all 17 UN’s SDGs. On the bright side, fashion brands like Innisfree have positively adhered to fulfilling this SDG.

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planet

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The problem of sustainability is gaining prominence in contemporary society, impacting not only environmental degradation but also economical and social dimensions (Bom et al., 2019). Cosmetic industries are recognized as one of the major contributors to this problem. Issues within the cosmetic sector such as the usage of excessive packaging, plastic pollution, and the consumption of unsustainable cosmetic resources are resulting in adverse implications towards our planet (Fletcher, 2023). According to statistical data presented by Zero Waste, the global cosmetics industry generates more than 120 billion units of packaging on a yearly basis, in which a significant proportion of this packaging lacks the necessary attributes for recyclability. Considering this fact, cosmetic industries must undergo transformative changes in order to effectively contribute to advancements in sustainability (Moran, 2022).

The concept of the circular economy is currently highly desired as a means to achieve a sustainable future. It is a framework with a closed-loop process that encompasses the whole lifespan of the materials used, from manufacturing to ultimately recycling it (Gwilt, 2020). This approach maximizes the utilization of all available resources associated with the product. Implementing this strategy enables an industry to exhibit minimum to no waste, contribute positively to the climate, and manufacture with reduced environmental impact. Cosmetics firms have the potential to embrace the circular economy solution, in fact a considerable number of them have already adopted this strategy in the production of their goods. Some companies are adopting responsible sourcing techniques, wherein they prioritize organically grown ingredients and materials to craft biodegradable packaging. Some also promote sustainable consumption behaviors, for instance refilling and reusing containers (Sparknews, n.d.). 

Among the 17 sustainable development goals, the 12th SDG is particularly important in response to this issue, that is responsible consumption and production. The concept of sustainability does not only refer to how the product is manufactured, but also applies to how the product is utilized during post production. In order to achieve the 12th SDG, beauty industries must shift towards more eco-friendly practices such as creating green cosmetic formulas or creating biodegradable packaging. As consumers, we can also contribute to sustainability efforts by actively selecting products that are sustainable, such as opting for products that provide refillable rather than single use (United Nations, n.d.). 

Reference List 

Bom, S., Jorge, J., Ribeiro, H.M. and Marto, J. (2019). A step forward on sustainability in the cosmetics industry: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 225(0959-6526), pp.270–290. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.255.

Fletcher, C. (2023). The Environmental and Health Impacts of the Cosmetic Industry. [online] Earth.org. Available at: https://earth.org/environmental-impacts-cosmetic-industry/#:~:text=Plastics%20do%20not%20break%20down.

Gwilt, A. (2020). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. London: Fairchild Books.

Moran, G. (2022) Drapers, Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report

Sparknews (n.d.). A Sparknews report in collaboration with Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna. [online] Available at: https://www.sparknews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CPBO_CIRCULAR_ECONO

MY_COSMOPROF.pdf.

United Nations (n.d.). Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. [online] United Nations Sustainable Development. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-consumption-production/.

Zero Waste. (n.d.). Zero Waste Home Guide. [online] Available at: https://www.zerowaste.com/zero-waste-home-guide/.

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Planet

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The cosmetics industry has been drastically failing our planet for decades. The use of chemicals are polluting water systems and harming aquatic life (Khalid & Abdollahi, 2021). 80% of countries still allow cosmetics to be tested on animals, subjecting 100 million to experience suffering and death (Kitenest, 2022). Tonnes of product packaging is sent to landfill every day, a staggering 70% of the industry’s waste comes from packaging (Borunda, 2019). Products such as wet wipes, cotton pads and face masks are only used once before they are binned and left to pollute the planet. Forests are being wiped out to make room for palm oil plantations. Perfume, hair spray and deodorants are said to be polluting the environment as much as car emissions. And transport of products across the globe are contributing to carbon emissions being at an all-time high. 

