When used for beauty packaging, wood is infinitely versatile. Different species, custom shapes and new advances in decoration techniques make certified wood a responsible packaging choice for any beauty brand looking to tell a story.
Wood has become a fully-fledged member of the material portfolio for cosmetics packaging. This organic material possesses a powerful capacity for storytelling, just waiting to be uncovered. Its characteristics allow unbridled creativity, while lending a touch of natural luxury to any beauty product. Expert application of decoration techniques can unveil the many faces of wood, from looks that highlight its natural origins, to bold, sleek finishes that hide it.
“Wood is like any other material that can be adopted, but it’s also a canvas for creative expression – and not only for brands who love the traditional wood look. It is also perfect for brands who prefer to maintain their emblematic aesthetics like plastic or aluminium, yet still want to have the best sustainable solution,” says Denisa Stircea, senior category specialist at Quadpack.
Clean from cradle to grave
Wood is, in fact, one of the most planet-friendly materials for beauty packaging. Sustainable forest management not only mitigates climate change; it also turns wood into an endlessly renewable resource. The conversion process of wood is much cleaner than any other material. No high temperatures are needed for treatment, nor are any chemical treatments necessary for production. Biomass boilers as used at the Quadpack Wood factory in Spain allow processes to be fuelled by production scrap, for reduced waste and low-carbon manufacture.
Even after conversion and finishing, the material is safe*. Once used, its end of life is cleaner than any inorganic material used for cosmetics packaging. While no domestic waste stream currently exists, even if it ends up being incinerated or in landfill, wood is non-toxic.
A creative canvas
Beyond sustainability benefits, wood is extremely versatile. Infinite shapes, textures and finishes allow it to adapt to any brand positioning, from indie to ultra-premium. A variety of wood types offers different aesthetics. The Quadpack Wood factory can even replicate the look of exotic species like wenge or premium oak, using common types like ash, but without the complexities of certification, supply, costs and carbon footprint.
Applying colour washes, coatings, varnishes and other decoration techniques allows wood to align with any trend or identity. Through a blend of craftsmanship, creativity and technology, wooden packaging can be ‘sculpted’ at large scale, while still conveying the sense of owning a unique masterpiece.
Stircea concludes: “Wooden components add a tactile dimension to beauty packaging, a sensory connection. It’s a piece of nature in your hands, with its own, unique grain pattern. Aesthetically and environmentally, when it’s sourced, harvested, transformed and finished in the right way, wood is the cleanest and most versatile beauty packaging material on the market.”
*Evidenced by eco-toxicity tests at ITENE Research Center, in Barcelona, Spain, meeting the criteria set out in EN 13432-2001 annex E modifying OECD 208:2006.
This article was first published in the May-June 2024 print issue of PKN Packaging News, p36.
