Sustainability in Disposable Hygiene pt. 1 with Christophe Morel and Laurianne Libralesso

The movement towards more sustainable products—important to consumers and manufacturers alike—has created multiple challenges and opportunities for disposable hygiene manufacturers today. Even when addressed with transparency, information from producers can quickly garner scepticism, distrust, and a bad reputation overall. In Part 1 of this episode of "Attached to Hygiene," host Jack Hughes is joined by Bostik's Global Market Marketing Manager, Market Insights and Sustainable Innovation, Christophe Morel, and Bostik's R&D Engineer, Laurianne Libralesso, to discuss how Bostik views and defines sustainability in the scope of disposable hygiene adhesives.

Sustainable products – What are the real issues?

Sustainability isn’t just about protecting the environment. That’s one important aspect, yes, but Christophe Morel identifies the societal aspects of consumer safety and consumer perception as also worthy of focused attention. Today, the most talked-about material for sustainable and non-sustainable products is plastics—specifically single-use plastics. Unfortunately, when the consumer thinks plastics, they can also think chemicals—a word whose mere mention can generate fear. (This is called Chemophobia.) While producers can work to address concerns about substances of interest (SOI), helping the consumer to FEEL safe is also a priority.

The other issue lies in how a product's plastics impact the environment. A National Geographic study shows that about 91% of plastics used are never recycled. According to UNEP, the world produces 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. Today, that plastic waste can end up in landfills and, unfortunately, in far-off waters. But there are steps the disposable hygiene industry—and suppliers like Bostik—can take to improve sustainability going forward. Christophe and Laurianne outline several opportunities already being pursued.

 

Go to Episode

 

Outline of the Episode

• [03:13] Where consumers see issues when it comes to a product's sustainability
• [04:21] A quick calculation on the number of plastics produced each year 
• [08:32] How producers respond to the market's increased attention on sustainable products
• [12:22] How does Bostik define sustainable adhesives?
• [16:09] When it comes to hygiene products, safety is the top concern!
• [20:08] What the pandemic revealed about how consumers receive information
• [24:53] The market's scepticism around chemicals present in hygiene products
• [27:51] What is chemophobia, and how does it impact the market?
• [33:24] Manufacturers seek the approval of independent labelling systems
• [39:14] How is Bostik supporting its article producers in gaining our customers' trust?

 

Recommended Resources

You can find Christophe Morel and Laurianne Libralesso on LinkedIn, or you can leave , or you can leave them a message through our email at [email protected].
 

Subscribe to “Attached to Hygiene” and never miss an episode!

You can email us with questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes at [email protected].

Host: Jack Hughes

Music by Jonathan Boyle

Produced and edited by: Jack Hughes with help from Paul Andrews, Michele Tonkovitz, Emory Churness, Nikki Ackerman, and Green Onion Creative.