Packaging and recycling specialist Alpla has teamed up with German startup Sea Me to launch a new line of reusable PET bottles designed specifically for cosmetic applications. This partnership has resulted in the development of Sea Me's zerooo packaging system, which aims to improve the sustainability of cosmetic packaging.

At Alpla’s STUDIOa design center in Hard, Austria, the two companies developed a fully recyclable PET bottle solution. Beginning in September, these cutting-edge 300-milliliter bottles will be offered in Germany for various products such as shampoo, shower gel, detergent, body lotion, and dental care items.. By October, the bottles will also be introduced in Austria. The new PET bottles come in clear, milk white, and brown colors and are compatible with all types of caps and automatic return systems.

A key feature of these reusable bottles is their integration with zerooo’s return system. Consumers can return empty bottles at approximately 1,000 collection points linked with zerooo retail partners to receive a deposit of €0.50.Each bottle is equipped with a unique laser-engraved 2D matrix code that provides detailed information about the bottle's content and its circulation history. This code supports the reuse and recycling process by providing instructions on how to correctly return or prepare the bottle for recycling. It also enables brands to include updatable information in multiple languages and monitor the bottle's progress through the recycling cycle.

Jörg Schwärzler, senior technology manager at Alpla, emphasized the benefits of the digital labeling, stating, “The digital labeling enables transparency and ensures the quality of the bottles. By combining it with the information from the label, it can also be complemented with further product data.” This integration of individual serialization into the production process marks a significant innovation for Sea Me, according to Mirko Waraszik, director of supply chain and co-founder of zerooo at Sea Me. He noted, “This innovation enables groundbreaking data applications for packaging in the context of reuse.”

The reusable PET bottles are already being adopted by several German brands, including Sea Me’s own brand, i+m Naturkosmetik, Speick, Denttabs, 4 people who care, and Aveo from Müller. This marks an important step in the effort to improve the sustainability of cosmetic packaging.

This initiative follows Alpla’s previous collaboration with Privatbrunnen Tönissteiner, a German mineral water company, to develop a reusable PET bottle made entirely from recycled material. The partnership with Sea Me and the launch of the zerooo system represent a continued commitment by Alpla to advance the circular economy and support more sustainable packaging solutions in the cosmetic industry.