Jean-Yves Bourgeois, Correspondent12.13.23
A new edition of Cosmoprof Asia closed its doors in Hong Kong in mid-November. After a stop-off in Singapore in 2022, it had been three years since the event had taken place in HK, due to Covid.
Following the principle of "two shows in one spot," Cosmopack, dedicated to suppliers, took place near the airport, while Cosmoprof, dedicated to brands, was held in the city center.
On the side of suppliers exhibiting at Cosmopack, among packaging manufacturers—particularly plastics manufacturers—the trend to develop mono-material and refillable packaging was again strong. Almost all the exhibitors had dozens of solutions on display.
Visitors were also extremely interested in glass and aluminum. It is becoming increasingly obvious that it is better to be a glassmaker or aluminum packaging manufacturer than a plastic packaging manufacturer, even if everyone admits that plastic is obviously not going to disappear.
Another trend is the desire of some Asian players to find production bases in Europe or the United States. According to several exhibitors, few Western brands attended Cosmopack 2023, most of them preferring to visit their suppliers' factories in China. The same was true of the Western exhibitors, who were far fewer in number than usual.
Following are highlights from some of the exhibitors presenting new packaging innovations in Hong Kong:
HCP’s mono-material ‘Grafik’ compact.
HCP showcased its newest packaging and innovations at Cosmopack Hong Kong, which was inspired by luxury and feminine empowerment following the ‘Aphrodite’ oceanic trend.
New designs include metallic effects combined with a free-form faux pearl embellishment.
HCP’s ‘Grafik Refill Eyeshadow Compact’ was designed from a mono-material for eco-friendly credentials. It is ergonomic and refillable.
The supplier’s Air Cushion Compacts provide hygienic, airtight packaging for liquid foundation and blush, with a built-in mirror and a refillable format.
A multi-material cosmetic line from Qualipac.
At Qualipac America, Eric Vanin, company president and a specialist in the cosmetic perfumery market worldwide, pointed to a hit in the world economy. He commented, "The global economic situation weakened first in Asia and then hit the USA, and now it's Europe's turn. It is spreading across the world. The United States has held out for several months because consumers are putting their credit cards to use, which is not the case in Europe, where the concept of credit is not quite as developed.”
As far as packaging materials are concerned, Vanin said, “There is undoubtedly a big craze for glass, but also for aluminum, which is a good environmental alternative to Zamac in the luxury sector.”
In line with this, Vanin showed their latest development with Chanel's Sublimage cream jar. He says there are promising new technologies for the industry as far as the use of aluminum, as it makes it possible to produce massive aluminum parts (volume and thickness) that can compete with Zamac.
"We have a multi-material vision," he explains, "and we are 99% focused on made-to-measure and luxury products.”
"We don't manufacture in Asia, but we are selling more and more in this region," explained Bruno Diépois, CEO, "particularly in Vietnam and Japan, where we have achieved sales of €1.6 million in 2022."
The company has an agent in Japan and one in Thailand. Based in the south of France, Coverpla currently employs 46 people and has a branch in Italy and a subsidiary in the U.S., based in New York.
With 95% of its business specialized in perfume packaging (bottles, caps, closures), Coverpla offers a full range of standard glass bottles produced from its own molds, as well as a range of plastic caps and closures. Coverpla recently invested in a new electric injection molding machine, bringing its total number of machines to nine.
It should be noted that Coverpla processes almost exclusively Surlyn from Du Pont de Nemours. "The chemical group," explained Diépois, "will be introducing two new grades to meet new environmental requirements for plastics, including a biosourced Surlyn made from cooking oil." In addition, Coverpla has been forging closer commercial ties with Spanish company Estal, which produces some particularly innovative packaging solutions. They have developed several packaging designs for the home fragrance market.
Asquan’s ‘rechargeable’ range.
Among the opinions gathered at the show was that of Henri Tinchant, CEO of Asquan, who spoke about the company's clearly stated objectives for 2024.
