How can makeup brushes go further in eco-friendly design?

In today’s world, consumers care about protecting the planet. As a result, the beauty industry faces significant challenges and opportunities. Brands must attract customers while ensuring their products are sustainable. Taiki, a manufacturer of cosmetic brushes with a 90-year legacy, actively explores these avenues.

Makeup brushes have shifted from accessories to essentials in our daily lives. With the end of the health crisis and the resurgence of social interactions, wholesale sales of makeup brushes are rising. Previously, innovations focused on enhancing brush hair performance; now, consumers expect greater efforts in eco-design.

What challenges do brands face, and what solutions can they offer? Taiki Cosmetics Europe, a supplier of beauty accessories, tackled these questions during the 18-month development of their new brush range, “Mix&Match Ecobrush.”

Handle and Ferrule: How to Reduce Materials?

Concerns about materials for handles and ferrules prompted the creation of the “One Cut Brush” range. These brushes come from a single piece of FSC-certified wood, removing the need for metal to secure bristles. The FSC certification ensures sustainable sourcing, promoting responsible forest management.

Ecodesign aims to improve existing products responsibly. Taiki’s Ecodesign division focused on reducing material usage to decrease resource consumption and transportation carbon footprints.

“We designed brushes with minimal material while maintaining performance and comfort,” says Alix Bellanné, Marketing & Communication Director of Taiki Cosmetics Europe. “Instead of impractical mini-formats, we created a complete set of wooden brushes with interchangeable heads.” This allows a range of 10 brushes to require only 3 reusable handles, reducing the total weight of materials used and transported by 40%.

“While the market offers interchangeable head brushes, they typically use fossil fuel plastics. This new range uses natural and renewable resources, as the wood comes from sustainably managed forests,” Alix adds. Users can easily clip the heads on and off with a single gesture across three handle sizes.

On the Fiber Side: How to Enhance Naturalness While Staying Vegan?

Traditionally, brush tufts were made from natural animal hairs, mainly from goats, ponies, or martens, until the 2010s. Rising awareness of cruelty-free practices and veganism led most brands to shift to synthetic fibers derived from petrochemicals (PBT or nylon). While it’s possible to use recycled PET, Taiki seeks to increase the use of natural resources. They aim to reduce petrochemical materials while enhancing naturalness without reverting to animal hair.

“As experts in beauty application, we ensure that our products maintain their makeup performance throughout the ecodesign process. We reject any proposal that fails to meet our standards for softness, formula pick-up and release, makeup results, and wash resistance,” Alix explains. Taiki selected Naturlon 60, a vegan fiber made from 60% bio-based material, reducing the proportion of PBT. This material comes from inedible parts of corn, avoiding the use of food resources. A special tapering process ensures smoothness and even application for both powder and liquid formulas.

Launch at MakeUp in Paris

Taiki will showcase the new “Mix & Match Ecobrush” range at the MakeUp in Paris show on June 16 and 17, 2022. Like all items designed and manufactured by Taiki, this range will be fully customizable. The company recommends laser engraving for decoration to eliminate inks and enhance ecodesign down to the smallest detail.

Since launching the “Mix & Match Ecobrush” range, consumer feedback has been positive. Users appreciate that these brushes are environmentally friendly while providing a superior user experience compared to traditional products. Taiki remains committed to blending innovation with sustainability, guiding the beauty industry toward a more eco-conscious future and encouraging responsible beauty choices.