Utu has launched its flagship cruelty-free products in 100% recyclable aluminium packaging. This displays the company's commitment to sustainability while creating a closed material loop for Utu products.
Sunscreen has been a popular way to protect against the sun since the 1940s, but it wasn't until the late '70s and early '80s that formulas became more refined. Despite the prevalence of sunscreen use in the beauty industry, many camping-centric sunscreens lack nourishing ingredients for the skin.
This is where Utu comes in, a new sunscreen brand that seeks to bring advanced skincare to outdoor enthusiasts. Utu's products are plastic-free, reef-safe, aquatic-friendly, cruelty-free, and bio-based.
Welch narrated: "Many brands will have a logo that says 'recyclable' on it. The reality is that yes, hypothetically, these items are — but you have to have an advanced recycling facility that will accept coloured plastic, and most will not."
"And if you have two types of coloured plastic on a product, it cannot be recycled. I thought, 'You know, there must be a way to create a brand and a product that's both effective in terms of what it delivers, but also done in a [truly] sustainable manner." And that was the beginning of Utu," he boasted.
Founder Richard Welch aims to promote responsible sun care that benefits both the environment and the skin. Utu achieves this by using packaging made from recyclable materials like cardboard and aluminium and by including active ingredients like zinc oxide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C and E to improve skin health. Only then, the aluminium solutions can be sent for recycling, separately, and the plastics are usually dealt with elsewhere.
The addition of aluminium is commendable as the non-ferrous metal is 100% recyclable and can be put through rigorous recycling processes without losing its original properties, making it infinitely reusable.
Welch vocalised his vision: "It took me eight months to find a supplier that would provide us with a tube that doesn't have a plastic film sprayed on the inside. We've even got a cap that's made of aluminium."
"Our philosophy is to protect, nourish and rejuvenate both skin and planet. Utu is appealing to that person who wants to take care of themselves but also wants a sunscreen that isn't going to poison their skin or the water they're jumping into, or, you know, whatever environment they're in," Welch elucidated.
Their four products, including a Broad Spectrum SPF30 Moisturizing Sunscreen and a Broad Spectrum SPF50 Tinted SPF Stick, all come in 100% recyclable aluminium packaging. The stick version of the sunscreen also offers refills, minimising waste.
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