The team at SGB Packaging Group recently held an online press conference to discuss its latest packaging innovations, including new standards and sustainable solutions.

Shoshana Gibli, who founded the New Jersey-based company 25 years ago, hosted the Zoom event with her two daughters—Lauren Gibli, executive vice president of sales & operations, and Julie Gibli, vice president of account management and development.

The company offers numerous options—including standard, semi-custom, and complete custom packaging—for all types of products across the fragrance, skincare, hair care, body care, and sampling categories. Droppers, tubes, airless systems, fragrance bottles, fragrance caps, bakelite, wood, plastic jars, caps, mascara, brushes, and blisters on cards are just some of its specialties.

SGB works with large and small companies, offering low quantity runs and turnkey services to indie beauty brands.

Many New Sustainable Solutions

SGB offers numerous sustainable packaging options across all categories. Options include mono-material components, eco-certifications, organic decoration, and innovative materials. “These solutions allow brands to maintain their packaging vision, without compromising on aesthetic.”

New standards in glass are available in up to 40% PCR for cosmetics and skincare. “We also offer ‘Wild Glass,’ a select line of green or amber tinted glass available with 100% PCR,” says Lauren Gibli.

In plastics, sustainable alternatives include rPET and bio-resins. The company also offers unique options in bakelite and wood packaging. For sampling and unit-dose packaging, such as a skincare regimen, SGB developed an aluminum-free seal and offers solvent-free labels.

Mascara & Brow Brushes

SGB offers a full range of mascara brushes and eyebrow brushes in injected, fiber, and eco-friendly materials. Last year, the company introduced over 30 new standards in fiber and injection-molded brushes.

The team at SGB evaluates the performance of each brush against different claims—including volume, lengthening, curling, definition, and separation—and every design delivers a benefit based on one of these criteria.

“The focus is on the eye, since half our face has been covered with masks. We feel this will continue, and we see an increased interest in packaging for eye products.” says Gibli, adding, “The right packaging for mascara or a brow brush can make a difference in elevating a product.”

New types of mascara brushes include the wavy filament brush, with ‘waves’ visible in the fiber. “It is able to capture the lash from the root and deposit the product onto the lashes. It can be used for mascara, as well as conditioning lash products,” says Gibli. Also new is the textured filament brush, which is more firm and has smaller rifts. “It’s good at charging and delivers a curling benefit,” says Gibli.

SGB also offers Green Fibers for mascara and brow brushes, which function the same as nylon but derived from a bio-source—the castor oil plant.

Airless Packaging with PCR & Bio-Based Resins

SGB’s airless system is a bag-and-pouch, which has a restitution rate of more than 90%. More than ten different airless ranges, in all styles, are available—in sizes up to 250 ml. SGB’s airless solutions can accommodate products of all viscosities, from a face serum to a clay mask.

New this year is the Bio-Airless, made using bio-based resins. The company also offers airless packaging made with 25% or 50% PCR. “We see more ‘clean’ beauty brands pop up in the market, and clean formulas with very few ingredients and fewer preservatives. These require airless packaging for protection, and we’re happy to now offer these brands more sustainable options,” says Gibli.

An Expanded Range of Innovative Droppers

SGB also offers a range of dropper packages, in partnership with Virospack, including a newly designed CBD dropper. “CBD products offer such great benefits, but most of the droppers that were available didn’t have a luxury look, so we challenged our team to innovate,” says Lauren Gibli.

The Ring Dropper, a twist on the standard push-button style, is another innovative option. “The design is unlike any other on the market,” Gibli says. “It’s almost like clicking a pen. A lot of men’s brands are leaning toward this dropper because it has a large surface area,” Gibli says.

Also new is its Zamac Tip Dropper. It features a zamac tip at the base of the pipette to provide a cooling sensation. All of SGB’s droppers have three distinct parts that can be customized using color or decoration.

What Lies Ahead

SGB’s team says that although the Covid pandemic was challenging, consumers are investing in beauty again, and the company expects all beauty and fragrance categories to bounce back by next year. “There is a desire to go back to normalcy, and there is a pent-up demand. We will see beauty customers shopping again,” says Gibli.

Opportunities to innovate have also evolved—especially in sampling. “We launched the Livstick Sampler—a single-use applicator for cosmetics and lipstick. This innovation provides customers with a sanitary way to try color cosmetics before buying.”

Photo: SGB Packaging Group — (L-R) Lauen Gibli, Julie Gibli, Angela Gonzalez, Shoshana Gibli, Dawn DaSilva, Jennifer Greaves, Benjamin Gibli. (Not pictured: Antonio Ordonez)