In the cosmetics industry, the move toward sustainability is no longer just a passing trend. Recently, more consumers agree on the need to reduce plastic packaging and express their willingness to pay more for products made with sustainable materials. According to a 2023 survey of 500 American consumers*, 81% responded that cosmetic brands should take a more proactive approach to reducing plastic packaging. Meanwhile, 40% said they research a brand’s sustainability efforts before making a purchase.

This clearly reflects the rapid shift in consumer awareness, leading cosmetic brands and manufacturers to embrace sustainability as a necessity rather than a choice. This trend goes beyond improving brand image or running marketing campaigns. It is now influencing global market regulations. Countries across Europe and beyond are tightening regulations on plastic packaging and recycling standards, while in the U.S., measures such as banning single-use plastics and mandating recycling rates are also being implemented.

Today, we’ll explore the rising eco-friendly trend in the global cosmetics industry, the evolving regulations in various countries, and LG Chem’s eco-friendly solution as a technological response to these shifts in the market.

*Source: Clean Hub (https://www.cleanhub.com/clean-beauty-survey)

From consumer awareness to packaging innovation:
The transformation of the cosmetics industry

The cosmetics industry has long grown with ‘beauty’ as its core value. But today, that standard is evolving. Consumers are now looking beyond ingredients to consider how a product is made, what kind of packaging it uses, and how it impacts the environment. At the heart of this shift is the concept of Clean Beauty. In the past, clean beauty focused primarily on avoiding ingredients harmful to the skin. Today, the concept has broadened to encompass sustainability across the product’s entire lifecycle, from sustainable packaging and ethical production to eco-friendly manufacturing.

In particular, consumers are increasingly favoring recyclable plastic containers and refillable packaging. This has brought greater attention to Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastics. With advancements in technology, high-quality PCR materials have emerged, and many countries, including those in Europe, are now mandating the use of recycled plastics. Today, a brand’s competitiveness is no longer determined by whether it recycles, but by how much it recycles and the quality of that recycling.

In addition, packaging made from bio-plastics is also gaining attention. Unlike fossil-based plastics, bio-plastics derived from plant-based resources such as corn starch, waste cooking oil, or palm oil byproducts help reduce carbon emissions during production, and some of them are even biodegradable.

Together with this, ethical production is also emerging as an important agenda. It goes beyond simply using good ingredients. Brands that protect the environment and human rights during raw material sourcing, and adopt fair trade and sustainable farming practices, are gaining greater trust from consumers.

This trend is also expanding into the digital realm. With growing awareness that “digital consumes energy too,” the concept of digital sustainability is gaining attention, taking into account factors like server energy consumption and email marketing. In response, many brands are opting for services that use carbon-neutral IT infrastructure and green data centers.

In this way, sustainability in the cosmetics industry goes beyond simply using eco-friendly packaging. It reflects a shift toward making the entire product lifecycle environmentally friendly, from production to distribution, consumption, and even digital activities. All these changes are now becoming a new standard for companies.

Global Environmental Regulations:
Becoming Increasingly Stringent

As consumer demand for sustainability in the cosmetics industry continues to grow, governments around the world are accelerating the shift toward eco-friendly cosmetics through a range of regulations. Voluntary corporate efforts are no longer sufficient. Meeting legal standards has become essential.

Since 2025, Europe has implemented the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Under this regulation, by 2030, most packaging materials in the region must be recyclable, and certain single-use plastic packaging will be completely banned. The regulation also restricts the use of harmful chemicals such as PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)*, and mandates systems that allow consumers to refill or reuse containers, targeting a 90% return rate for beverage containers.

One particularly noteworthy policy is the grading of packaging materials from A to C, with producers required to pay higher Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees when using lower-grade materials. This approach goes beyond simply assessing recyclability. It incentivizes the use of eco-friendly packaging by imposing differentiated costs.