"It's a question of continuing our actions in terms of sustainability,” explained Tinchant. "We have changed all our standard packaging to non-styrene plastic. We are working on neutralizing our carbon footprint, and we have begun to diversify our production sites outside China—both in the Eastern Countries and Mexico—knowing that quality levels and production costs are very competitive in Eastern Europe, as far as injection molding is concerned, but are far from equivalent when it comes to sub-contracted finishing operations."
Active in the skincare and makeup segments and, since this year, in the perfumery segment with a glass packaging range manufactured in China, Asquan has become a key player in the development and supply of turnkey packaging for the beauty sector.
"We are not traders," insisted Tinchant. "We offer a wide range of packaging solutions in collaboration with our partner manufacturers. We create, we design, we ensure technical development, and our partners work on our molds. This in itself is a very sustainable approach, in that we use existing industrial tools and don't create any new ones."
With more than 100 active customers, Asquan will have delivered some 24 million items of packaging worldwide in 2023.
JK Hwang, CEO, FSKorea.
The Korean company, FSKorea, was among the Asian exhibitors at this edition of Cosmoprof Asia. The main feature in the stand was "Go Brush" a new concept in makeup brushes, whose fibers, ferrule, and handle can be taken apart, allowing consumers to sort them for recycling.
"A traditional brush," explained JK Hwang, CEO, FSKorea, "is generally made up of three parts: the fibers, the ferrule and the handle. Most of the time, glue is used to hold the fibers and the various parts of the brush together.” He added, “The figures are staggering! A brush factory can consume up to 130 tons of glue a year. Not to mention the smell in the workshops.”
With “Go Brush,” there are no more drawbacks. Once the brush has been used and worn out, it is thrown away once and for all." So, says JK Hwang, CEO, FSKorea. “Why not reuse one or the other? Experience has shown that, once consumers are accustomed to using this new brush, they naturally put the fibers, ferrule and handle in the appropriate recycling bins.”
Another key advantage, said Hwang, “is that consumers can change the handle, the ferrule (which can be of a different color) and the type of fiber as they wish.
Also on display at FSKorea was a fully recyclable range of packaging with a pump and/or dropper. Other noteworthy products included the Dropper Cap, made entirely from a PET-based mono-material, and the refillable bottle with its pump, all of which are entirely recyclable.
Cuddle Collection is a complete skincare range from Brivaplast.
Among the Italian exhibitors, Brivaplast's new mascara collections attracted particular interest, with the Cuddle Collection—a complete skincare range combining pleasure of application with effective formulas, to give makeup its full potential.
Also worth noting were the new finishing effects offered by the company, known as "Déco Technology." Bright meets bubbly on the cylindrical packs, available with a shiny lacquer and a clear colored lacquer combined with white and colored silk screening.
Innerbottle is made from specially formulated polymer that can be applied to any outer packaging material. Oh said the material is safe for human use, “which was proven by various material and compatibility tests.”
While conventional dispensers leave up to 25% of the product inside the bottle, Innerbottle, with less than 1% residue, allows using the product to the last drop.
A new range of refillable mechanical lip liners at Schwan.
Schwan Cosmetics unveiled a new range of refillable mechanical lip liners at Cosmoprof Asia.
The new “Power Up Your Pout” line features a refillable cartridge system, so users can replace the product without discarding the package. It features a new drop-shaped tip, designed to match lips’ natural shape for precise application. The 3-in-1 product plumps, defines and fills. The formula is infused with active care ingredients, including jojoba oil and peptides to boost moisture and stimulate collagen synthesis.
Following the principle of "two shows in one spot," Cosmopack, dedicated to suppliers, took place near the airport, while Cosmoprof, dedicated to brands, was held in the city center.
On the side of suppliers exhibiting at Cosmopack, among packaging manufacturers—particularly plastics manufacturers—the trend to develop mono-material and refillable packaging was again strong. Almost all the exhibitors had dozens of solutions on display.
