Same content, half the impact
Natura Ecocompacto line incorporates unprecedented advances in Brazil
The product is small and light, containing 75ml and weighing in at just 46g, but what it incorporates in terms of innovation and benefits for the environment has an objective and measurable value. This is the Natura Ecocompacto deodorant line, launched in September 2014, which provides the same number of applications, but with packaging half the size of conventional aerosol sprays. This means that around half the raw material normally used, especially aluminum, is used in its production, resulting in a 48% reduction in environmental impact.
The initial goal, according to Anderson Liba, Manager of Packaging Development at Natura, was to expand the brand’s share of the aerosol subcategory: “Aerosols have a bigger environmental impact than other deodorant products, such as sprays, roll-ons and creams, because the packaging contains aluminum and a lot of plastic parts, as well as the propellant itself, which is a mixture of propane and butane gases. Natura, which systematically seeks to reduce the impact of its activities, set the challenge of developing a unique and sustainable proposal”.
The challenge also involved suppliers, including CPA, a company that came out of the merger between Provider and ColepCCL. “CPA presented some proposals and, together, we made several adjustments and prototypes until we achieved the desired result,” explains Silvania Angelino, Natura researcher.
The unique features of the Ecocompacto line are its smaller, more concentrated packaging and, especially, the valve that effectively expresses the compressed content of the formula. “In the first proposals, the technical solution was satisfactory, but the sensory quality was not yet suitable for the dry jet deodorant that the market expected,” recalls Silvania. “So, we worked on the formula, to maintain the great performance of both the deodorant and antiperspirant actions, in a more effective way, without leaving stains on clothing and also adding benefits for the skin. We added ingredients to create this synergism, incorporating an active ingredient that is more effective than the standard ones currently used in the market, bearing in mind that the balance of an aerosol formula needs to be carefully fine-tuned, as any changes – to the fragrance, for example – can have an adverse impact on the final product,” she adds.
After overcoming the challenges, says Silvania, we finally came up with the desired proposal: “We reduced the environmental impact by nearly half, without diminishing the performance or duration of the product,” the researcher adds. So far, there is no other aerosol spray deodorant with this technology in Brazil.
At Natura, the project involved different areas, such as consumer safety, effectiveness, supplies, olfactory nucleus, logistics, planning and engineering, as well as the development of the packaging and formula. According to Liba, the partners’ contribution was equally important: “We are in frequent contact with suppliers, and are open to embrace any potential innovations that they identify in the market. This partnership model played a key role.”
Due to its characteristics, the development of the Ecocompacto line was especially rewarding. “We are very proud to see the product ready to be launched on the market. The Ecocompacto line directly serves Natura’s objective, which is to be sustainable,” says Silvania. “For those who worked directly on the project, there is a real sense of pride and of achievement,” Liba adds.
The Ecocompacto project was also an important learning curve for the product development. According to Silvania, the technology that enables the volume of the container to be reduced requires further studies, so that it can be extended to other formulas and products. In addition the partnership model, Liba also highlights the continual pursuit of technical advances and evolution: “It was an innovative process for Natura, for the materials supplier, and for the entire production chain,” he says.
Versão Português