The natural deodorant brand launched in 2015, and like many beauty startups had a vision to do things differently. But packaging remains a stumbling block in the clean and natural beauty sectors, where brands wanting to choose truly sustainable or circular packaging have few, if any, real options. And so Noniko launched with plastic packaging and a lot of work ahead.
“We recognize that everything we do has an impact on our planet and we wanted to be mindful of our footprint,” says Piper Lacy, the brand’s CPO, in a recent press release from Noniko.
“After tirelessly searching and continuing to find inferior sustainable packaging options for our Noniko deodorant,” she explains, “we were ecstatic to team up with Verity to bring...our effective natural deodorant in plastic-free reusable packaging [to market].”
Noniko is making small-batch deodorant and pioneering sustainable packaging
Noniko makes deodorant with natural ingredients, scented with essential oils. And now the brand is selling that collection in refillable stainless-steel tubes by subscription.
The packaging, made by a new beauty packaging suppler called Verity, comprises as case (designed to last a lifetime) and a click-in refill. A starter kit that comes with one case and one refill and starts the subscription service costs $45. And each subsequent refill, arriving at 3-month intervals (via USPS) will cost $22.
Lacy talks further about the brand’s premise and project saying, “We acknowledge that there is a connection between the body and the earth. We’re creating harmony in this relationship by harnessing the power of nature while respecting and caring for our planet.”
“We applied the same mentality to our packaging,” she tells the press, adding, “We’re proud to be the first to offer an effective natural deodorant in a stainless steel, plastic-free case and refills for our three signature scents and phase out all plastic within our product offerings over the next year.”
Packaging startup Verity plans to make refillable beauty accessible for brands of every size
“Your reusable water bottle elevates your experience of drinking water while eliminating single-use plastic,” says Kerri Leslie, CEO of Verity, in the press release announcing the Noniko-Verity partnership.
“At Verity, we have taken that same approach to the personal care industry by creating reusable cases for everything in your bathroom,” she says.
“We’re proud to offer metal alternatives to make it easy for our brands to move into sustainable packaging without sacrificing quality or elegance. We work with brands, big and small, that share the commitment to eliminate single-use plastics,” Leslie tells the press.
Verity makes beauty packaging out of high-value, durable industrial materials that can be sterilized and refilled, and eventually recycled. There are stainless-steel options like the deo tubes that Noniko is using; and there are aluminum options too.
“With recyclability rates as high as 95%, aluminum and stainless steel are our key players to work toward a more sustainable future,” explains the company site. “We’ve done our research- and other 'greener”'alternatives (i.e. bioplastics, cardboards, etc.) still produce waste when not disposed of properly. Rather than putting a bandaid on the problem, we aim to do our part in eliminating waste. Our products are truly sustainable solutions—and look good while doing so.”