Bark materials: How wood & bamboo went mainstream in beauty packaging

By Julia Wray | Published: 16-Dec-2020

Wooden components for beauty packaging are more versatile and eco-friendly than ever, while the popularity of bamboo continues to skyrocket. Cosmetics Business discovers a market opening up to a wider demographic of brands and products

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Wood is an incredibly versatile material. Depending on the finish, it can convey patrician elegance – think a mahogany desk – or the impression of being hewn from nature. A wooden lid topping a fragrance or jar of cream signals luxury and eco-friendliness in equal measure.

“Wood’s very versatility means it can be used for all kinds of packaging,” says Denisa Stircea, who is Wood Category Lead at Spain-based packaging company Quadpack.

“There are many different species, each with their own characteristics. For example, ash has an uneven surface with noticeable wood grain. Beech, on the other hand, is very smooth with a fine pattern. You choose the wood essence to match the look that you want.”

“Wood is a renewable resource if it is coming from sustainably managed forests,” adds Maud Lelièvre, Marketing & Communication Director at Cosmogen, a French packaging and accessories provider.

“This is a natural material that allows many kinds of shapes for accessories and offers a pleasant contact [feel], while being also aesthetic.”

Another benefit of wood, Lelièvre adds, is that “the investment in tooling for a specific shape is affordable compared with plastic injection”.

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