Schwan Cosmetics encourages refillable beauty packaging to create emotional consumer connections

Refillable packaging is increasingly recognized as a long-lasting alternative to single-use options, as consumer demand rises for eco-friendly products based on environmental concerns. 

Personal Care Insights speaks to Iris Hubbes, manager, Trend and Design Directions, at Schwan Cosmetics about how refillable beauty products can promote an emotional connection in consumers searching for durable, long-lasting, and environmentally aware solutions.

The personal care industry produces large amounts of waste from single-use packages. According to the British Beauty Council, 95% of cosmetics packaging in Britain is discarded. Refill systems offer an eco-conscious alternative that reduces industry waste and material use. 

A 2025 Innova Market Insights survey indicates that 42% of global consumers chose personal care brands with refillable packaging options last year, and 25% opted for product alternatives packaged in refillable options.

A forever product

Refillable packaging can serve as a “keepsake,” providing consumers with an emotional connection.

“Refillable and reusable packaging is becoming a defining factor in personal care as consumers seek products that seamlessly integrate into their daily rituals — evolving from mere functionality to lasting companions,” says Hubbes

Consumers are now moving to high-quality, thoughtfully designed products.“This shift strengthens the rise of keepsake packaging, where durability, quality, and emotional connection matter just as much as sustainability. In uncertain times, people gravitate toward long-term solutions that offer comfort, stability, and control.”

Moreover, Hubbes attributes the demand for refillable packaging to the “fleeting” nature of microtrends. Consumers are now moving to high-quality, thoughtfully designed products. She indicates that J-Beauty — Japanese personal care products and trends — will be key in refillable packaging innovation. 

“As microtrends fade, demand for high-quality, thoughtfully designed essentials is increasing. J-Beauty is poised to play a key role in this movement, embracing less but better, underconsumption-core, and conscious consumerism,” says Hubbes.

“Sustainability is not only about recyclability — it’s embedded in craftsmanship, longevity, and authenticity. This mindset — prioritizing refinement over excess — will shape the future of refillable and reusable packaging.”

Sustainable success

The demand for refillable packaging is also rooted in the personal care industry’s shift toward environmentally friendly options. Recently, Revieve released The Gen Z Effect Report, indicating that consumers from the generation want transparency around ingredient sourcing, sustainability practices, and ethical commitments. 

Hubbes says: “Refillable packaging is a crucial pillar of the broader shift toward sustainable packaging, offering a tangible solution to reducing single-use waste. While recyclability remains important, it is no longer enough — consumers and brands are looking for long-term solutions that minimize environmental impact at every stage of a product’s lifecycle.”

She also sees the potential of refillable solutions as parallel to the need for convenience and joy: “For refillable packaging to truly succeed, it must go beyond just reducing waste — when sustainability is designed to delight rather than dictate, it becomes a natural and lasting choice.”

“Green fatigue”

Hubbes highlights that the various industry solutions to the climate crisis can be overwhelming and tiring for sustainability-oriented consumers burdened by market choice. 

The personal care industry produces large amounts of waste from single-use packages. “Sustainability needs to feel less like a burden and more like an enjoyable, seamless part of everyday life. Many consumers are experiencing green fatigue — overwhelmed by guilt-driven messaging and complex sustainability demands.”

“Refillable packaging can help shift the narrative by making sustainability feel effortless, rewarding, and fun. Playful, well-designed, and intuitive refill systems have the potential to turn sustainable choices into something consumers genuinely enjoy rather than a sacrifice they have to make.” 

Regulatory advancements 

Regulatory advancements also drive the rise of eco-friendly personal care products to curb packaging waste, ingredients harmful to the environment, and micropollutants. 

Last year, the EU said it would force cosmetic companies to pay 80% of extra micropollutant clean-up costs to protect the environment and bolster industry responsibility. The European Commission hosted a free, one-hour webinar, “When Beauty Meets Green: The EU Ecolabel for Cosmetic Products,” to help companies adopt the certification.