The trend toward refillable and reusable packaging is gaining momentum as more companies explore ways to reduce their use of single-use, hard-to-recycle packaging. This growth is partly driven by the goal of the Plastic Pact to deliver reusable packaging by 2025. Many of these initiatives are coming from startup and smaller brands, but multinational companies are also beginning to test the waters with small-scale trials and pilots. The dry food, household, and health and beauty sectors are currently the most active in this area.
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EasyJet aims to eliminate 10 million single-use items per year with its switch to reusable cups and cutlery.ThePackHub
UK-based airline EasyJet, is implementing a pioneering initiative to equip its approximately 14,000 pilots and cabin crew with reusable cups and cutlery following a successful trial. The move, set to be extended to all crew in the EU, Switzerland, and the U.K., aims to eliminate over 10 million single-use items annually, equivalent to 71 metric tons per year. The durable cups and cutlery are designed for repeated use, with the rollout expected to be completed by January 2024. A spokesperson for EasyJet expressed gratitude for the crew’s commitment to reducing waste, highlighting it as part of the airline’s broader efforts to lower operational impact. EasyJet launched its net-zero roadmap in 2022, targeting a 78% reduction in carbon emissions per passenger-kilometer by 2050, employing strategies such as fleet renewal, operational efficiencies, sustainable aviation fuel, and carbon removal technology. Since 2000, easyJet has already reportedly reduced carbon emissions per passenger-kilometer by one-third.
The ecoTOTE brings a 60-90% carbon footprint reduction for spirits packaging and distribution.ThePackHub
Never Never Distilling Co., an Australian distillery, is collaborating with Singapore-based ecoSPIRITS to reduce single-use glass and packaging waste by 95% for its Oyster Shell Gin. Utilizing ecoSPIRITS’ ecoTOTE, a fully reusable glass container, the closed-loop system minimizes packaging waste in the supply chain. The ecoTOTE, featured as an alternative to traditional kegs, is transported to venues, dispensed, and re-bottled using ecoSPIRITS’ SmartPour technology. After use, the ecoTOTES are returned to the ecoPLANT for sanitization and refilling. The collaboration aligns with Never Never’s commitment to sustainability, evident in their Oyster Shell Gin, which repurposes waste products for flavor. The ecoTOTE format offers a 60-90% reduction in premium spirits packaging and distribution carbon emission footprint, with up to 95% less physical glass waste. Never Never suggests a unique consumption experience, serving the frozen Oyster Shell Gin in a recently emptied oyster shell, adding flair to the sustainable initiative.
 | Read how Diageo and Bacardi used the same ecoTOTE technology for various types of venues. |
Schwan Cosmetics' new lip liner packaging is both refillable and bio-based.ThePackHub
Schwan Cosmetics introduces a sustainable approach to beauty with the unveiling of refillable, mechanical lip liner cartridges, catering to the growing demand for sustainable, high-performance beauty products in the APAC (Asia-Pacific) market. The Power Up Your Pout lip liner features exchangeable cartridges infused with peptides and jojoba oil, offering a 3-in-1 plump, define, and fill application. This addition to the REFILL & STYLE range aims to reduce environmental impact by eliminating packaging waste when the liner is empty. Positioned to meet the rising preference for sustainable alternatives in Asia’s beauty market, Schwan Cosmetics highlights its commitment to a closed-loop sustainability strategy, incorporating recycled and bio-based materials in packaging. The Power Up Your Pout was presented at the Cosmoprof-Asia 2023 exhibition in Hong Kong, where TheBetterBarrel eyeliner and lip liner pencils from Schwan Cosmetics were nominated as finalists in the Sustainability category at the Cosmopack Asia Awards.
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