Paris Packaging Week 2025, held on January 28 and 29, brought together key players in the packaging industry to discuss the latest innovations in the luxury goods, cosmetics and beverage sectors. Under the slogan " Let's Shape the Future of Packaging "STI Group took part in the show for the first time, unveiling its paper packaging solutions combining durability, performance and aesthetics.
On its stand, the German company showcased a wide range of innovative packaging: folding cartons with high-end finishes, premium rigid boxes to reinforce brand image, and corrugated solutions combining strength and elegance.
"Each solution has been designed to minimize the environmental footprint, promoting resource efficiency, recyclability, plastic elimination as well as compliance with evolving regulations."says the group.
STI Group presented a series of folding cartons featuring textures, reliefs and metallic effects, offering brands new possibilities for standing out on the shelf in a highly competitive market.
The company also highlighted its rigid box and premium packaging solutions designed for high-end spirits and wines, combining sophistication, protection and durability while enhancing product prestige.
An approach driven by regulation and innovation
Faced with new European directives (Green Deal, PPWR, deforestation regulations), STI Group has put forward its interactive checklist, a tool designed to help brands anticipate and comply with regulatory developments in sustainable packaging. In particular, it enables them to assess their packaging portfolios, identify key areas requiring action and stay ahead of compliance requirements, turning challenges into opportunities for differentiation.
"This edition of Paris Packaging Week was a fantastic opportunity to exchange views with brands and industry experts on the challenges and innovations ahead. Packaging, as we think and design it, must now combine aesthetics, performance and sustainability, and we are proud to accompany our customers in this transition."says Jean-Luc Colin, STI Group Sales Director for France.
In 2024, STI Group received Ecovadis Platinum certification for its entire group of companies.
Superga Beauty, French industrial partner to beauty brands, wins a Platinium EcoVadis medal.
Following an initial questionnaire completed in 2023 to enter the EcoVadis ranking, by January 2024 Superga Beauty had climbed to Gold level and into the top 5 % entities assessed, announcing that this was a first step in a more ambitious CSR commitment project. Barely a year later, in December 2024, the Group earned a Platinum medal, now ranking in the top 1 % with an overall score of 83/100.
EcoVadis evaluates four key aspects of a concrete, meaningful CSR policy: the environment, the social dimension and human rights, ethics and responsible purchasing.
Adherence to the "Science Based Target" initiative, signatory of the diversity charter, actions carried out with La Maison des Femmes de Saint-Denis, program for the professional reintegration of women victims of domestic violence, partnership with Fairtrade suppliers in India...: Superga Beauty's many complementary commitments were also selected to support its score.
"This Platinum medal from Ecovadis, awarded in the year following our Gold medal, is the result of a powerful collective commitment within our group, our determination to rise to every challenge, and a vision shared by our teams and partners. This commitment to CSR reflects the high standards and energy we put into everything we do on a daily basis, in the service of our customers and their projects".said Leslie Bréau Meniger, President of Superga Beauty.
Cosmogen has made innovation one of its key pillars. After unveiling several new products at the Luxe Pack trade show in Monaco (September 29-October 2, 2024), the French specialist in application solutions for cosmetics presented several new products at Paris Packaging Week (January 28-29, 2025).
The Paper Stick, launched in 2023 for anhydrous cosmetic formulas in high-end packaging minimizing the use of plastic, is now 100% paper, including its ingenious mechanism.
Comogen also offers a complete makeup line in PET or PET-PCR: a compact in PET or r-PET, with two powder or eyeshadow palette options, enriches its dedicated makeup line which already includes sticks/RAL, brushes, mini-brushes and kabukis in PET and r-PET.
Cosmogen adds three applicators adapted to different hair types (curly, straight, fine, thick, curly, dry, etc.) to its Squeeze'n range to meet brands' skinification expectations.
Historically popular for eyes thanks to its round shape, Cosmogen's Tense Tube now also has a tip for lips, designed on the same principle of a cannula matched to a stainless steel metal part, beveled to facilitate application to the lips.
The Fresh Bottle collection features a satin-finish glass bottle with a ceramic applicator, while the Fresh Tube gets a luxury makeover with a ribbed metal applicator and gold cap.
The SME has also launched a new collection of three silver aluminum brushes and a stainless steel spatula, designed to create a mirror-effect skin. The originality of this range lies in the spatula, which invites a new gesture.
