Beauty packaging nonprofit Pact Collective releases 2024 Impact Report

Pact Collective, a San Francisco-based nonprofit aiming to unite the beauty industry around packaging collection and recycling, has released its 2024 Impact Report.

In 2024, Pact achieved the largest growth in its collection programs to date and launched new initiatives aimed at finding end markets for collected materials.

“As we reflect on our progress in supporting the beauty industry to take responsibility for its packaging waste, I am proud to share our journey in 2024—a year defined by collaboration, innovation and collective impact,” Pact Executive Director Carly Snider says in the report. “Pact had its most successful year to date, marked by significant growth in membership, expansion of collection programs, an increase in internal staff and the launch of new initiatives aimed at creating circular solutions for collected materials. The dedication of our members was essential in driving this progress, and we are incredibly grateful for their commitment to reducing beauty packaging waste.”

Pact’s report highlights how the beauty and wellness industry achieved global retail sales of $446 billion in 2023, with 75 percent of consumers saying they prioritized “sustainable packaging” for cosmetics. Despite this industry growth and interest in sustainability, Pact says only a fraction of the 120 billion beauty packaging units produced annually are recycled, largely due to the way the packaging is designed. Beauty products are often too small, too flexible or too complex to be reclaimed through curbside recycling programs.

To combat this challenge, Pact offers hard-to-recycle beauty collection programs. Of the more than 227,000 pounds of beauty packaging materials collected by Pact in 2024, 138,673 pounds came from the organization’s consumer-facing collection programs, compared to 53,412 pounds collected through the same programs in 2023. Through program surveying, Pact estimates it engaged 545,912 consumers last year, an increase from the estimated 210,266 engaged in 2023, attributing this growth to an increase in in-store signage and shopper education initiatives.

Pact also achieved its biggest expansion last year, with brands and retailers including Ulta, L'Occitane and Nordstrom joining the Pact program. This brings the total number of Pact collection bins across the U.S. and Canada to 3,300.

Snider says one of the highlights of 2024 was the introduction of the NewMatter program, a suite of circular materials aiming to divert beauty packaging from landfills by repurposing materials collected through Pact’s programs.

Through a call to action for its 140 member companies last year, Pact’s obsolete inventory programs collected 88,959 pounds of hard-to-recycle beauty materials, which it says is 4.5 times greater than what was collected through the same program in 2023. According to Pact, obsolete inventory and unsellable goods represent one of the beauty industry’s biggest opportunities for impact.

In 2024, Pact launched a donation program to promote the reuse of certain products, particularly damaged products or those nearing their expiration dates. Through this program, Pact facilitated the donation of more than 24,000 units from its members to charitable organizations, with a total retail value exceeding $696,000.

“Pact has allowed us to rethink our potential—our potential for impact, growth and connection,” says Samantha Asprelli, founder of Give n’ Glow, one of Pact’s donation partners. “Thanks to Pact member donations, Give n’ Glow has been able to significantly enhance our capabilities, allowing us to consistently serve over 50 partner organizations with high-quality makeup and skincare products.”

In 2025, Pact says it will focus on helping its members prepare for extended producer responsibility (EPR) implementation and implications, growing its offerings, expanding industry collaboration and increasing its awareness with beauty consumers.

Read the full report.