AmorePacific leads eco-friendly drive in local cosmetics market
From left, a person holds an AmorePacific's product created with recycled materials and a customer recycles empty bottles at an Innisfree store. Courtesy of AmorePacific
By Kim Jae-heun
AmorePacific has collected 2,200 tons of empty cosmetics bottles at its stores as part of an eco-friendly campaign that started in 2003. A total of 14 million people have participated in the event as of last year.
The cosmetics firm started a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) project called “GREENCYCLE” to recycle cosmetics containers or use them to create works of art.
AmorePacific became the first cosmetics company to use what is called the “terrazzo technique” by mixing crushed make-up containers and cement to make benches. The very first piece was installed last August at the Chollipo Arboretum Foundation in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, and AmorePacific donated eight more to Jongno-gu Office in Seoul, together with Sampyo Group, in December. The cosmetics firm said it will continue to donate benches to various organization for three more years.
Last October, AmorePacific also created an art piece utilizing 1,652 empty bottles collected from its stores and exhibited the pieces at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
The art work was named, “Summer of 1,652 People,” to remember the efforts of those who took part in the creation during the hot summer season.
AmorePacific also used recycled containers to make products or to decorate the interiors of its stores. In 2020, it used 1.3 tons of recycled plastic materials to make frames for gift boxes containing skincare items.
AmorePacific's skincare brand “Innisfree” is at the forefront of the GREENCYCLE campaign. The container of its hair-wax product “Forest For Men” is 30 percent made of recycled material.
AmorePacific signed a memorandum of understanding with global environmental company TerraCycle to recycle 100 tons of empty bottles and use them to make new containers for beauty products or furniture. The cosmetics firm plans to recycle 50 percent of its used bottles by 2025.