The nature of Xela Pack’s products already have made them environmentally sound (the collapsibility, the unbleached kraft material, etc.). How do you continue to evolve products that are already ahead of the game in a lot of ways? Is the recycling program one of the ways?
Anthony Gentile, Director of Art & Marketing, Xela Pack, Inc.: We are continuing to evolve by researching new materials and breakthroughs in material development/production. For instance, we have been offering a material constructed with 100% PCRP for about 10 years now. However, the material was brown (Kraft) and did not appeal to some cosmetic and personal care product companies. This year, we developed a new material that is constructed using 100% PCRP and has a white coating applied at the paper manufacturer, which allows for tighter printing and, thus, appeals more to higher-end companies looking to make a difference environmentally. We have also started offering secondary packaging options that are created with PCRP content rather than virgin paperboard. And we have made sure that our paper suppliers know that we expect them to be compliant with eco-conscious forestry.
We are also making efforts to make our company (not just the products) more environmentally responsible by implementing new recycling protocols, cutting down on production waste, reducing the weight of our trade show exhibits and educating our customers about the many benefits of the Xela Pack (such as reductions in space, shipping materials, fuel for shipping, etc). We are continually looking for new ways to increase our environmental friendliness as far as our products and our company, in general, are concerned.
Continental Packaging added PLA packaging to its range. What products, so far, are available in PLA, and what do foresee as the future of PLA for your company? Will more and more products be available in PLA? Will it become the prevalent material? What were the challenges in going from other materials to PLA? Did the productions lines need to be altered? How was sourcing impacted?
Robb Zurek, Business Development Manager, Continental Packaging Solutions: Although PLA has significant limitations, we’re already seeing it in very dynamic applications, such as makeup compacts. However, we won’t be able to really utilize PLA until it’s readily available for closures and other secondary-packaging applications. That said, we have every confidence that it is the packaging material of the future due to its easy integration into existing production lines. There is little to no issue with using the same molds, and that will be a huge factor in its future use.
A drom press release states that the company is “creating a new basis for the creation of unusual perfume compositions and natural cosmetic concepts.” Is the creation of more unique fragrances one of the advantages of natural cosmetic concepts and your sourcing and production methods? Does this process and intrinsically unique scents go hand-in-hand? Markus Schiek, Head of Global Marketing, drom Fragrances; Martha Basanta, Marketing Manager, drom Fragrances: Yes, the creation of unique fragrances is an advantage of the Pureganic program. The process itself is truly unique and thus fosters unique scents. In partnership with the University of Munich and the Bavarian State Institute for Soil Culture and Plant Growth, we have developed an innovative variant on water vapor extraction that is fast, completely pressure-free and incredibly gentle. With this level of care at every stage in the cultivation of the raw material, and with its pioneering refinement method, drom Fragrances has succeeded in extracting essential oils that are unique in the world market. The quality is unsurpassed and the 100% purity and the captivating fragrances of these Pureganic oils are a dream-come-true for every perfumer, and provide the ideal basis for use in all areas of natural cosmetics. What were the challenges of implementing production for the pureganic Collection? What has been the response?
Schiek and Basanta: The biggest challenges of the Pureganic program thus far have been establishing cooperative agreements with agricultural operations and to ensure that each grower selected by drom meets the most stringent of qualifications. Along with these qualifications, each partner must control each cultivation and be free from pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers in order to be granted the "For Organically Produced Food" certificate, which is only issued for compliance with the guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture. The response to this program has been nothing short of wonderful, and the possibilities of what this can do for our clients are remarkable.
