While you may have tried our new Saya® cult-faves that we launched back in 2021, did you notice their new sustainable packaging? While it may look like your typical plastic tubing, it’s not. It's made from sugar cane and it’s 100% recyclable! Through every small change we make in our collection, we are committed to minimising our impact and improving as we go.
Choosing more sustainable packaging options has always been a conscious choice for Saya Skincare Founder, Saya McDermott. By providing consumers with earth-friendly solutions, businesses like Saya® are able to minimise their impact on the environment.
According to the United Nations, packaging (including beauty and skincare products) accounts for 36% of total global plastic usage and more than 98% of all plastic products are made from non-renewable sources like oil, natural gas and coal. On top of that, of the seven billion tonnes of plastic waste generated globally, less than 10% of all plastics are recycled - to stop the flow of plastic waste ending up in our environment, a systematic change is urgently needed.
New Green Packaging
Unfortunately there is no perfect solution when it comes to packaging, however opting for renewably sourced plastics, and using materials like glass remain the more thoughtful solution as the beauty industry (and Saya®) works towards a less wasteful existence. Sugar cane tubing, which is used in our face range, is a much more eco-friendly solution to the conventional PE tube. But how? Since sugar cane is a plant, it absorbs CO₂ while it grows, making it a low-carbon alternative. In fact by switching to sugar cane tubing, this reduces the carbon footprint of our tubes by 50% in comparison to traditional plastic tubing. By making the switch to a bioplastic option, this reduces the reliance on fossil fuels such as oil for the production of plastic packaging by using renewable resources - It’s also 100% recyclable, as long as you clean it and pop it in the appropriate bin.
We haven’t switched over completely yet however by the end of 2022, 95% of the plastics used within our face range will be derived from bioplastic.
Why Glass?
Where we can’t use sugar cane tubing, our products are packaged in glass, like our serums and Intense Night Repair - an endlessly recyclable option. Glass has an unlimited life where it can be melted down into new products time and time again with no loss in quality.
Plastic Neutral by 2027
There are still some plastics in the mix though, our body range comes in PCR packaging which will soon have screen printed labels. This is to remove the need for soft plastic labelling, reducing our plastic usage and to make the recycling process easier for our consumers. It’s the most responsible option for now - but we’re not stopping there - we will be starting our plastic neutral journey very soon (this year) with the goal of being 100% plastic neutral in the next 5 years.
For an extensive how-to on how to properly dispose of your empty Saya® packaging, find more info here.