Visitors were also extremely interested in glass and aluminum. It is becoming increasingly obvious that it is better to be a glassmaker or aluminum packaging manufacturer than a plastic packaging manufacturer, even if everyone admits that plastic is obviously not going to disappear.
Another trend is the desire of some Asian players to find production bases in Europe or the United States. According to several exhibitors, few Western brands attended Cosmopack 2023, most of them preferring to visit their suppliers' factories in China. The same was true of the Western exhibitors, who were far fewer in number than usual.
Following are highlights from some of the exhibitors presenting new packaging innovations in Hong Kong:
Luxe Looks at HCP Packaging
HCP’s mono-material ‘Grafik’ compact.
HCP showcased its newest packaging and innovations at Cosmopack Hong Kong, which was inspired by luxury and feminine empowerment following the ‘Aphrodite’ oceanic trend.
New designs include metallic effects combined with a free-form faux pearl embellishment.
HCP’s ‘Grafik Refill Eyeshadow Compact’ was designed from a mono-material for eco-friendly credentials. It is ergonomic and refillable.
The supplier’s Air Cushion Compacts provide hygienic, airtight packaging for liquid foundation and blush, with a built-in mirror and a refillable format.
Specializing in Multi-Material Products
A multi-material cosmetic line from Qualipac.
At Qualipac America, Eric Vanin, company president and a specialist in the cosmetic perfumery market worldwide, pointed to a hit in the world economy. He commented, "The global economic situation weakened first in Asia and then hit the USA, and now it's Europe's turn. It is spreading across the world. The United States has held out for several months because consumers are putting their credit cards to use, which is not the case in Europe, where the concept of credit is not quite as developed.”
As far as packaging materials are concerned, Vanin said, “There is undoubtedly a big craze for glass, but also for aluminum, which is a good environmental alternative to Zamac in the luxury sector.”
In line with this, Vanin showed their latest development with Chanel's Sublimage cream jar. He says there are promising new technologies for the industry as far as the use of aluminum, as it makes it possible to produce massive aluminum parts (volume and thickness) that can compete with Zamac.
"We have a multi-material vision," he explains, "and we are 99% focused on made-to-measure and luxury products.”
Coverpla: Robust Growth in Asia
Among the very few French companies exhibiting at this year's show was Coverpla, a premium niche player with sales of €25 million, compared with €18 million in 2019."We don't manufacture in Asia, but we are selling more and more in this region," explained Bruno Diépois, CEO, "particularly in Vietnam and Japan, where we have achieved sales of €1.6 million in 2022."
The company has an agent in Japan and one in Thailand. Based in the south of France, Coverpla currently employs 46 people and has a branch in Italy and a subsidiary in the U.S., based in New York.
With 95% of its business specialized in perfume packaging (bottles, caps, closures), Coverpla offers a full range of standard glass bottles produced from its own molds, as well as a range of plastic caps and closures. Coverpla recently invested in a new electric injection molding machine, bringing its total number of machines to nine.
It should be noted that Coverpla processes almost exclusively Surlyn from Du Pont de Nemours. "The chemical group," explained Diépois, "will be introducing two new grades to meet new environmental requirements for plastics, including a biosourced Surlyn made from cooking oil." In addition, Coverpla has been forging closer commercial ties with Spanish company Estal, which produces some particularly innovative packaging solutions. They have developed several packaging designs for the home fragrance market.
Asquan’s 2024 Objectives
Asquan’s ‘rechargeable’ range.
Among the opinions gathered at the show was that of Henri Tinchant, CEO of Asquan, who spoke about the company's clearly stated objectives for 2024.
"It's a question of continuing our actions in terms of sustainability,” explained Tinchant. "We have changed all our standard packaging to non-styrene plastic. We are working on neutralizing our carbon footprint, and we have begun to diversify our production sites outside China—both in the Eastern Countries and Mexico—knowing that quality levels and production costs are very competitive in Eastern Europe, as far as injection molding is concerned, but are far from equivalent when it comes to sub-contracted finishing operations."
