The beauty industry relies heavily on plastic, producing packaging, accessories, applicators, and other related items out of the material. Billions of plastic packaging units get generated by the industry every year, and most of it’s intended for single-use and is often unrecyclable. Personal care and beauty brands and their consumers are well-aware of this, with established Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) firms such as Unilever taking a variety of steps towards reducing or eliminating plastic from packaging.
But it isnât just the big players looking to minimize the reliance on plastic in the beauty and personal care industry. Startup Handle is attempting to circle the plastic square by collecting beauty packaging from partner locations, salons, and consumers, then either returning the packaging back to the manufacturer or using it to create durable plastic products such as mirrors, razor handles, and brushes. The design highlights the recomposed nature of the recycled products and celebrates the goal of a circular economy in a chic and stylish way that befits the beauty market.
