Brivaplast is an Italian company with more than 50 years of history and experience in the world of cosmetics.
The company’s profound know-how allows them to offer the very best combination possible of formula, applicator, and packaging for all types of make-up to clients, brands, and formula manufacturers. They include everything from mascaras to lip glosses and liquid lipsticks, from eyeliner to concealers and eyebrow products.
The constant dialogue with their clients is an important aspect of Brivaplast’s philosophy that can count on an ample catalogue of completely customizable packaging.
Customizing a product using different materials, decorations, and finishes depending on the trends and the client’s artistic choices and style is in fact one of the Lombardy-based company’s strengths.
“Just as make-up and a different look can transform a person, enhancing lines and working on creativity and experience, we can transform standard packaging into a unique product”.
Discussions with the customer go hand in hand with careful and timely observation of the market and trends in the beauty and fashion world in order to keep up with the current beauty rules, tastes, and needs of a constantly evolving world.
Stefano Vanoncini, Brivaplast CEO, talks about the company’s achievements, projects under way, and (many) new impending launches.
Is it true that you are focusing a lot on sustainability? What are some of the initiatives being carried out in this direction?
For years, we’ve known that the future is closely linked to sustainability which we approach from two different, but indispensable perspectives: the company and the product.
In the new facility that we moved into in 2018, we invested many resources in the processes and the machinery. They allow us to maximize CO2 containment and to optimize energy consumption and as such, create sustainable manufacturing.
We inserted 7000mq of solar panels that provide the company with 35% of its annual energy requirements; we’ve optimized logistic flows and automated material feeding for the machines to improve production efficiency. The temperature in the manufacturing areas is regulated to provide the best work environment for personnel and to optimize the consistency of the processes; excessive heat created in production is funneled into the heating system for the offices which helps limit the use of new energy…These are just a few examples. We could mention many more related to our sustainability policy.
Brivaplast has obtained a variety of certifications among which, the 14001…
Yes, a “recognition” of the many initiatives we’ve undertaken over the past years aimed at making our manufacturing system more efficient and sustainable.
In 2018, we obtained ISO 50001, Energy Management System which certifies alignment with the requirements to create, maintain, and improve energy management systems.
In 2019, thanks to the attention paid towards materials and the environment, we also attained the ISO 14001, Environmental Management System.
Let’s get back to the products. Is it true that over time, you’ve dedicated increasingly more attention to searching for high-performing solutions that follow the principles of a circular economy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?
Yes, it’s true. With regards to materials for our packaging and applicators, we’re constantly researching sustainable, bio-based, and post-consumer plastic solutions that allow us to limit the use of virgin materials as much as possible while always keeping in mind the safety of the manufacturing processes and the final quality of the product.
We use PET-PCR to create bottles and PP-PCR and ABS-PCR for capsules, starting with a minimum recycled percentage of 95% for each material.
Moreover, all the manufacturing waste materials are re-used internally or sold to be used in the production of other products such as golf balls.
Another key point of your philosophy is both process and product innovation. What initiatives have you been working on with regards to this?
Innovation is a focal point in our business. We always try to anticipate requests from the consumer world and drawing inspiration from internal input and from constant observation of the market and its evolution, we are able to offer innovative products that are in line with consumer trends and demands.
In Brivaplast, the conversation is constant when working on new projects. A team of people coming from different divisions of the company periodically meet and discuss with “open minds”, brainstorm new possible products, and think about how to implement processes currently in place. Because our goal is to be a genuine partner for our clients and not a “simple” supplier. How? Anticipating their requests, showing future trends, offering suggestions on ideas and projects… For example, a few products that are currently highly requested came from these brainstorming sessions: Wiper Bico, the applicators in plastic and fiber, Click’n Go Mascara, and the “green” product line.
On the topic of new products…Is it true that you launched and patented a mascara with a revolutionary closure system?
Yes, in June we presented our latest innovation: Click’n Go Mascara. It’s a revolutionary packaging that allows the product to be opened and closed by simply applying pressure on the cap without having to twist it, just like a click pen.
It’s been more than 60 years since an innovation of this caliber in simplifying the opening mechanism of containers was introduced into the world of packaging.
In fact, the last great innovation involving the opening/closing mechanism came about in 1957 when Helena Rubinstein’s Mascara Matic was launched: it was the first time that a tube with a screw closure was used in the cosmetic world.
The Click’n Go solution, besides being a new innovation, simplifies an important step in the daily beauty routine and can be useful for people with upper extremity problems. The only thing required to open or close the tube is a simple click with a hand!
It’s proudly Made in Italy given that this packaging, patented and distributed worldwide, was thought up and created in Italy.
The Click’n Go mascara was also recognized by the beauty trade show MakeUp In which nominated it as an innovative product as part of the Innovation Tree in New York (the 2020 edition) and it was one of the finalists of Best Packaging 2020.
Can you talk to us about another new product: the bio-based mascara brush. Is its performance difference with respect to a traditional one?
It’s an applicator with fibers that are derived from the polymerization of the castor oil plant, therefore it’s natural. The material is completely bio-based and we were able to obtain performance that is comparable to that of a classic mascara brush made of nylon.
It’s a product that has obtained great success and pushed us to amplify our “green” offerings: in the next few days we will launch a new applicator and we’re looking to further increase the range come the beginning for the next year. The goal is to create a complete range of sustainable applicators so that we can always offer the best combination of applicator and formula, also with a “green” perspective.
Is it true that Brivaplast also offers different packaging made with post-consumer recycled materials?
Yes! Our “green” catalogue is in continual expansion and at the moment, we already have more than 10 types of packaging that can be made with post-consumer PET, PP, ABS that allows us to make mascaras, eyeliners, liquid lipsticks, lip glosses, concealers, and eyebrow mascaras.
Even though these materials are approaching their “second life”, it’s surprising to note the transparency we’ve been able to obtain with PET-R for example.
In this way, we have a complete range of colors, from transparent to white, to the darkest black, with the aim of offering maximum customization of the product.
With these materials, we’ve created “This is my second life”. It’s composed of a mascara, a lip gloss, and an eyebrow mascara, decorated with hand-drawn graphics and inspired by the authenticity and genuineness of nature.
Next challenges?
Brivaplast will continue to follow the path of sustainability, always searching for new ways to safeguard our planet both at the product and company level. Another important goal is to offer ourselves as partners to clients, brands, and formula manufacturers.
The assets that we focus on? First would be people, technical knowledge and skills, constant innovation, and attentiveness to product performance. In fact, for some time already, we’ve created a series of internal tests on brush-formula combinations to evaluate the result on people with different types of eyelashes or people who want a particular effect from their mascara.
Next would be our ample knowledge of finishes and decorations and of style and design trends on the market that enables us to offer standard products and customizable solutions that are always relevant and avant-guard.
And finally, our widespread presence in Europe and in the world. Our branch offices in Paris, Los Angeles, New York and manufacturing plants in Italy and the Shanghai area of China allow us to also meet the demands of “local” markets.
An example? We are working on a line of applicators specifically created for short and sparse lashes. A must for the Far East market.