Cosmogen and Qualiform are also renewing their collaboration to create Tottle Needle, a marriage between Perla (15 ml) and the needle tip, designed for precision application of concentrated formulas.
Albéa's EcoFusion Top 50 ml seduced Naos for the repackaging of the "Pure Skincare" range from its État Pur brand, an innovative and ultra-personalized skincare brand.
État Pur, a biologically-based skincare company, is committed to reinventing its Pure Skincare packaging for daily moisturizers and cleansers. Eco-designed, they must be recyclable while reducing plastic consumption.
Albéa's EcoFusion Top reduces the amount of plastic used by 54 % compared with the previous 50 ml tube, and by 82 % compared with the previous 40 ml airless bottle.
"État Pur offers responsible solutions, both in terms of ingredients and packaging selection. says Camille Potier, Product Manager at État Pur. With the EcoFusion Top solution, Albéa supports our commitment to significantly reduce the environmental impact of our brand while offering our customers an attractive, modern design."
"We are honored and proud to support État Pur in achieving their sustainable goals with our EcoFusion Top solution.says Sophian Desmoulins, Key Account Manager. Collaborating with our customers on responsible product developments is absolutely essential to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in our industry."
Three État Pur references are already available. Others will be gradually rolled out until mid-2025.
At Paris Packaging Week, Aptar Beauty, specialist in dispensing systems, presented two of its best-selling pumps, now designed in 100 % plastic, as well as a new mobile refill device for fragrances.
At Paris Packaging Week (January 28 and 29, 2025), Aptar Beauty exhibited a range of pumps made from 100 % polyolefin resins. Aptar Beauty's new Advance range includes two of Aptar's flagship pumps redesigned for better recyclability and environmental profile: the GSA Advance lotion pump and the PZ Advance spray pump, with a design similar to that of pumps popular with body care brands, no longer contain non-recyclable materials. Made entirely of plastic, the 2025 version of these iconic pumps is now made from 100 % polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), two polyolefin resins compatible with the main plastic recycling streams. And the user experience is in no way diminished!
"We wanted to launch this new range based on existing designs that were already popular with brands. Our customers were also looking for more eco-friendly solutions, but didn't want to change their brand identity. Unlike the design of our Future pump, which is entirely recyclable, the Advance range remains faithful to the iconic designs of our best-selling pumps.says Delphine Bony, Marketing Manager Beauty & Personal Care EMEA at Aptar.
The two pumps in the Advance range have motors made entirely of plastic (PP and PE). Combined with an HDPE, PP or PET bottle, they are classified as "highly recyclable" by the independent certification agency Institute Cyclos-HTP. They are POM-free and can also incorporate PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled Resinpost-consumer recycled plastic).
GSA Advance for personal care
Designed for hair and body care products, the GSA Advance lotion pump maintains smooth activation. The plastic spring is positioned outside the dosing chamber and delivers a 2 cc dose, ensuring compatibility with a wide variety of formulas, including high-viscosity and water-based ones.
Its Twist-to-Lock twist-lock system allows the pump to be sealed in both open and closed positions. It is also e-commerce* compatible, and features an optional e-clip (in PP, also available up to 100 % PCR), offering additional protection during transport.
Fully interchangeable with the standard GSA pump, it is manufactured at Aptar's Chieti plant in Italy. It operates on the same finishing lines, making it compatible with the same decor or design options, starting with two standard push-button designs available. The pump's modular architecture offers numerous design customization options.
Production samples of this 2025 version of the GSA pump will be ready by March 2025, with manufacturing to be duplicated on the American continent to serve the market locally.
PZ Advance: a spray for all viscosities
The PZ Advance pump is based on the design of the PZ Twist spray pump. " The Twist pump is a huge success. Our customers have been asking for a recyclable version of this pump for a long time. Designing it in full polyolefin, with a real sensorial experience, represented a real technical challenge, because it was necessary to obtain a good spray quality without having to use a metal spring, even for complex and viscous formulas such as oils and sun creams".explains Delphine Bony.
Made entirely of polyolefin, with a plastic motor, the PZ Advance pump delivers a 190 mcl dose. Its design is optimized for e-commerce* needs. A non-removable tamper-evident seal can be included as an option.
Manufactured in Dortmund, Germany, the pump will be available early in the second quarter of 2025 with production samples.
