"Elevating perfume to the level of a work of art, L'Art & La Matière is a collection of olfactory masterpieces for lovers of beauty, signed by the hand of Guerlain perfumers."we read on the perfume house's website.

Products for the home, offered under the name L'Art de Vivre, extend the art of perfume into the home. Pure Trade, a recognized partner of luxury cosmetics and fragrance brands for which the company designs high-end primary and secondary packaging, has produced an exclusive candle cover for this product line.

This lid - compatible only with Guerlain candles - is made of stainless steel, embellished with the perfume house's iconic gold and its delicately polished embossed logo.

As well as adding an exclusive, elegant finishing touch to the collection's scented candles, the lid protects the wax, preserving its fragrant trail, and prevents smoke from dissipating once the flame is extinguished.

Mariette Gibier, a Cifre doctoral student at Pierre Fabre Laboratories, won 1st prize in the Ocean & Innovation category of the Climate & Biodiversity trophies organized by the Maud Fontenoy Foundation in partnership with the Forvia Foundation, for her "Green Bioplastics" project carried out in collaboration with the R&D and Packaging teams at Pierre Fabre Laboratories and the biofoundry at Alliance Sorbonne Université.

The idea behind the project is to use microalgae capable of capturing CO² to transform it into bioplastic, a biosourced and biodegradable material that could be used to manufacture future packaging for Pierre Fabre Laboratories' dermo-cosmetic products.

"This award is both recognition and motivation to continue on our demanding environmental trajectory. We are at the beginning of this very promising Green Bioplastics project, and we are convinced that the use of materials derived from living organisms, produced by microorganisms, is a promising avenue thanks to its low carbon impact and biodegradability. This project illustrates our desire to rethink packaging for a more sustainable future.says Franck Legendre, Director of Packaging Innovation and Sustainable Development.

Eco-design and biodegradability are among the main concerns of Pierre Fabre Laboratories. The company's aim is to see more than 70 % dermo-cosmetic products rated A or B on the Green Impact Index*. To achieve this, its R&D teams are exploring several avenues. 

Beyond bioplastics, research into new materials is one of them. As part of the Pulp in Action Consortium, Pierre Fabre Laboratories are working on a packaging solution based on cellulose fibers. This solution, which can be deployed on an industrial scale, will meet the requirements of cosmetic products in terms of quality of use, barrier properties and formula preservation (restitution rate, water resistance, formula stability, etc.).

The marketing of dermo-cosmetic products in refill form - currently representing between 15 and 40 % of sales depending on the references purchased - is another initiative by Laboratoires Pierre Fabre, which also makes refillable dermo-cosmetic products available in pharmacies through the Pharma Recharge Consortium.

Participation in a pilot project to set up a deposit system for cosmetics, with 10 other players in this sector, supported by the firm Circul'R, is another mode of action.

Laboratoires Pierre Fabre's Green Bioplastics project was presented alongside five other innovations inspired by the strategies of nature and the living world at the Biomim'Expo trade show held at the Parc Floral de Paris on June 11 and 12, 2024. 

_{* The Green Impact Index is a tool for displaying the environmental and societal impact of cosmetics, dietary supplements and family health and well-being products, based on the methodology described in Afnor Spec 2215. Developed in collaboration with 21 companies, associations and federations, it assesses products on more than 50 criteria.}

_{Photo: ©Juliette-Dupuis-Carle}

The United States has approved a significant increase in customs duties on paper bags from certain countries, in order to discourage the import of low-cost paper bags. Procos reacts to this new regulation. 

"In the United States, imports of low-cost, fully machine-made paper bags are now subject to a duty of around +135 %. While these taxes are aimed at paper bags for mass applications, the specifications of what defines these bags are quite vague, putting companies like ours at risk, even though we don't manufacture these types of products. There is only one customs number for all paper shopping bags".explains Leander Kritikos, CEO of Procos, a German manufacturer of packaging for major luxury brands.

The request comes from the Coalition for Fair Trade in Shopping Bags, which welcomed the final findings announced by the US Department of Commerce that imports into the US of paper shopping bags from Cambodia, China, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Portugal, Taiwan and Vietnam are being sold at less than fair value, and that imports from China and India are otherwise being subsidized. This opinion follows a positive final dumping finding concerning imports of paper shopping bags from Turkey, and a petition filed by the consortium in May 2023.

"We informed our customers in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. We have also proposed other solutions to get around this regulation.explains Leander Kritikos. We have to develop a customized solution for each customer."

To ensure that its shopping bags are not subject to the new taxes, the German manufacturer adjusts the size of the bags, replaces the paper handles with woven ribbon (customs duties only apply to 100 % paper bags), and plays with the weight of the bags. The company stresses that Procos experts have the necessary tools to offer a customized solution for each shopping bag, as close as possible to the original design.

"Procos has already begun to develop alternative solutions, including samples in adapted sizes and has developed modified production processes. We are committed to supporting our customers and partners as they navigate these new regulations, providing innovative solutions that comply with the requirements of the US market. A specific bag is already available for the brands concerned. Made entirely from FSC-certified, EUTR*-compliant paper, it incorporates the features required to escape the scope of the new taxes".explains Leander Kritikos.

_{* European Union Timber Regulation}

Yaël Zajac

The new version of the Idôle eau de parfum bottle from Lancôme (L'Oréal group) features a Classic Inune pump from Aptar Beauty, part of the AptarGroup, a global specialist in dispensing and dispensing technologies.

Manufactured in France, at the Le Neubourg (27) site, the Classic Inune pump stands out for its POM (polyoxymethylene)-free motor, robust design and 10 % weight, which is lower than the average for pumps on the market.

A short, gentle spray is all it takes. The slim pump adds to the sensoriality of the object. The top sub-assembly is adorned with an elegant metal finish, produced by a bespoke anodizing process in the rose gold hue emblematic of the Lancôme house. The top trim follows the slender, delicate movement of the bottle.

Elegant refillable bottle, adapted pump

With its new bottle, a symbol of the new contemporary femininity, Lancôme materializes its commitment to greater sustainability, in particular with its new refillable case.

In line with its demanding specifications, Aptar Beauty offered Lancôme the Classic Inune pump, its top-of-the-range product, in its refillable version with SNI 15 screw attachment. This pump preserves the integrity of the juice, protecting it from any contact with the metal of the pump system.

"This new launch is the fruit of close collaboration between the L'Oréal and Aptar teams. To meet the challenges of sustainability and the aesthetic criteria of the Eau de Parfum Idôle bottle, we naturally chose our Classic Inune spray: elegant and discreet, it blends perfectly with the bottle's sleek design, even in its refillable version. It guarantees optimum compatibility, meeting the requirements of the most prestigious perfume houses, such as Lancôme. "Sophie Magdelaine, Global Platform Senior Manager Fragrance, Aptar Beauty.