We picked up this shampoo and conditioner at Boots when we were in Thailand a few weeks ago. The hair products were fine, but what we really liked was this packaging.
The "bottles" are made of that same shiny, coated material that you get product samples in...but instead of tiny single use packets, it is full size product packaging. Add a tiny plastic screwtop and you are all set. Lightweight, modern looking and we thought it seemed greener...less to recycle, right? Now we're not so sure.
We bought the smaller size pictured above, but the products were available in regular, large format, at-home size packages designed exactly the same way (at right).
It seemed like such a good idea, but after a little research, we aren't sure if this coated (foil?) material is recyclable at all? Is it? Has anyone even seen this type of packaging in large sizes in the states?
We're keeping our fingers crossed that a brainy reader will give us the scoop.
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I'm not sure about that particular package, but if it's anything like the tetrapaks used often in food and beverage, it is recycleable.
http://www.tetrapak.com/
(navigate into tetrapak for you / environment / recycling for a full explanation)
view babbling's profile
babbling: good thinking and thanks! that's encouraging - i'm not sure it is comparable in terms of recycling since this material was much thinner and more lightweight than a tetrapak...but there are some similarities.
view janel's profile
As a packaging designer, this is something that I actually know about! Yes, in theory, the pouch could be recycled, but since facilities for it don't really exist yet it won't be. It's still considered very green and "sustainable", though, because it uses much much less energy to make and ship, and there's less material to throw away. I expect we will see more of this type of packaging in the upcoming months and years, and then maybe the infrastructure for recycling will be built.
view Maria B's profile
thanks for the pro info Maria B! i do hope to see more of it come in to use (and be recyclable, of course) - it just seems so much better that all that plastic.
view janel's profile
Hi~ that same packaging is used in Italy and other parts of Europe for fruit juice!
http://www.apoconerpo.com/apoc/shared/res/companies/-3529329303360169978/images/appuntamenti/tasky.JPG
view Sol's profile
With recycling plastics, you lose a lot of quality. Post consumer material may make trash bags or lumber substitute, but generally not the same item that was recycled.
Which means that items like packaging must be made of virgin material. Then it becomes: less material used is better for the environment.
If that led to a shortage of material for trash bags or plastic wood, those products could shift to virgin material too, and you'd still come out with less material consumed.
Tetra pak may be different, as the cardboard is probably a second use material.
view Jute Zak's profile
I bought these last time I was in scotland and i love this style of packaging - easy to squeeze every drop out of the pack and easy to pack in luggage.
view athenazebra's profile