Other references are being studied for launch in 2026.
"All-plastic, recyclable packaging is the next step in the journey towards greater sustainability for products. The Advance collection represents a new era in packaging. We aim to revolutionize the market with this innovative range of high-performance pumps with an iconic design, made entirely of plastic, and backed by reliable, consumer-tested references."says Luigi Garofalo, Global Category Manager for Personal Care and Home Care.
Nomad Refill: a refillable bag spray that's easy to use
At Paris Packaging Week, Aptar Beauty also unveiled Nomad Refill, the first 10-ml bag spray that refills directly onto the perfume bottle, quickly, cleanly and safely, without pumping. Aptar Beauty's idea: to enhance and improve the fragrance refill experience, making it easier to refill on the move.
Nomad Refill is a bag spray that can be refilled directly onto the perfume bottle originally purchased. The refill process is compatible with any bottle using an SNI15 screw-in pump, following a few simple steps: unscrew the pump from the fragrance bottle and remove the bottom cap from the Nomad Refill base, then screw the Nomad Refill connector onto the fragrance bottle, and turn the whole assembly over. Then pull lightly on Nomad Refill to activate the gravity refill process: the fragrance flows rapidly into the refill, which stops automatically, leaving an expansion space in the bottle to avoid any risk of overfilling or overpressure. Once the flow is complete, simply reposition the bottle and remove the Nomad Refill. Five seconds are all it takes to fill the refill, and the process can be interrupted at any time simply by releasing the pressure on the bottle. No need to pump!
"There are refillable solutions in the small-format bottle market."reload" with a bottle that can be replaced, but most small formats are not "refillable" (rechargeable). And the few solutions that do exist are based on rather complicated gestures. As far as we're concerned, we're proposing a breakthrough innovation "explains Sophie Magdelaine, Senior Manager, Global Fragrance Platform at Aptar Beauty.
"With Nomad Refill, we aim to simplify consumers' lives by improving the user experience.adds Xavier Joseph, VP Global Marketing & Innovation.
Beyond the minimalist gesture it offers, which simplifies the act of refilling compared with alternative offerings, this Aptar system prevents leaks during refilling, thanks to a watertight connection between the main bottle and the connector, to guarantee clean use right down to the last drop of fragrance.
"The market is ready for this innovation. Mini formats are booming, especially in the home refillable category. They are no longer considered inferior to perfume bottles. Consumers now see them as more than a sample; they've become veritable objects of desire. Nomad Refill responds to existing and emerging consumer habits, and we have high expectations for this launch.emphasizes Sophie Magdelaine.
Nomad Refill is fully customizable. The pack offers a wide range of personalization options to suit a wide variety of brand aesthetics, from lifestyle to prestige, with all types of decoration (coloration, metallic engraving, etc.), right through to the most elaborate finishes. Brands can also opt for a unique, personalized luxury case, imagined in co-development with Aptar Beauty's Custom team, following the example of the trend towards ultra-personalized, high-end cases for lipsticks. According to Aptar, studies have shown that the perceived value of this product is equivalent to that of a perfume bottle when sold on its own, especially when adorned with a personalized case, with added emotional value.
The Nomad Refill offer is available in a standard pilot version (transparent bottle and customizable caps). For brands, it can be supplied filled and delivered.
*E-commerce compatible thanks to the Ista-6 test. Test results may vary according to the shape and size of the vial and the formula of the sample tested.
U.S.-based Ball Corporation, the world's leading supplier of sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for the beverage, personal care and household products industries, has announced a minority investment in Meadow, a Swedish startup that has developed Meadow Kapsul, a technology that enables the use of an aluminum cartridge pre-filled with products (such as soap or shampoo) placed in a reusable container.
This partnership aims to support the production of aluminum refills - a recyclable material with no loss of quality - used as pre-filled cartridges for personal care and household products. Ball will supply cans and bottoms, which will be placed in reusable dispensers and marketed as Meadow expands its operations.
"Ball is committed to developing low-carbon, circular aluminum packaging solutions, and we believe that reusable and recyclable packaging plays an important role in the future of personal care and household products, said Jay Billings, President of Ball Growth Ventures at Ball Corporation. We're delighted to be working with Meadow to realize our shared vision of delivering large-scale sustainable solutions to meet our customers' sustainability goals."
