Cutting plastic – Mondi develops new sustainable packaging for Kao’s salon hair cosmetic brand Goldwell
- Mondi creates new recyclable, lightweight packaging for leading Japanese consumer goods company Kao and its salon hair cosmetic brand Goldwell
- Professional stylist hair lightening products now packed in an innovative stand-up pouch, reducing plastic by 80% compared to the former packaging
- Pouch replaces rigid plastic box and helps Kao work towards its Zero Waste goals as part of its overall sustainability strategy
Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has partnered with Japanese consumer goods manufacturer Kao to create a recyclable, lightweight packaging solution for its Goldwell hair lightening products. The new stand-up pouch reduces plastic usage without compromising on strength and durability and thus supports Kao and its salon business in their efforts to reduce their environmental footprint and to help salons run their businesses more sustainably.
Goldwell is a salon-quality brand of Kao Salon Division, the fourth biggest professional hair care business in the world. Its broad offering of hair care, styling and colour products also includes a range of hair lightening products created for in salon use. These were previously packed in rigid plastic containers, however working with Mondi and along its EcoSolutions approach, Kao is reducing the overall amount of plastic in individual packs by 80%.
Mondi’s innovative solution packs the powdered products in flexible, re-closable stand-up pouches that are made of mono-material, meaning they are recyclable. The pouch is provided to the user together with paper instructions inside a carton box, enabling the pouch to be stacked when stored, and results in a lower carbon footprint compared to the previous packaging alternative.
The empty pouches can be folded flat to ensure efficient transport to the factory. When filled, they provide optimum protection for the product, preventing contact with moisture or vapour coming in, which would render it unusable. The packaging is completely safe as chemicals cannot diffuse through the tightly sealed packs. For convenience, the packaging is also easy to reclose with a recyclable top slider and tamper-evident membrane.
Mondi’s innovative solution packs the powdered products in flexible, re-closable stand-up pouches that are made of mono-material, meaning they are recyclable. The pouch is provided to the user together with paper instructions inside a carton box, enabling the pouch to be stacked when stored, and results in a lower carbon footprint compared to the previous packaging alternative.
The empty pouches can be folded flat to ensure efficient transport to the factory. When filled, they provide optimum protection for the product, preventing contact with moisture or vapour coming in, which would render it unusable. The packaging is completely safe as chemicals cannot diffuse through the tightly sealed packs. For convenience, the packaging is also easy to reclose with a recyclable top slider and temper-evident membrane.
Replicating real-life scenarios, the tests prove that Mondi’s top web and thermoformed semi-rigid trays are successfully sorted into the correct fraction. Moreover, Mondi’s pre-made pouches were detected accurately, setting the standard for sorting streams that still need to be developed throughout Europe supporting high quality input for plastic recycling processes.
The solution we developed with Kao contains a chemical-based product that is particularly sensitive, so we needed to consider safety and quality at all times. The new packs are completely secure during shipment when filled and easy to transport. Kao is passionate about making the right changes for a more sustainable world while ensuring the high quality and user-friendliness of its products, to deliver the best customer experience. It was a pleasure to work with the Kao team on creating this product.
As the RetortPouch Recyclable is able to withstand high temperatures during the retort process of the food (which sterilises or pasteurises the product), it is suitable for a wide range of applications in the ready-made food and pet food industries
The tests are part of Mondi’s ambitious MAP2030 sustainability commitments to deliver circular driven solutions with innovative packaging and paper solutions, keeping materials in circulation and preventing waste. Mondi has pledged to make all of its packaging and paper solutions reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, working closely with cross-value chain collaborations like CEFLEX and 4evergreen, to eliminate unsustainable packaging and develop harmonised designs for recycling or circularity guidelines.
Elmar Mussenbrock, Director Sustainability, Kao Salon Division adds: “Sustainable packaging is one of the key elements of our ESG strategy and reducing plastic is our first priority – what hasn’t been produced cannot cause any harm. With its great expertise and professional approach, Mondi has enabled us to deliver a much more progressive pack for our Goldwell LightDimensions SilkLift range, reducing the carbon footprint of the packaging by 65% compared to its former box.”
Contact
Mondi
Judith Wronn, Senior Communication Manager
Flexible Packaging & Engineered Material
Tel: +49 151 17714692
Email: judith.wronn@mondigroup.com
Kao
Melanie Schnitzler, Associate Director Communications EMEA
Tel: +49 (0) 6151 3960-686
Email: melanie.schnitzler@kao.com
Kao Germany GmbH | Pfungstädter Straße 98-100 | 64297 Darmstadt
About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer-centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2021, Mondi had revenues of €7.7 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.5 billion.
Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.
About Kao
Kao creates high-value-added products that enrich the lives of consumers around the world. Through its portfolio of over 20 leading brands such as Attack, Bioré, Goldwell, Jergens, John Frieda, Kanebo, Laurier, Merries, and Molton Brown, Kao is part of the everyday lives of people in Asia, Oceania, North America, and Europe. Combined with its chemical division, which contributes to a wide range of industries, Kao generates about 1,420 billion yen in annual sales. Kao employs about 33,500 people worldwide and has 135 years of history in innovation. Please visit the Kao Group website for updated information.
https://www.kao.com/global/en/