With the introduction of solid shampoos for its traditional brand Guhl, the Japanese consumer goods manufacturer Kao is continuing its journey in realising its sustainability goals. Thanks to their packaging made from FSC-certified paper, the solid shampoos are completely plastic-free. But not only the packaging is recyclable, the shampoo itself is also 95% biodegradable.
With the relaunch of the brand last year, sustainable packaging concepts were introduced across the entire range: the Guhl shampoo bottles for 50% are made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), while the conditioner packaging for 100% is made from polypropylene (PP) and is therefore fully recyclable. With around 15 million bottles produced per year, the use of rPET enables Kao to save the equivalent of almost 780 tonnes of CO2 and 180 tonnes of virgin PET.
„When formulating the product, it was important to us not only to focus on sustainable aspects, but also to keep the brand-typical product experience in mind. Solid shampoos are a growing product segment that now goes beyond sustainability. They are economical, space-saving, plastic-free and very easy to use. The advantages of solid shampoos are obvious“
Armin Haery, Marketing Director Kao Consumer Division DACH
In the future, Kao is planning further innovations to avoid plastic within its 4R programme: Reduce, Replace, Reuse, Recycle
Source: Kao Group
