If sustainability is as important to you as it is to us at Briogeo, you probably pay close attention to what your cosmetic products are packaged in. Plastics are the most common choice, due in large part to their ability to their strength and durability. Innovations in plastics allow consumers to recycle much of their plastics and cosmetic companies to use post-consumer recycled content, or PCR, in their packaging. However, there are still many concerns over the impact of plastics on the environment. Because of this, Briogeo is constantly exploring new ways to package our products to provide the best end-user experience, while minimizing the impact we have on our planet. 

Enter: Aluminum.

Aluminum is one of the most abundant materials on the planet, making it a serious contender for use in packaging materials. Like many resources, there are pros and cons to its usage. 

Some of the benefits of aluminum include:

Infinite recyclability: aluminum is unique in its ability to be recycled over and over again without experiencing degradation in the quality of the material.

Low energy consumption: recycled aluminum takes 95% less energy to produce than it does to create net new aluminum.

Quick turnaround: recycling aluminum is a faster process than most other materials, sometimes in as little as 60 days!

No packaging material is without its downside, however:

Aluminum is prone to denting + damage. Without secondary packaging, like a cardboard box, to protect the product, aluminum tubes and bottles are easily banged up in shipping, leading to, at best, a less aesthetically pleasing experience, and, at worst, damaged and leaking products.

Aluminum is heavy. To avoid damage en route, companies choose to use denser aluminum, which increases the shipping weights, leading to higher shipping costs and an increase in carbon emissions needed to transport it.

Aluminum is expensive. Raw aluminum costs can be anywhere from 25-30% higher than plastics.

In our constant effort to increase our sustainability, we’ve started incorporating aluminum into our packaging here at Briogeo with our Rich Rice Shampoo Concentrate. Our most concentrated repair formula yet features a fully recyclable aluminum tube that's also made from 100% recycled aluminum and a special forever tube key to help squeeze out every last drop of product! Once you’re finished with the shampoo concentrate, simply remove the cap and key, unfold the tube crimp, and remove as much residue as possible from the tube body before placing the cap + tube in your curbside recycling stream!