3 Years of: Waste-Minimizing Packaging 👷‍♀
— Soft Services newsletter
Trivia Study Guide: Part 3 of 4
Sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all gig—minimizing waste comes from a dedication to packaging that is able to best serve its purpose. In action, this looks like: keeping the formula it houses stable and effective down to the last drop, minimized material footprint, clear usage instructions to encourage consistent use (expired product is waste), a seamless user experience, and protecting the product while in transit to you.
Want to take a look at what this looks like within the Soft Services packaging universe? Buckle in and let’s roll. Software Update , $44 Retinol—a hero ingredient in Software Update and Theraplush—is sensitive to air and light, instantly beginning to degrade from extended exposure. Because of this, Software Update is housed in a mono-plastic airless pump packaging system, ensuring the serum inside never meets Mr. Sun and Good Sir O2.
This mean you get the formula as you use it up, while still being able to fully recycle the product after. Theraplush , $62 While also dispensed using an airless pump, Theraplush takes the task of preserving retinol in a different form. This custom vessel gave us an opportunity to design an intuitive refill system, allowing the outside dispenser to serve as a continuous Reusable Component and a design piece—which also serves as your bedside reminder to use it nightly.
Software Update , $44 Retinol—a hero ingredient in Software Update and Theraplush—is sensitive to air and light, instantly beginning to degrade from extended exposure. Because of this, Software Update is housed in a mono-plastic airless pump packaging system, ensuring the serum inside never meets Mr. Sun and Good Sir O2. This mean you get the formula as you use it up, while still being able to fully recycle the product after.
Theraplush , $62 While also dispensed using an airless pump, Theraplush takes the task of preserving retinol in a different form. This custom vessel gave us an opportunity to design an intuitive refill system, allowing the outside dispenser to serve as a continuous Reusable Component and a design piece—which also serves as your bedside reminder to use it nightly. Along with formula requirements, packaging materials and construction is another key part of the equation.
We go out—sometimes hunting and other times gathering—for packaging that best serves the product’s use case while also being a sustainable choice. Minimizing environmental impact is most effective when considered across a component’s complete lifecycle—from production and on to its afterlife.
Wherever possible, we use components that are not only easily recyclable, but also made with materials that have already been through this process, such as infinitely-recyclable aluminum and PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastics.
Aluminum: Carea Cream , Comfort Cleanse PCR plastic: Smoothing Solution , Speed Soak , Clearing Mist Packaging components made of mixed materials (such as traditional pumps/misters) are not recyclable, unless they’re fully disassembled and separated. We do our best to make these components reusable so they can live a long life of dispensing instead of lying in a landfill. Locking Pump , Fine Mister , and the Theraplush Case are all reusable components.
Locking Pump is a Reusable Component for: Carea Cream , Comfort Cleanse Fine Mister is a Reusable Component for: Clearing Mist Boxes not only provide us real estate for essential product messaging (What does the product do? What is it good for? How should it be used? ), but they also protect the products in transit. After all, damaged product = wasted product + the extra resources used to send out a replacement.
Our outer cartons are made of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified paper and have an uncoated finish (a plastic film spray) to optimize recyclability. Our soap dish, Soap Home , protects Buffing Bar and other solid soaps from erosion-causing shower environments, since these products have no outer packaging to keep them safe and sound in between uses.
” With this in mind, Soap Home provides 2-way protection: from above via the Aluminum Splash Cover and from below: via the Ceramic Drying Dish, while still allowing ventilation to flow for the bar to fully dry. ” With this in mind, Soap Home provides 2-way protection: from above via the Aluminum Splash Cover and from below: via the Ceramic Drying Dish, while still allowing ventilation to flow for the bar to fully dry.
One of the final steps is getting the products to you—our fully recyclable shipper system, including the bag and box, ensure the products are protected after leaving our warehouse. This system was custom-designed to be easily unboxed upon receipt without the need for extra tools (like scissors) to open or flatten for recycling.
Once your product has been emptied, refer to the Recycling and Reusables guide on our website for instructions on properly recycling each component and/or cleaning for reuse. Sustainability is not a destination, but a journey. We can all do better and everyone’s small efforts make a collective, meaningful difference. Thanks for being our partners in crime.
One night only May 30th Join us for a live virtual trivia game, co-hosted with invite-only internet sensation The Big Silly Trivia Game on Thursday May 30th, 6pm PT/9pm ET. Show off your body skin knowledge. Celebrate 3 years of Soft Services. Enjoy good vibes and good company. RSVP Prizes include one-of-a kind, exclusive snags from the Soft Services Archive and items from our favorite brands.
PSA: the content in this email and the rest of our 4-part “3 Years of” email series is the official study guide for trivia. One night only May 30th Join us for a live virtual trivia game, co-hosted with invite-only internet sensation The Big Silly Trivia Game on Thursday May 30th, 6pm PT/9pm ET. Show off your body skin knowledge. Celebrate 3 years of Soft Services. Enjoy good vibes and good company.
RSVP Prizes include one-of-a kind, exclusive snags from the Soft Services Archive and items from our favorite brands. PSA: the content in this email and the rest of our 4-part “3 Years of” email series is the official study guide for trivia. Shop Soft Services
Tags: Behind the Brand, Dry Skin, Software Update, Theraplush — Original, Carea Cream, Smoothing Solution, Comfort Cleanse, Clearing Mist, Buffing Bar — Original