Meadow's packaging solutions exploit fully recyclable aluminum cartridges, previously used mainly for beverages, in other product categories, thus promoting circularity. Ball will be able to support Meadow with its global network of facilities and multi-market reach.
"With Ball, we can offer global reach to our circular packaging solution, expanding the availability of cost-effective, easy-to-use and recyclable pre-fill technology. Together, we are accelerating the adoption of circular packaging among global consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands across multiple categories."said Meadow CEO Victor Ljungberg.
Meadow Kapsul technology is now widely available on the market, with a planned launch at points of sale this year.
The aim is to reduce the use of materials and energy, while optimizing logistics and transport. This innovative packaging technology offers brands the opportunity to adopt circular packaging, while offering consumers an innovative experience, stimulating their interest and boosting re-purchase intent. It also offers brands an opportunity to differentiate themselves.
The technology received a Certificate of Excellence in the "Concept of the Year" category at the ADF Innovation Awards. The awards ceremony was held during Paris Packaging Week (January 28-29, 2025).
Organized by the Cosmetic Valley competitiveness cluster and the Fédération des entreprises de la beauté (Febea), the fifth meeting of the Comité de filière cosmétique was held at Bercy on January 28, 2025, under the chairmanship of the French Minister of Industry and Energy, Marc Ferracci. The meeting brought together some thirty industry spokespersons, representing all links in the value chain - suppliers, manufacturers, distributors - and testifying to the sector's complete integration "from plant to product". Participants included young brands, SMEs, ETIs and major groups.
The industry committee underlined the strategic role played by the cosmetics industry in the French economy, and its track record in terms of industrial investment. It also pointed out that Made in France is not only a gas pedal of innovation, but also a powerful force for the creation of skilled jobs in the regions.
At the same time, industry representatives stressed that the sector faces many challenges. Faced with increased global competition and a complex international context, ensuring the competitiveness of a sector in which France is a leader is a priority.
"Our industry is innovative and successful. However, it must face up not only to the major economic and technological challenges faced by its competitors, which justify the full commitment of French companies to the ecological and digital transitions, but also, in an international environment marked by crises and conflicts, to geopolitical and societal tensions, the former reflected in complex regulatory negotiations with the Chinese authorities, and the latter in differences of opinion with the European Union on the classification of ingredients. These difficulties are getting worse. They are not neutral in terms of growth and job creation. At the same time, to remain a leader, we need to change pace and scale, invest in hard sciences and build on our soft power. This is what our industry is doing. It can only sustain a high level of ambition on these different fronts with the support of the French government and its public partners, whether agencies or local authorities.said Marc-Antoine Jamet, President of Cosmetic Valley.
"This meeting with the public authorities is particularly important given the current economic, political and international situation. Despite the economic slowdown and tougher international competition, the French cosmetics industry is staying the course in its commitment to sustainability, as well as to investment in France, the guarantor of our industrial sovereignty. The companies are calling on the public authorities to give concrete form to the legitimate goal of regulatory and administrative simplification".added Emmanuel Guichard, General Delegate of Febea.
Significant environmental advances
The discussions also provided an opportunity to highlight the progress made collectively by the industry in terms of the environment:
- Water sobriety: implementation of a voluntary plan to reduce water consumption in industrial processes, demonstrating that the sector remains committed to reducing its environmental footprint, particularly in terms of water pollution control. In the opinion of the industry committee, the major efforts already undertaken deserve to be supported, taking into account the sector's specific characteristics and ensuring that they are part of a balanced and proportionate approach, rather than a stigmatizing or punitive one,
- Packaging recyclability: Elipso and Febea have jointly drawn up a practical guide identifying the main levers for improving cosmetics packaging recycling.
- Perfume plants: commitment to a dedicated interprofession, reinforcing the structuring and sustainability of this essential sector.
- Cosmétopée: the presence around the table of young entrepreneurs from the French overseas territories illustrated the sector's commitment to the preservation and sustainable development of biodiversity.
"I'm delighted with the many industrial investments in the cosmetics sector in France: it's a sector of excellence, an international champion, which promotes French industrial know-how on the international stage. The industry faces many challenges in continuing and amplifying this momentum, and I am determined to support it.said Marc Ferracci, Minister of Industry and Energy.
Photo: Marc-Antoine Jamet and Marc Ferracci at the Comité de filière meeting on January 28, 2025.