Active in the skincare and makeup segments and, since this year, in the perfumery segment with a glass packaging range manufactured in China, Asquan has become a key player in the development and supply of turnkey packaging for the beauty sector.
"We are not traders," insisted Tinchant. "We offer a wide range of packaging solutions in collaboration with our partner manufacturers. We create, we design, we ensure technical development, and our partners work on our molds. This in itself is a very sustainable approach, in that we use existing industrial tools and don't create any new ones."
With more than 100 active customers, Asquan will have delivered some 24 million items of packaging worldwide in 2023.
FSKorea’s ‘Go Brush’
JK Hwang, CEO, FSKorea.
The Korean company, FSKorea, was among the Asian exhibitors at this edition of Cosmoprof Asia. The main feature in the stand was "Go Brush" a new concept in makeup brushes, whose fibers, ferrule, and handle can be taken apart, allowing consumers to sort them for recycling.
"A traditional brush," explained JK Hwang, CEO, FSKorea, "is generally made up of three parts: the fibers, the ferrule and the handle. Most of the time, glue is used to hold the fibers and the various parts of the brush together.” He added, “The figures are staggering! A brush factory can consume up to 130 tons of glue a year. Not to mention the smell in the workshops.”
With “Go Brush,” there are no more drawbacks. Once the brush has been used and worn out, it is thrown away once and for all." So, says JK Hwang, CEO, FSKorea. “Why not reuse one or the other? Experience has shown that, once consumers are accustomed to using this new brush, they naturally put the fibers, ferrule and handle in the appropriate recycling bins.”
Another key advantage, said Hwang, “is that consumers can change the handle, the ferrule (which can be of a different color) and the type of fiber as they wish.
Also on display at FSKorea was a fully recyclable range of packaging with a pump and/or dropper. Other noteworthy products included the Dropper Cap, made entirely from a PET-based mono-material, and the refillable bottle with its pump, all of which are entirely recyclable.
Brivaplast's Cuddle Collection
Cuddle Collection is a complete skincare range from Brivaplast.
Among the Italian exhibitors, Brivaplast's new mascara collections attracted particular interest, with the Cuddle Collection—a complete skincare range combining pleasure of application with effective formulas, to give makeup its full potential.
Also worth noting were the new finishing effects offered by the company, known as "Déco Technology." Bright meets bubbly on the cylindrical packs, available with a shiny lacquer and a clear colored lacquer combined with white and colored silk screening.
The Eco-Friendly Innerbottle
The Korean company Innerbottle presented its product bearing the same name. Steve Oh, CEO and founder, explained, "Innerbottle, leaves no residue, minimizes oxidation, and keeps the outer bottle clean, which results in an ultimate eco-friendly packaging solution suitable for recycling and reusing.”Innerbottle is made from specially formulated polymer that can be applied to any outer packaging material. Oh said the material is safe for human use, “which was proven by various material and compatibility tests.”
While conventional dispensers leave up to 25% of the product inside the bottle, Innerbottle, with less than 1% residue, allows using the product to the last drop.
Schwan’s New Refillable Mechanical Lip Liners
A new range of refillable mechanical lip liners at Schwan.
Schwan Cosmetics unveiled a new range of refillable mechanical lip liners at Cosmoprof Asia.
The new “Power Up Your Pout” line features a refillable cartridge system, so users can replace the product without discarding the package. It features a new drop-shaped tip, designed to match lips’ natural shape for precise application. The 3-in-1 product plumps, defines and fills. The formula is infused with active care ingredients, including jojoba oil and peptides to boost moisture and stimulate collagen synthesis.
More Cosmoprof/Cosmopack
Missed the Hong Kong show? The next editions will be:- Cosmoprof/Cosmopack Miami: January 23-25
- Cosmoprof/Cosmopack Bologna: March 21-24
- Cosmoprof/Cosmopack Las Vegas: July 23-25