The ways in which the industry is destroying the planet are truly catastrophic. 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation helps businesses to create better solutions to reduce their damage to the planet. They promote the idea of a circular economy; this system stops materials becoming waste by recirculating through processes such as recycling and refurbishment amongst others. It also regenerates nature by reducing the consumption of finite resources and instead using biodegradable materials that will be absorbed back into the earth (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2023). Companies such as Unilever and L’Oreal, have already signed on to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s ‘New Plastics Economy’ goals. 

Sustainable development means advancing to meet our current needs without hindering the ability of future generations in meeting their needs (Meredith, 2023). Many companies are developing in a sustainable way by using solar and wind power, manufacturing with lower temperatures, using less water and recycling energy. Strategies such as these, allow for the regeneration of finite resources, reduce emissions and carbon footprint (Bom, et al., 2020). For example, L’Oreal aims to make all of their packaging reusable, refillable, or compostable by 2025 (Borunda, 2019). Single-use plastic regulations may also be implemented in the near future (Howard, et al., 2019). 

‘Life below water’ is goal 14 of the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, it is to ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’ (United Nations, 2015). Single use products and plastic packaging are detrimental to the health of creatures below water. Oxybenzone is a chemical used in sun cream and has been found to be contributing to the damage of coral reefs. BHT, sodium Laureth sulfate, and BHAs have also shown evidence in causing changes to the biochemistry of aquatic life (Borunda, 2019). Research into alternative ingredients and measures to protect life below water need to happen before it is too late. 

Works Cited

Bom, S., Ribeiro, H. M. & Marto, J., 2020. Embracing Sustainability: Important Practices and Impact in Cosmetics. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/research/methods-tools/article/21835698/embracing-sustainability-important-practices-and-impact-in-cosmetics
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

Borunda, A., 2019. The beauty industry generates a lot of plastic waste. Can it change?. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/beauty-personal-care-industry-plastic
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2023. Circular Economy introduction. [Online] 
Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

Howard, B. C., Gibbens, S., Zachos, E. & Parker, L., 2019. A running list of action on plastic pollution. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/ocean-plastic-pollution-solutions
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

Khalid, M. & Abdollahi, M., 2021. Environmental Distribution of Personal Care Products and Their Effects on Human Health. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8170769/
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

Kitenest, 2022. How do cosmetics impact the environment?. [Online] 
Available at: https://kitenest.co.uk/blogs/news/how-do-cosmetics-impact-the-environment
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

Meredith, D. E., 2023. Sustainability. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.ctpa.org.uk/sustainable-cosmetics
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

The Humane Society of the United States, 2023. Cosmetics animal testing FAQ. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/cosmetics-animal-testing-faq
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

United Nations, 2015. The 17 Goals. [Online] 
Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
[Accessed 7 October 2023].

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Planet

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Planet is one of the four pillars in the cosmetics industry. This pillar is related to sustainability and the focus on the different practices used in this industry in order to reduce its impact on the environment through different ethical practices. The beauty industry is one of the biggest contributors to global warming; with it wasting around 120 billion units of packaging per year.

The circular economy (CE) refers to an economic system that is based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production in a suitable or environmentally friendly way. This system is important in the cosmetics industry as different brands are aiming to improve their environmental sustainability through new integrated strategies, using the concepts of CE. Research shows that to the majority of the population, the CE is defined as a combination of reduce, reuse and recycle activities. (Morea et al., 2021) A circular economy is based on four principles, which are: limiting waste, reuse where possible, recycle, and recover to turn waste into resources. This economic system can be very beneficial to the environment as it helps different cosmetic brands to reduce the demand for virgin raw materials and leave room for models of reuse and recycling of products, therefore helping to minimise the environmental impact that is caused (Morea et al., 2021).

Figure 1a: Diagram showing the sustainability in the cosmetics industry

In relation to cosmetics, sustainability refers to beauty companies ensuring that they follow ethical practices in order to reduce their negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, it is important for cosmetic brands to ensure that their products are manufactured using natural and eco-friendly ingredients that are produced from renewable raw materials (Hitce et al., 2018). The majority of companies that have prioritised sustainability have claimed to surpass their competitors due to their improved reputation and consumer satisfaction which has resulted from the use of resources efficiently, and by reducing the amount of wasted products and ingredients (Rocca et al., 2022).

