INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe has launched a new polypropylene grade containing 70% recycled content, targeting one of the most demanding areas of plastic packaging: cosmetics applications. The new material, marketed under the Recycl-IN range as rPP1025C, is designed for contact-sensitive cosmetic packaging components where brands want to increase recycled content without compromising performance, aesthetics or processability.
According to the company, the new hybrid polymer combines mechanically recycled plastic with so-called “booster” polymers to deliver properties comparable to virgin polypropylene. INEOS says the material is suitable for thin-walled injection moulding and fibre extrusion, making it a potential option for components such as screw caps, jars and lids, mascara reservoirs and caps, deodorant roller balls, and spray-over caps or dispenser parts. The company also states that the grade offers stiffness, heat resistance and scratch resistance, while maintaining colourability and a premium look and feel.
For packaging suppliers and beauty brands, the launch reflects a broader push to move recycled polymers into higher-value applications that have traditionally remained difficult to address with mechanically recycled feedstock alone. Cosmetics packaging often requires a careful balance between visual quality, product protection and reliable processing performance, especially in rigid and small-format components. In that context, drop-in materials that can fit existing specifications are likely to attract attention across the value chain. This is INEOS’ second Recycl-IN hybrid grade developed for cosmetics packaging, following the earlier rPP2030C, which was positioned for applications such as flip-top caps, closures, dosers and pumps.
Compliance and traceability are also central to the product story. INEOS says the recycled materials used in the grade are covered by a US FDA No Objection Letter and certified as post-consumer recyclate by RecyClass in line with ISO 14021 environmental labelling standards. At the same time, the company and external reporting make clear that this grade is not intended for food-contact applications, underlining the ongoing regulatory and technical gap between recycled-content solutions for cosmetics and the more stringent requirements tied to food packaging.
INEOS further claims that the new grade can deliver a 35% lower carbon footprint compared with virgin polymer, adding a climate argument to the recycled-content proposition. More broadly, the launch shows how major resin producers are trying to expand the role of mechanically recycled polyolefins in premium packaging formats, while still relying on tailored formulations to meet brand expectations on quality and consistency. For the cosmetics sector, rPP1025C is another sign that recycled polypropylene is moving beyond secondary or less visible uses and into mainstream packaging components.
