Recyclable Refills: A New Battlefield for Premium Brands? Reusable Design for Stick Packaging

Beauty brands innovate with “Refillable Stick” system

In recent years, several beauty brands have introduced the “Refillable Stick” system, a design pattern with replaceable inserts. This design not only reduces the waste of disposable packaging, but also improves product sustainability. For example, Berry Global has partnered with men’s skincare brand true™ to launch a refillable deodorant product. Designed as a 75ml removable refill, the product is made of recyclable PP and is replaced every three months, effectively reducing the need for overall deodorant replacement. The refill system is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by about 53% and save about 64% of plastic usage compared to traditional disposable deodorants.（ 3D Pack Show） In addition, Unilever’s Dove brand has introduced refillable deodorant packaging designed in a round shape with a reusable stainless steel shell. （MyEnum）Tatapack has also launched a refillable range in response to market demand.

Tatapack‘s “Mono Material Refillable Stick Container“

As an innovator in the packaging industry, Tatapack has launched the “Mono Material Refillable Stick Container” PCR optional, designed to provide brands with an environmentally friendly and functional packaging solution.

Design Features: The “50g Mono PCR Material Refillable Deodorant Stick Container” is refillable and recyclable. This product is more versatile and can hold either solid or creamy products, and is particularly suitable for water-based (moisturizing cream) products. The airtightness is 0.02mpa for 5 minutes without leakage, which means the products inside can be protected well without losing moisture during the entire lifetime. The lids are also available with flat and round top options, and Tatapack also offers a full range of customization options to enhance your brand image. From color to process, every detail can be customized to reflect your brand’s aesthetics and values, helping your products stand out in a competitive retail environment.

Quality of the product: Tatapack’s high-quality precision molds ensure that product dimensions are accurate and that gaps between parts are controlled to within 0.2 mm. Gap control improves surface flatness and smooths the lines of the bottle. The dimension deviation of each accessory is accurate to 0.05mm, which ensures that the product works very smoothly. We can provide twisting sense if you need. Through the test of torque machine, we customize the comfortable rotational damping strength to enhance the product usage texture.

Appearance improvements: We have threadless high-end mold structure. Prior to the innovation, the threads were located on the outer cover. When using PP material, the surface of the outer cover would be shadowed by the threads, which made the product appearance not beautiful and high-grade enough. In addition, the injection point of the outer cover was located on the outside, resulting in an uneven surface, which greatly reduced the texture and quality of the product. We have optimized these two aspects to make the product more exquisite and high-grade.

Material selection: “50g Refillable Stick Container” is made from Mono PCR PP, which is completely environmentally friendly. Ensuring one product, single material, 100% recyclable.

Portability: While ensuring the durability of the product, 50g Refillable Stick Container focuses on lightweight design. In addition to 50g, we also offer more portable 30g packaging, or larger capacity 60g, 75g packaging, which is more durable. After our R&D team’s product optimization, we make our products achieve the maximum capacity carrying among the same volume.

Commercially available material choices: metal, glass vs. recycled plastic

The choice of material is critical in the design of refillable scented stick packaging. Common materials include metal, glass and recycled plastic, each with their own unique benefits and challenges.

• Metal: Metals, especially stainless steel, are often used in packaging design for high-end products due to their durability and high-end texture. For example, Dove’s refillable deodorant packaging features a stainless steel shell that is guaranteed to last a lifetime. However, metal materials are expensive to process and relatively heavy, which can affect portability. （MyEnum）
• Glass: Glass material is a popular choice for packaging of perfume and scent products due to its transparency and recyclability. According to market analysis, glass accounted for more than 40% of the fragrance packaging market share in 2023 and is expected to continue growing through 2032. However, glass is fragile and heavy and has limitations in terms of portability. Global Market Insights Inc.（Global Market Insights Inc.）
• Recycled plastics: Recycled plastics are receiving a lot of attention because they are lightweight, cost-effective and offer great design versatility. For example, Baralan has introduced refillable airless glass bottles made from recycled polypropylene, which are both environmentally friendly and functional.

Driven by the circular economy, refillable stick packaging design is becoming a new selling point. By choosing materials wisely and combining them with consumer demand for environmental friendliness and portability, brands can stand out in a competitive marketplace. Tatapack‘s 50g Refillable Stick Container solution is an innovative response to this trend, offering brands a packaging option that combines sustainability and user experience. Contact us to learn more about tatapack products.

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