Life Below Water is a SDG that has relevance and an impact on the cosmetics industry. This goal focuses on conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas, and marine sources. Marine pollution is currently at very high levels, with over 17 million metric tons clogging the ocean in 2021, and with a pH average of 8.1 (United Nations, 2023). The cosmetics industry is one of the biggest contributors to marine pollution; this is due to the fact that plastic is often used in the packaging of different cosmetic products. When disposed, this plastic will end up in the ocean, which will not only affect the marine life, but also humans. This is because toxic microplastics can get into the bloodstream of any organisms, which can block the transportation of oxygen around the body (Barton et al., 2021).

Reference list

Barton, S., Eastham, A., Isom, A., McLaverty, D., and Soong, Y.L. (2021) London: Royal Society of Chemistry. Introduction to cosmetic science. 10.5 Do Cosmetics Pollute the Oceans? Available from: https://www-vlebooks-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/Product/Index/2086261?page=0&startBookmarkId=-1 [Accessed 7th October 2023]

Hitce, J., Xu, J., Brossat, M., Frantz, M. C., Dublanchet, A. C., Philippe, M., & Dalko-Csiba, M. (2018). UN sustainable development goals: How can sustainable/green chemistry contribute? Green chemistry as a source of sustainable innovations in the cosmetic industry. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 13, 164-169. [Accessed 1st October 2023]

Morea, D., Fortunati, S., & Martiniello, L. (2021). Circular economy and corporate social responsibility: Towards an integrated strategic approach in the multinational cosmetics industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 315, 128232. [Accessed 29th September 2023]

Rocca, R., Acerbi, F., Fumagalli, L. and Taisch, M., (2022) Sustainability paradigm in the cosmetics industry: State of the art. Cleaner Waste Systems, p.100057. [Accessed 6th October 2023]

United Nations (2023) The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. Available from: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/?_gl=1*1mg145*_ga*ODg1NTQxOTUwLjE2ODcwMTUzNDA.*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*MTY5NjcwNTMzMC41LjAuMTY5NjcwNTMzNS4wLjAuMA.. [Accessed 7th October 2023]

Images reference list

Figure 1a: Cosmetics Europe (2017) Environmental sustainability in action. Available from: https://cosmeticseurope.eu/news-events/environmental-sustainability-action [Accessed 4th October 2023]

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PLANET

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Planet, one of the four main pillars of fashion business school, is defined as prioritizing products that are sustainably sourced, produced and transported.

The development of sustainable products can be achieved in regard to the concept of circular economy, defined as the cyclical use of resources and measurement against specific indicators, such as preservation of materials, functions, components, products, and embodied energy. Due to the various ideas of circular economy such as reusing, recycling, and refurbishing of existing materials, an extended life cycle for clothing can be attained, ergo reducing waste, and increasing further value of items, working in harmony with the planet. This model specialises in tackling the grave disadvantages of planned obsolescence, where products are designed with an excessive amount of readily available, cheap materials, intended to have a limited lifespan so consumers are encouraged to purchase them again.

Figure 1. Diagram demonstrating the process of circular economy.

Implementing circular economy is crucial for the enrichment of the environment, as it reduces the speed in the decline of natural resources, landscape, and habitat disruption to diminish biodiversity loss. Further support for the advantages of this model includes a decrease in the overall annual emissions of greenhouse gases, as per the European Environment Agency, which states industrial procedures and product utilization contribute to 9.10% of greenhouse gas emissions within the EU, whereas waste management constitutes 3.32%.

