National Recycling Day
National Recycling Day
National Recycling Day
NATIONAL
RECYCLING DAY
The Circular Economy in the
Beauty Industry
November 15 is National Recycling Day.
Also known as America Recycles Day, this
nationally recognized holiday celebrates the benefits of recycling for human health, the environment, and the economy at large. It’s also an opportunity to explain why we recycle to kids who might not know just yet. So let’s kick off the conversation this fall. Let’s talk about the purpose of recycling, and what recycling looks like in the beauty industry today. From there, we’ll touch on what we’re doing to make it even better.
WHY IS RECYCLING IMPORTANT?
Natural resources are being depleted, and landfills are growing at a faster rate than ever.
Society’s current system of producing materials, consuming products, and disposing of the leftovers is no longer sustainable.
This means that everyone from individual households to major companies should reevaluate their relationships with waste. By reducing waste—in terms of both products and packaging—and by reusing materials when possible, we can help protect the environment.
This will play a key role in conserving resources and safeguarding the planet for future generations. Lower greenhouse gas emissions, new jobs, and a healthier climate are just the beginning. And the circular economy plays an integral role in this.
This means that everyone from individual households to major companies should reevaluate their relationships with waste. By reducing waste—in terms of both products and packaging—and by reusing materials when possible, we can help protect the environment.
This will play a key role in conserving resources and safeguarding the planet for future generations. Lower greenhouse gas emissions, new jobs, and a healthier climate are just the beginning. And the circular economy plays an integral role in this.
WHY IS RECYCLING IMPORTANT?
Natural resources are being depleted, and landfills are growing at a faster rate than ever.
Society’s current system of producing materials, consuming products, and disposing of the leftovers is no longer sustainable.
WHAT IS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?
Though the term “circular economy” was coined in the 1960s, the concept didn’t gain real traction until the 2010s.
Where a traditional economy may be linear—a straight line—a circular economy is all about reuse.
So instead of manufacturing products and packaging that end up in landfills, companies that swear by the circular economy prioritize the reuse and recycling of goods. In the beauty industry, these brands generally create little to no waste, promote climate neutrality, and produce products with the least environmental impact possible.
WHAT IS THE
CIRCULAR ECONOMY?
Though the term “circular economy” was coined in the 1960s, the concept didn’t gain real traction until the 2010s.
Where a traditional economy may be linear—a straight line—a circular economy is all about reuse.
So instead of manufacturing products and packaging that end up in landfills, companies that swear by the circular economy prioritize the reuse and recycling of goods. In the beauty industry, these brands generally create little to no waste, promote climate neutrality, and produce products with the least environmental impact possible.
A circular economy is all about reuse
This is critical, and brands need to do more than just pay lip service to the circular economy. Because while many organizations claim to be sustainable, far too few hold themselves accountable. In fact, the personal care industry generates about 120 billion units of waste each year —most of it plastic.
Now, plastic is a huge issue, but it isn’t the only one. Wasteful distribution, hazardous packaging, and dangerous formulations present further problems. The circular economy can help prevent some of these less than ideal practices from creeping up, but it isn’t as simple as just recycling.
THE CIRCULAR
ECONOMY IN THE
BEAUTY INDUSTRY
The Circular Economy in the
Beauty Industry closes the gap
Today I feel more optimistic about the beauty industry—in large part thanks to the circular economy. This approach closes the gap from production to recycling, ensuring companies take full advantage of their products’ resources (right down to the packaging).
Rather than discarding waste at every turn, and expecting everything to end up in a landfill, a circular approach forces us to use resources more carefully. It also encourages us to put those same resources—ingredients, packaging, you name it—right back into the production cycle.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRACTICES
Clear Refill, Reuse and Recycling Solutions
Products in the circular economy should have clear refill potential, easy to follow recycling instructions and a reuse system in place for packaging. There’s a shift away from the expectation to just throw the product away when you’re done.
Upcycled Ingredients
Upcycling turns production waste into new materials or products entirely. For example, a company might use discarded lemon or orange peel to create a natural citrusy fragrance. This is a form of upcycling.
A Commitment to Recycling
With that commitment comes accountability. At Sky Organics, our partnership with Pact Collective puts recycling at the forefront of our mission. Pact, in addition to creating a recycling option for those hard-to-recycle components that are not accepted in curbside recycling programs, is sharing the facts on packaging use, material claims, and more—even when the truth hurts.
Because by working hard toward a circular economy, we can celebrate National Recycling Day in style. You can too.
And to make recycling more straightforward for our consumers, Sky Organics will cover the collection and recycling costs of the empties you send to Pact. All you need to do is cover the $5 shipping expense. But here’s the kicker: as a token of our gratitude, we’ll give you a $5 discount code for your next purchase!
Learn more about this process (and Pact’s recycling guidelines) here.
And in the meantime, please have a happy America Recycles Day.
UP YOUR RECYCLING GAME WITH
SKY ORGANICS
Our family-founded company is on a mission to share Certified Organic beauty care with all of humankind. Learn more about what we’re doing at skyorganics.com or on Instagram at @skyorganics.us.
