Sweet smell of success

Chanel announces an innovative new range of beauty products complimented by Sulapac’s latest sustainable packaging materials.

This exciting new cosmetics range combines skincare, makeup and a light fragrance mist. Today’s N°1 de CHANEL sustainability formula embodies ingredients of natural origin that are renewable and have a significantly reduced environmental impact. For example, up to 97% of its ingredients are of natural origin. This break-through has been achieved without compromising product effectiveness, safety or sensory qualities. The special eco-designed packaging utilises Sulapac’s latest sustainable packaging materials. These are all produced strictly in accordance with House of CHANEL’s exacting standards where every detail is considered. Philip Yorke takes a closer look at the company’s unique recipe, designed to meet its latest and most advanced sustainability formula.

The company told SPN that the full range of packaging for the N° 1 de CHANEL is eco-designed and includes lids that contain exclusive bio-based materials. They are the result of a collaboration that began in 2018 between the CHANEL Fragrance and Beauty Packaging Innovation Department and the Finnish material innovation start-up: Sulapac. “The new-generation lid of the N° 1 de CHANEL Cream is made of 90% bio-based materials from renewable resources: FSC™ certified wood chips that are by-products of industrial side-streams combined with camellia seed shells. It was a genuine technological challenge that has now resulted in several patent-pending applications. Faithful to the House of CHANEL’s exacting standards, every detail was considered at length including the sensory quality of the material; its resistance to heat variations; the unique sound of the jar closing; how it feels in the hand; and the depth of the matte satin finish engraved with the iconic double C,” CHANEL explains.

It took more than 40 trials before Sulapac’s R&D Manager, Piia Peltola, was able to find the right material recipe. “It has been fascinating to see up-close this level of devotion to the brand feel and its environmental impact,” Piia Peltola says. “Our first big task was to innovate a biobased material that contains by-product Camellia seed shells whilst making it resistant to heat and moisture. It was just a concept idea when we started. Camellia is inherently hydrophilic material, meaning it absorbs water strongly. Solving this was a great accomplishment by us, and the first time we have incorporated such ingredients in our packaging material in such a bespoke way.”

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Suvi Haimi, CEO and Co-founder of Sulapac, said, “By setting this example we aim to encourage more companies to choose optimised and more efficient sustainable packaging materials.” Haimi added, “It was fascinating to combine by-products like camellia seed shells and FSC™ certified wood chips in this unique packaging material. Now, we also have increased proficiency in utilising other side streams without compromising the functionality of the final product. Furthermore, it helps us to reduce our environmental footprint even further.” Haimi concluded.