Basf uses its patented solid lipid encapsulation technology to stabilize retinol in formulations. The advantages of retinol encapsulation counteract known drawbacks such as irritation and stability, and offer anti-aging benefits.
Retinol is an anti-aging molecule widely used in cosmetic applications. VitaGuard A, developed by Basf, is based on patented solid lipid particles, protecting retinol from degradation, limiting skin irritation and enabling better cutaneous bioavailability for enhanced cosmetic efficacy.
Basf points out that several studies in vitro and ex vivo conducted by the company have shown that VitaGuard A improves the stability of retinol in cosmetic formulations compared to unencapsulated retinol, benefits skin bioavailability and prevents retinol-induced irritation. In addition, the ingredient clinically improves the appearance of forehead wrinkles, skin elasticity and skin tone uniformity.
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial on Chinese volunteers, VitaGuard A cream was evaluated at 2 % (equivalent to 0.1 % retinol) for its efficacy as an anti-aging molecule, compared with unencapsulated retinol at 0.1%. "The results concluded that VitaGuard A significantly showed an anti-wrinkle effect on the appearance of forehead wrinkles compared to baseline (D0). After eight weeks, the volume of forehead wrinkles was reduced by 37 % (p<0.01). When assessing the improvement in skin elasticity, VitaGuard A showed a significant increase in skin elasticity compared to D0 (+16%, p<0.001). In addition, skin tone uniformity was significantly improved, showing a variation of 15 % from the baseline measurements obtained (p<0.001). All these parameters were better than with the same formulation containing unencapsulated retinol at the same dose of 0.1 %".the company says.
The development of VitaGuard A underlines Basf's commitment to meeting customer needs for ease of use of retinol, which can cause skin irritation and is subject to degradation by light and air, generally making it difficult for formulators to use. All this while delivering significant anti-aging effects.
"What's more, it's an example of how the company's Personal Care business is meeting future challenges. Sustainability, digitization, innovation and new collaborative approaches are the cornerstones of Care 360° - Solutions for Sustainable Life."Basf explains.
At Paris Packaging Week (January 28-29, 2025), Isimat, a manufacturer of printing machines for predominantly cylindrical parts and a subsidiary of the Kurz Group, presented "The Koi Can", an aesthetically appealing packaging solution that brings visual and haptic effects to inspire brands.
The design was developed by combining Isimat's patented InLine Foiling technology and screen printing in a single machine.
inLine Foiling is an innovative cold metallization technology that requires no heat or pressure, which reduces energy consumption and makes it suitable for thin-walled surfaces.
The process begins by applying a UV primer to the areas to be metallized. Next, the silver metallized transfer film is placed in contact with the adhesive, and the metallization is deposited only on the coated areas, thanks to simultaneous curing of the adhesive via UV lamps.
To enable multicolor metallized printing, Kurz products can be overprinted: to personalize the effects, tinted varnishes are applied to the metallization to create a wide range of metallic finishes. The surface can also be overpainted to guarantee greater durability and enhance the appearance. Kurz holographic films can also be used to create attractive effects.
By using a single Kurz silver reference and playing with overprinted shades, inLine Foiling cuts costs, eliminates minimum order quantities and optimizes inventory management.
This technique offers an elegant decorative solution, guaranteed color accuracy and greater flexibility for eco-responsible production. In fact, the use of UV technology guarantees faster drying and lower energy consumption during the production process. This innovation represents a significant advance in the packaging industry, combining efficiency and energy savings.
InLine Foiling offers an alternative to hot stamping. This thin-wall process can be used on plastic, glass and aluminum substrates.
Since January 14, 2025, several beauty brands (Clarins, Chanel, Clinique, Lancôme and Sephora Collection) have been testing the reuse of their containers. Customers of Nocibé and Sephora partner stores can purchase products that are part of the operation. In exchange for loyalty points credited to their membership card, they have until July 31, 2025 to return the containers to the store for washing.
The products concerned by the operation can be identified by their sticker with a QR code, and by "La Boucle Beauté" displays on the shelves. The collected packaging is sent to a sorting center. Containers suitable for washing are cleaned and returned to the brands for internal quality control. They are not put back into circulation. Discarded containers are sent for recycling. Lids, pumps and caps are systematically sent for recycling.
With financial and operational support from Citeo, the aim is to test feasibility and consumer interest, and to define a re-use method for several partner brand products.
