Dow launches 2 Surlyn grades for perfume and cosmetic packaging

Dow has launched two new sustainable ionomers grades that use renewable and circular feedstocks—Surlyn REN and Surlyn CIR—enabling beauty brands and manufacturers to create sustainable and high-quality cosmetic packaging that stands out on the shelves, the company says.

Surlyn CIR ionomers are produced from mixed end-of-life plastics through chemical recycling technologies that break down the materials into their basic chemical elements. This produces a raw material that is equivalent to those made from virgin fossil feedstock, Dow says.

Surlyn REN ionomers are produced from bio-waste, such as used cooking oil (UCO). Both grades made using these alternative feedstocks deliver the properties that give the unique look, feel and performance that the Surlyn material is known for, according to the company.

LVMH Beauty, a division of luxury conglomerate LVMH and home to 75 iconic brands, will be the first user of these new grades following the brand’s announced collaboration with Dow earlier this year. Dow has started to supply the new sustainable Surlyn ionomer grades, which it says will be integrated into several of the multinational’s applications.

“Surlyn REN and Surlyn CIR are a major step forward in creating sustainable packaging for the cosmetic industry,” says Daniella Souza Miranda, global business director for Circular & Renewable Solutions at Dow. "We are incredibly proud alongside LVMH Beauty to pioneer using renewable and circular materials to manufacture premium cosmetic packaging. These products will not only support LVMH towards their sustainability goals but will also contribute to Dow’s bold ambition to transform waste and deliver 3 million metric tons per year of circular and renewable solutions by 2030.”

Surlyn REN and Surlyn CIR’s production processes are certified on a mass balance basis by the International Sustainability Carbon Certification (ISCC Plus), Dow adds.

Dow is headquartered in Midland, Michigan, with Dow Chemical Europe SA headquartered in Horgen, Switzerland.