L’Oreal Americas and Avery Dennison haveteamed up to identify and reduce the environmental impacts of packaging labels throughout the entire label lifecycle.
Both companies have already published a comprehensive Avery Dennison Greenprintassessment that demonstrates how thinner label materials can reduce environmental impacts.
Avery Dennison Greenprint, a screening lifecycle tool which was launched in 2010, is said to be the first of its kind in the label industry.
L'Oreal earlier announced its strategy to meet tomorrow's sustainability challenges dubbed, 'Sharing Beauty with All', committing to a host of sustainability targets, including the continued improvement of its packaging's environmental profile.
According to L'Oreal, the Avery Dennison Greenprint method allows them to take a comprehensive look at impact of its label materials, including the raw material extraction, manufacturing, and ultimately the label's end-of-life.
This approach also helps in identification of the biggest environmental impacts and to devise strategies on how best to mitigate these impacts.
L'Oreal Americas assistant vice president Packaging Hair David Wolbachsaid: "We strongly believe in a sustainable supply chain, and this is ingrained in our business practices.
"However, to achieve the ultimate goal of reduced-impact materials, we cannot work alone. It is essential that all facets of the value chain - material suppliers, printers, consumers, and recyclers - collaborate together to establish a clear and transparent low-impact product stream globally."
Through this method, L'Oreal was able to transition the labels for some of its leading products to Avery Dennison's Global MDO substrate, which is designed for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and waste generated in disposal.
"It is equally important that we have the necessary information available to understand the environmental impacts of the materials we are using," Wolbach added. "This helps us immensely in our material selection process."
By switching from Avery Dennison's Global Co-Ex film product to Global MDO, L'Oreal has reduced environmental impacts from 7% to 19% across the categories of fossil material, water use, energy use, GHG emissions and solid waste.
Commenting on the collaboration, Avery Dennison sustainability manager, North America Rosalyn Bandy said: "Improvements in sustainability require collaboration across the value chain, including converters recommending the right material to brands.
"L'Oreal's leadership in improving the environmental profile of packaging is driving the value chain to work closer together."
Image: L'Oreal and Avery collaborate for assessment of packaging labels. Photo courtsey of Freedigitalphotos.net.
