ALPLA and zerooo create reusable PET bottle for cosmetic products

Circular Economy in the cosmetics industry

zerooo stands for reusable packaging that fosters the circular economy in the cosmetics industry. The system offered by start-up SEA ME GmbH offers brand manufacturers safe, affordable and sustainable PET bottles, in addition to glass bottles, for the first time. Together with ten brand partners and packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA, the company has developed a fully recyclable solution. The reusable PET bottle, with a volume of 300 millilitres, is available in clear, milky white and brown versions. It is suitable for all caps and can also be used as a shatterproof alternative for toiletries in the shower. Further formats are planned.

From September, the first manufacturers in Germany will present cosmetics and care products in PET containers from the zerooo reusable system, with Austria following suit in October. In addition to SEA ME’s own brand, these include sodasan, i+m Naturkosmetik, Speick, Denttabs, 4 people who care and Aveo from Müller. Empties can be returned to the approximately one thousand collection points of zerooo retail partners for a deposit of €0.50.

Reusable PET boosts the plastics cycle

As a globally active packaging manufacturer and recycling specialist, ALPLA is promoting closed ‘bottle-to-bottle’ cycles with its own plants. The company contributes its expertise as a system supplier and also supports customers with design. The zerooo reusable PET bottle was developed in tandem with the SEA ME GmbH team at ALPLA’s in-house STUDIOa design centre at the company’s headquarters in Hard.

‘With “Design for Recycling”, we are setting the course early on for optimum recycling and the longest possible service life. Every detail counts when it comes to shape, colour and material. The reusable system extends the life cycle of the plastic bottle, saves material and reduces its carbon footprint,’ emphasises Alexander Tränkle, Industrial Designer at ALPLA.

‘With its wealth of knowledge, the ALPLA development team provided us with significant support in implementing the brand and reusable packaging requirements. We are proud to have succeeded in integrating the individual serialisation of bottles directly into the production process for the first time. This innovation enables groundbreaking data applications for packaging in the context of reuse,’ explains Mirko Waraszik, Director of Supply Chain and co-founder of zerooo at SEA ME GmbH.

Innovative serialisation code: transparency and quality

Each zerooo reusable PET bottle is unique. A laser-engraved 2D data matrix code – the zerooo ID – provides information about the content and circulation history. ‘The digital labelling enables transparency and ensures the quality of the bottles. By combining it with the information from the label, it can also be complemented with furhter product data,’ explains Jörg Schwärzler, Senior Technology Manager at ALPLA. The reusable PET bottle is compatible with all automatic return systems. At the end of their life cycle, the bottles and caps are sorted and recycled.