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06 Feb

The Value of Sustainability to Consumers

Written by admin
Category
Sustainability

Many companies pride themselves on their sustainability efforts and eco-friendly business practices. However, consumers’ passion for sustainability and green solutions often gets overlooked in the market.

The beauty industry is notorious for its immense plastic waste in packaging. Several companies spearhead initiatives annually to eliminate plastic waste and lower their carbon footprint. More than ever, consumers are using sustainability to influence their purchase decisions. Therefore, the most successful sustainable companies put consumers’ needs at the forefront of their mission.

Want further proof that sustainability is occupying more space in consumers’ minds? According to a Sustainable Beauty Report from consumer intelligence company NIQ, “62% of consumers stated that sustainability is MORE important than it was 2 years ago.”

So, how do consumers benefit from sustainable beauty?

An Assortment of Innovations to Choose From

Consumers are hyper-aware of environmental issues such as water usage and global warming. The new generation of shoppers wants to purchase products that ease the effects of climate change. Consumers have a positive mindset when looking for ways to improve each day for themselves and the environment. In the beauty industry, companies can meet consumer needs through innovations such as waterless formulas and climate-adaptive solutions.

Waterless Formulas

Waterless formulas balance the concept of a better tomorrow for both consumers AND the environment. Waterless beauty, despite the name, uses as little water as possible in the formula. This strategy makes active ingredients stronger and gives consumers better results. This formula requires less packaging, and therefore, less waste. Working in tandem, these advanced formulas and sustainable beauty create a better tomorrow for consumers and the environment.

Climate-Adaptive Solutions

There are abundant opportunities to recycle materials and repurpose them into ethical packaging. For example, to optimize alternative packaging, brands can repurpose materials such as wood, leather, terracotta, and cork. As mentioned, climate-adaptive solutions are a great example of forward-thinking for sustainable packaging. Through the creative use of airtight and airless vessels and the mix of alternative materials, brands can expand their creativity to design eco-friendly, stimulating packaging.

Minimalism & Transparency

As sustainability trends in the beauty industry, the popularity of minimalism is also rising. Interestingly enough, sustainable and minimalist designs share many principles. Therefore, it is no surprise that demand for both concepts in the beauty industry is rapidly increasing.

Clean Design, Clean Product

One logical benefit of using minimalistic design principles for branding is conveying brand identity as clean and forward-thinking. As the branding, packaging, and brand essence are direct and accessible to consumers, they feel they are experiencing higher levels of transparency. This is associated with transparency in formulas, ingredients, and testing practices. In the mind of a consumer, clean packaging correlates to a clean product.

Not only does minimalistic packaging create transparency, but it also reflects the brand and consumer values. The aesthetics of minimalism can mimic an artisanal design with a timeless look and feel. Using repurposed wood for packaging is a prime example of a simple design that reflects the brand and consumers’ combined emphasis on natural ingredients. Through this packaging, individuals and brands can express themselves and their values. The satisfying aesthetics of minimalism make sustainable packaging appealing to consumers and companies.

High-quality Ingredients

While grocery shopping, most consumers pull products from the shelves and read the list of ingredients. However, when shopping for beauty products, consumers grab enticing items and throw them in their basket. Too often, people rub products in their hair or soak oils into their skin without knowing what is in it.

Many beauty products contain alarming ingredients, including carcinogens or animal-derived content. When a company declares itself eco-friendly or cruelty-free, it guarantees that these vile ingredients are not in their products. This stamp of approval is essential in earning consumers’ trust and providing safe options.

Sustainable solutions are typically associated with guaranteed safety, higher-quality, and vegan-friendly products. While that is not always the case, sustainability claims guarantee that more effort is put in place to ensure consumer satisfaction and safety compared to the non-sustainability-driven competition.

The goal is to get all beauty brands to incorporate sustainable practices into their formulations, packaging, and branding. At Golden Arrow, we take pride in being pioneers in creating opulent and unwaveringly eco-friendly packaging, contributing to a more sustainable world. Our packaging solutions, crafted from sustainable materials, are not only distinctive but also designed for repeated use. We design with the consumer in mind and let that inspire us to create a greener world! Contact us today to discover more!