Meanwhile, in the United States, regulations are being strengthened at the state level rather than the federal level. For example, California has mandated a 25% reduction in single-use plastics and requires that 65% of all packaging be recyclable or compostable by 2032. Maine has set a long-term goal to increase the proportion of recyclable packaging to 50% and reduce the total weight of packaging materials by 40% by 2040. In addition, states such as Illinois and Washington have banned the use of small plastic bottles in hotels and mandated the implementation of recycling systems at large-scale events, expanding regulations in various forms. Minnesota has introduced a registration system for packaging and paper product manufacturers. Companies that fail to register may be restricted from distributing their products in the market.

As seen, both Europe and the United States are institutionalizing plastic packaging regulations in their own ways, and these changes are having a direct impact on the cosmetics industry. Packaging must now be lighter, simpler, and recyclable. Failing to meet these standards can lead to increased costs, distribution restrictions, and a decline in brand credibility. In short, sustainable packaging is no longer a choice. It’s a necessity.

*PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances is an umbrella term for thousands of synthetic chemicals that contain perfluorinated carbon functional groups. PFAS are known for their persistence in the environment, potential reproductive toxicity (including risks to fetal development and possible carcinogenicity), and their tendency to contaminate groundwater and drinking water sources.

LG Chem’s solution for the sustainable cosmetics industry

Amid the global wave of eco-friendly trends and tightening regulations, the biggest question remains: What materials should we use to replace conventional cosmetics packaging?

This is where LG Chem steps in with technology-driven eco-friendly solutions. Drawing on its diverse portfolio of sustainable materials, including recycled, bio-based, and composite options, LG Chem offers customized solutions tailored to the needs of each brand.

First, Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastics offer a fundamental solution. This mechanical recycling process involves collecting, washing, and shredding used plastic waste to reuse it as raw material. Since repeated recycling can lead to quality degradation, technological capability plays a crucial role in maintaining material performance. LG Chem holds proprietary technology to produce high-quality white PCR materials, a particularly challenging achievement, and stably supplies globally certified products, including UL ECV, TÜV, and GRS.

However, composite plastics or heavily contaminated plastics cannot be processed through mechanical recycling and require chemical recycling instead. Chemical recycling involves breaking down waste plastics using heat or solvents to return them to their raw material state. LG Chem became the first in Asia to establish a supercritical pyrolysis plant in Dangjin, Chungnam, Korea, securing technology capable of recovering high-purity raw materials. Through this, the company is building a fully circular system (or the Circular-Balanced System) capable of reproducing materials such as recycled PE and PP.

LG Chem also offers a single-material packaging solution that is easier to recycle than conventional multi-material composites. Its flagship product, UNIQABLE™, is a proprietary Mono All-PE solution that boasts 100% recyclability. Composed of materials such as MDOPE and BOPE, UNIQABLE™ delivers excellent performance, enabling the production of mono-material PE pouches that previously required composite structures. After use, pouches made with UNIQABLE™ can be recycled and reused as raw materials for new products.

Another key solution for sustainable materials is bio-based materials derived from renewable feedstocks. Bio-balanced products, made from renewable plant-based sources such as waste cooking oil, offer a more eco-friendly alternative by using vegetable oils instead of fossil fuels. LG Chem’s bio materials contribute to reducing carbon emissions and have earned ISCC PLUS certification, a globally recognized standard for sustainability. As of 2024, 59 of LG Chem’s bio-based materials have been certified under ISCC PLUS.

As demonstrated, LG Chem is addressing the sustainability challenges faced by global cosmetics brands through its diverse and technology-driven materials portfolio.

Sustainability is no longer a choice. In today’s changing world, the cosmetics industry can no longer turn a blind eye to environmental and social responsibility. Consumers now seek not just “beautiful products,” but “sustainable values,” and governments around the world are responding with increasingly stringent regulations. In this growing trend, the path forward for cosmetics brands is clear: maintain product quality while embracing environmentally conscious packaging and production methods. And the most practical and effective answer to this challenge is technology.

From recycled materials to UNIQABLE™ and bio-based materials, LG Chem offers a wide range of practical solutions that meet global standards and bring sustainability to life. Beyond simply supplying products, LG Chem is committed to acting as a strategic partner, helping brands design and implement their ESG strategies. A shift in materials for greater beauty: LG Chem is shaping the sustainable future of the cosmetics industry.