Why we use Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Materials in our packaging

As part of our mission to create clean beauty products, Gen See focuses on circularity - reusing materials and reducing the use of new virgin plastics.

Our products incorporate an average of 60% Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials across our primary packages. As a point of comparison, Sephora's Planet Positive minimum requirement is 30% PCR. We are moving towards 100% PCR as we refresh components.

What exactly are PCR materials, and why are they so important for sustainable practices?

Post-consumer recycled materials are those that have served their purpose, gone through the consumer use cycle, and have been recycled rather than ending up in a landfill. This includes items such as used plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, and other packaging materials. When these items are collected, sorted, cleaned, and processed, they can be used to create new products, reducing the need for newly created materials (virgin materials)

Here's why we focus on PCR materials at Gen See:

Reducing Waste

The beauty industry is a significant contributor to global plastic waste, and we are determined to be part of the solution, not the problem. By utilizing PCR materials, Gen See is actively reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, oceans, and natural environments. Every PCR package we use is one less piece of waste polluting our planet.

Conserving Resources

Producing new plastic and other materials requires a significant amount of energy and resources, including water and fossil fuels. By using PCR materials, we can dramatically decrease the amount of new plastic produced, conserving valuable resources and reducing our carbon footprint.

Gen See cartons are made of 100% recycled, FSC certified material. They are also recyclable and biodegradable. 

Gen See is a founding member of the PACT Collective, an organization whose mission it is to bring the beauty industry together to work toward circularity, and in the meantime, to provide a solution for hard-to-recycle beauty packaging by diverting plastic from landfills. Since 2021, 366,877 pounds of hard to recycle materials have been diverted across the PACT's collection programs.