The growth of the world’s population is directly proportional to the demand for raw materials, causing a diminishing lack of finite supplies and therefore challenging the act of sustainability, as it may compromise the needs of future generations due to the requirement of fulfilling the demands of the present. However, sustainability in relation to fashion can be supported through seeking alternative strategies in the early production stages, either through manual intervention or computer software. These have assisted in minimising the environmental ramifications of the production and use of a garment, along with complimenting their use within the industry, with examples of tools and models known as the EcoMetrics/calculator, the Kering Environmental Profit and Loss tool, and the Higg Index. The utilization of these tools allows for measurements of the environmental impacts of different textiles and processes, accompanied with authorising brands, designers, and retailers to measure, and evaluate their sustainability performance. Despite a small number suggesting that sustainability may restrict innovation, it may further provide a new foundation for responsible yet brilliantly creative ideas, reinforcing the UN SDG Responsible Consumption and Production.

REFERENCES:

European Parliament (2015). Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits | News | European Parliament. [online] www.europarl.europa.eu. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20circular%20economy.

‌Gwilt, A 2020, A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [7 October 2023].

Moraga, G., Huysveld, S., Mathieux, F., Blengini, G.A., Alaerts, L., Van Acker, K., de Meester, S. and Dewulf, J. (2019). Circular economy indicators: What do they measure? Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 146(1), pp.452–461. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.03.045.

Sabatini, N. et al. (2023) Fashion communication in the digital age: Proceedings of the factum 23 conference, Pisa, Italy, 2023. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

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The cosmetics industry has an overwhelmingly negative effect on the planet, which makes it crucial that we consider ways damage caused throughout the life cycle of a product can be minimised.


Responsible consumption and production are one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals to significantly reduce waste by 2030 through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse to encourage sustainability. This is a development goal that many industries must contribute an effort into achieving, as they are responsible for the damage caused to the environment as a result of the extraction of raw materials but also inclusive of every step up to the distribution of the final product and the waste created from its disposal.


In 2021, the UK produced over 2.5 million tonnes of plastic packaging with only 44.2% being recycled (DEFRA, 2023). The EU has set out to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and one of the key issues they are tackling is the packaging sector, the United Kingdom’s legal requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels will be a great contributing factor towards reaching climate neutrality across Europe (Brader, 2023). The UK Plastics Pact is promoting reusable options and increased use of recycled plastics to reduce the total amount of packaging on supermarket shelves.

By following the circular economy model, the cosmetics industry can minimise waste by extending the life cycle of products. The carbon footprint of many businesses can be significantly reduced by re-designing the packaging of products to be more eco-friendly. Application of circular economy principles to packaging can transform the economy in a way that will reduce consequences such as leakage into oceans. Creating an economic incentive to build plastic collection and recovery infrastructure that repurposes plastics will lead to less leakage, especially of materials with a higher after-use value which reinforces the United Nations’ goal of sustaining life under water (MacArthur, 2016).


An example of a brand with an innovative approach to sustainability within the industry is Lush, where environmental issues are at the centre of the company’s ethos. The majority of Lush’s products can be purchased without the need for any external packaging and any products in pots or bottles are made with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Many other brands such as the Body Shop, Dr Sam’s and Fenty have integrated re-fillable packaging into their product range and to further entice consumers, some of the brands offer incentives for using the more sustainable scheme such as discounts on purchases.

Reference List:

Brader, C. (2023) Mission zero: Independent Review of Net Zero. Available at: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/mission-zero-independent-review-of-net-zero/ (Accessed: 07 October 2023).

European Green Deal: Putting an end to wasteful packaging, boosting reuse and recycling (2022) European Commission – European Commission. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7155 (Accessed: 07 October 2023).

Plastic waste and recycling in the EU: Facts and figures: News: European parliament (2023).Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181212STO21610/plastic-waste-and-recycling-in-the-eu-facts-and-figures (Accessed: 07 October 2023).

The UK plastics pact (2021) WRAP. Available at: https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/plastic-packaging/initiatives/the-uk-plastics-pact (Accessed: 07 October 2023).

UK statistics on waste (2023) GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data/uk-statistics-on-waste (Accessed: 07 October 2023).

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