L’Occitane Group (Manosque, France), a global manufacturer and retailer of natural cosmetics and well-being products, and Montréal-based Loop Industries Inc., a technology innovator in sustainable plastics, announced the signing of a multi-year, take-or-pay supply agreement for Loop-branded 100% sustainable PET. The agreement will see L’Occitane en Provence start to incorporate Loop PET plastic into its product packaging as of 2022 and place the Loop logo on all packaging containing Loop PET plastic.
As the demand for sustainable packaging solutions continues to grow, Loop Industries has emerged with a transformative upcycling technology that applies to plastic bottles and packaging; carpet and polyester textile of any color, transparency or condition; and even ocean plastics that have been degraded by the sun and salt. The technology provides brand owners with a sustainable plastic product that helps solve the plastic pollution problem and meets FDA requirements for use in food-grade packaging. The Loop logo on a package confirms to consumers that the plastic is sustainable.
“Helping companies leverage their packaging as a symbol of their commitment to sustainability rather than a symbol of waste is one of our primary missions,” said Daniel Solomita, founder and CEO of Loop Industries. “We are so pleased to work with [premium retail brand] L’Occitane Group to do just that. We are convinced that companies that make this transition to use sustainable packaging and encourage recycling will help restore our environment and create greater economic value.”
Loop Industries’ patented and proprietary technology decouples plastic from fossil fuels by depolymerizing waste polymer plastic and fiber and restoring it to its base building blocks (monomers). The monomers are then filtered, purified and repolymerized to create virgin-quality polyester plastic suitable for use in food-grade packaging.
Adrien Geiger, Global Brand Director at L’Occitane en Provence, also commented: “Our brand is inspired by nature, people and culture, and we have been using natural plant-derived ingredients and eco-friendly manufacturing for more than 40 years. We are, therefore, very conscious of the importance of eco-design and sustainable packaging. We have been launching eco-refill products, in-store recycling and bottles made out of 100% recycled plastics for more than 10 years and are continuing to progress on this. The innovative technology that Loop provides is a game-changer that can help us fundamentally contribute to solving the growing global concern about plastic pollution. We are excited to sign with Loop, representing a significant shift in our approach to plastic.”
L’Occitane Group has more than 3,000 retail outlets, including 1,555 owned stores, and is present in 90 countries.
This agreement supercharges L’Occitane’s ability to close the loop on its plastic bottles, the company said. L’Occitane also provides in-store recycling facilities to encourage customers to participate. Recycling facilities are now available at 30% of its owned stores, and all of the stores are targeted to have them by 2025.