NEW YORK—In an effort to reduce its environmental impacts through efficient production and manufacturing processes and by incorporating more environmentally preferred materials, Pureology improved its Shampoo and HairCondition packaging.
“Pureology’s new Zero Waste Shampoo and HairCondition Packaging allows consumers and stylists to use every last drop of product, and the new ergonomic design featuring inverted condition bottles ensures ease-of-use," said Shae Kalyani, VP of U.S. marketing for Pureology. “Throughout the packaging renovation, our formulas have not changed—we offer the same concentrated formulas color-coded systems for each regimen."
NEW Zero Waste Shampoo and HairCondition Packaging:
- Highly concentrated ZeroSulfate® 250mL shampoos offer 70+ shampoos per bottle
- 100-percent recyclable bottles feature the latest FDA-approved, 50-percent post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) materials for safety and environmental sustainability
- For secondary packaging, Pureology decreased the amount of cardboard and uses Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified cardboard boxes made from 100-percent recycled fibers. Pureology also added educational messages to these boxes, reminding purchasers to recycle the box and providing tips on how they can conserve water.
To quantify the success of these and other improvements, Pureology commissioned Five Winds International, a sustainability management consulting firm, to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) of Pureology’s Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner, products that are representative of Pureology’s entire line and are the brand’s best-sellers. The process assessed the impact these changes have on reducing the environmental impacts associated with Pureology’s Shampoo and HairCondition bottles by examining multiple phases of the product life cycle, including the sourcing of raw materials used for the products and packaging; the production and manufacturing of the products and packaging; transportation and distribution of finished products; and the end-of-life disposal of the packaging. While the impacts associated with customer use and disposal of the formula were examined, these findings were not included in the final LCA results. The LCA specifically examined how these changes impact energy and water use, two areas that have been the primary focus of Pureology’s sustainability efforts.
Overall, the LCA demonstrated the improvements Pureology made to its Hydrate Shampoo and HairCondition packaging are resulting in less energy and water use:
Energy Use:
- 33-percent decrease in energy use during the packaging production and transportation life cycle phases for Hydrate Shampoo
- 42percent decrease in energy use for Hydrate Conditioner over the same life cycle phases
Water Use:
- 37-percent reduction in water use during the packaging production and transportation life cycle phases for Hydrate Shampoo
- 38-percent decrease in water use for the Hydrate Conditioner during the same life cycle phases
“From our LCA, we discovered the greatest environmental impact involves the volume of water used by consumers during showering, assuming they are shampooing and conditioning their hair in the shower, and the energy used to heat the water—99 percent of the water used during the lifetime of a bottle of Hydrate Shampoo or Conditioner occurs during the use phase," added Kalyani. “While we are working to reduce our own water usage, we will continue to actively work with Global Green USA to educate consumers."