Shiseido Working with Brazilian Manufacturer to Develop Containers Made from Sugarcane

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Japanese major cosmetics manufacturer Shiseido announced on October 16, 2008, that it plans to jointly develop cosmetics containers made from sugarcane-derived polyethylene with Brazilian chemical manufacturer Braskem SA.

Shiseido, which has been seeking ways to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to its cosmetics containers when they are discarded or burned, signed a joint development agreement with Braskem, which manufactures both high-density and low-density polyethylene made from ethanol derived from sugarcane, a sustainable resource. The Brazilian maker is aiming to be the world's first company to start commercial production of cosmetics containers made from sugarcane-based polyethylene, and it plans to produce 200,000 tons of high-density and low-density polyethylene annually.

Based on this development plan, Shiseido intends to replace its current cosmetics bottles and tubes with those made from sugarcane-based polyethylene starting from 2011. Brazil is one of the world's leading producers of sugarcane, which is a bio-resource derived from a non-cereal crop, so it is expected to be able to supply sugarcane stably well into the future. For this reason, Shiseido plans to develop more environmentally friendly products from a long-term perspective by, for example, considering a wider application of this crop with the advantage of sustainability and potential supply capability as source materials for cosmetics.

Posted: 2009/02/18 06:00:15 AM

TAG Manufacturing industry , Technology