L’Oréal Group Unveils Groundbreaking Paper Bottle Packaging with Seed Phytonutrients

In July 2025, L’Oréal Group made headlines by launching an innovative paper bottle through its natural hair care brand, Seed Phytonutrients. This packaging solution, crafted from 100% recycled paperboard with a minimal inner plastic lining, marks a significant step in the beauty industry's journey toward sustainable, eco-friendly packaging.

♻️ Reduced Plastic, Increased Sustainability

The new bottle features an outer shell molded from recycled corrugated cardboard and old newspapers, reducing plastic usage by more than 60% compared to conventional plastic bottles. A thin, recyclable plastic liner remains inside to maintain product integrity without compromising on recyclability.

🧩 No-Glue, Lock-Tongue Design

One of the key innovations is the glue-free interlocking structure. By using a tongue-and-slot mechanism, the bottle avoids the use of adhesives or tapes, which typically hinder the recyclability of mixed-material packaging. This design ensures structural strength while enabling easy separation of materials for recycling.

📌 A Milestone in L’Oréal’s Sustainability Commitment

This paper bottle is the first milestone product in L’Oréal’s pledge to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. Seed Phytonutrients plans to roll out the bottle across North America, Europe, and China by the end of 2025.

🔄 Industry-Wide Ripple Effects

Following the announcement, leading Chinese paper packaging companies like Nine Dragons Paper and Shanying International prioritized high-strength fiberboard for paper bottles in their R&D. Meanwhile, molded paper bottle production facilities dedicated to cosmetics have already started emerging in Foshan and Shanghai.

🌍 Evolution of the Paper Bottle Concept

The concept of the paper bottle has evolved over the last decade:

2016–2019 (Early Concept Phase): Carlsberg proposed replacing glass bottles with paper alternatives, collaborating with DTU and ecoXpac. In 2019, Paboco was formed with backing from Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, and L’Oréal.

2020–2022 (Prototype Testing Phase): Coca-Cola released 2,000 paper-bottle prototypes in Hungary. Absolut Vodka introduced its own 57% paper-based prototype. Diageo began testing Pulpex’s 100% plastic-free bottle for Johnnie Walker.

2023–2024 (Commercial Launch Phase): Absolut’s 16g paper bottle debuted at Tesco UK in 2023. Estée Lauder joined the Pulpex alliance, targeting a high-end paper skincare bottle by 2025. In April 2025, Tetra Pak and Aneto piloted a paper bottle cap in Spain, achieving 87% renewable content.