rePurpose Global Adds 100 Brand Partners to Plastic Waste Initiative

Feb 18th, 2022

Pew research claims the personal care industry produces 120 billion units of packaging annually, with most being non-recyclable and ending up in landfills or oceans.

rePurpose Global has announced that 100 personal care brands across 15 countries are collaborating with the company to remove 4,127 tons of plastic waste every year. The partnering brands are going plastic neutral, plastic negative or pledging waste removal through the initiative’s 14 impact projects.

Research from Pew cited by rePurpose Global claims the personal care industry produces 120 billion units of packaging annually, with most being non-recyclable and ending up in landfills or oceans.

The partnership keeps waste out of nature and enables the expansion of waste collection systems in Bogota, Colombia, where infrastructure is limited. The project also finances the collection of low-value plastic waste, which helps employ more than 3,000 waste workers in the city.

The addition of the 100 brands brings the total number of collaborating brands to 230 across 26 countries and three continents.

Svanika Balasubramanian, CEO and co-founder of rePurpose Global, said, "Now, more than ever, there is a critical need for meaningful partnerships to tackle plastic pollution the world over. Every piece of plastic we eliminate on behalf of our personal care partners acts as a reminder of both the industry’s immense responsibility to our planet as well as its ability to unlock real, systemic change.”

Peyton List, actress and founder of Pley Beauty, said, “We took every step possible to first reduce plastic from our brand, and nearly all of Pley Beauty packaging is made from recycled materials. We wanted to ensure we were doing as much as possible to help the environment and are thrilled to be partnering with rePurpose Global in an effort to tackle the global issue of plastic pollution, in addition to providing a crucial income stream and a safe work environment for waste workers and their families.”

Alexandra Bede, senior manager of sustainability at Grove Collaborative, shared, “Grove is proud to be a 100% plastic neutral retailer on our way to being plastic-free by 2025, which means that for every ounce of plastic we ship to our customers, we collect the same amount of nature-bound plastic waste. We are proud to partner with rePurpose Global on all of our collections. Since 2020, Grove orders have removed over 10 million pounds of plastic from nature.”