Cosmoprof Worldwide 2026 featured four days of immersion in the world of cosmetics and personal care, covering the entire supply chain, from packaging to raw materials. Renewable Matter visited the event to gain insight into the level of integration of sustainability principles into brands’ business models and products.
With over 255,000 trade visitors from more than 150 countries and 3,000 companies in attendance, the fair once again confirmed its status this year as a privileged observation point for tracking the sector’s innovation trends. An industry which, in Italy in 2024, was worth around €18 billion, with exports accounting for almost half of total turnover, and which sees sustainability as an increasingly important lever for international competitiveness.
The growth of the green and organic sector
A first positive sign is the presence of an entire pavilion devoted to green and organic brands, where, alongside long-established names such as L’Erbolario – a benefit corporation currently in the process of obtaining B Corp certification this very year – or Bottega Verde – which has developed a specific focus on the raw materials it uses since its inception – new international names are emerging, such as Hddn Stories, a B2B wholesaler representing six other brands of natural and sustainable personal care products.
La Saponaria, an Italian brand founded in 2007 offering certified vegan organic cosmetics, is now working towards achieving Cosmos Organic certification for all its products, to which a new line of functional make-up was recently added, launched during the fair itself. Comfort Zone, a brand of the Davines group and one of the first Italian companies to be B Corp certified, has recently changed its slogan to “A good life”, an invitation to rediscover balance between ourselves and the planet, shifting the focus from individual gain to a more harmonious relationship between environmental, economic and social well-being. At Cosmoprof, the brand unveiled new additions to its growing range of beauty products while maintaining the same quality and attention to raw materials, supply chain, and packaging, as recognised by the Best Packaging Award 2024 Special Environment. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a defining feature, as well as a competitive advantage, enabling the brand to stand out in a mature and highly dynamic market.
This is Bellezza and the industrial value of Italian cosmetics
Throughout the fair, Cosmetica Italia presented This is Bellezza, a project which marks the beginning of a major alliance for the Italian beauty industry. “Cosmetics represent a sector of Italian excellence, from research to production, from packaging to distribution, and can have a positive impact on people, thanks to the social value and essential nature of cosmetics, and on the entire national economy due to the significant economic and employment benefits,” commented Benedetto Lavino, president of Cosmetica Italia. “With This is Bellezza, we are embracing an important challenge and responsibility […] which also aims to involve all stakeholders so that together we can help promote the uniqueness of Italian beauty across the entire supply chain and support the competitiveness of our businesses.”
The European landscape between certifications and new consumption patterns
Looking to the European context, a strong presence from the United Kingdom is worth noting, featuring brands such as Doctor Organic, which, in addition to holding COSMOS certification for over 111 products, uses 100% recycled plastic recovered from our oceans, rivers and coastlines in a selected range of products, alongside other environmental and social sustainability initiatives that extend beyond its production sites.
GeoOrganics, an oral hygiene brand, has also observed over its ten years of activity how the Covid period has dampened consumer interest, while hoping to see a change, as founder Charles van Boxmeer tells Renewable Matter. Other notable players include Salt of the Earth, a B Corp-certified sustainable deodorant brand, and, moving to the Netherlands, Nuud, a well-established, ten-year-old company that, after an initial hurdle linked to pricing, "now benefits from greater consumer awareness, with consumers increasingly able to distinguish between mass-market products and solutions designed according to sustainability-by-design criteria," as founder Martijn van Seters tells Renewable Matter.
Asian innovation in skincare and beauty technology
Turning our attention to the East, we find Beesline, a Beegan company – as it describes itself – founded in Lebanon thirty years ago and certified as a B Corp less than a month ago, whose mission is to protect wild bees. The sustainability of its products begins with the selection of ingredients and extends to the packaging, which favours refill solutions in powder or stick form and includes a wide range of skincare products. In addition to its products, the company is involved in awareness-raising programmes aimed at young people through the Young Guardians initiative in schools.
In Asia, the Korean contingent is as strong as ever. Alongside numerous stands spread across the various halls, South Korea has an entire dedicated space. One of the brands on display, Ecobe – certified vegan – aims to fill a market gap with sustainable, cruelty-free and fragrance-free products designed for sensitive skin.
Cowsorker, a beauty and oral care product manufacturer, is also looking to the Italian market, considering vegan certification a key factor in building consumer trust. On the other hand, the Chinese pavilion brings together numerous beauty technology manufacturers, including electronic devices, hair straighteners and personal care tools, confirming that sustainability and technological innovation are not separate but converging paths.
Ecodesign, packaging and supply chain: the circularity lever
Packaging and supply chain management are crucial levers for reducing the sector’s environmental impact. Solutions developed by companies such as Tosla in Slovenia, alongside alternatives based on materials like Ocean Wave Plastic, reflect a growing commitment to circular models. Looking at the Italian market, White Castle, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, is opening a new 5.0 facility. Since its opening, the product range has gradually expanded to include solid cosmetics, as Patrizia Vanoni Franchi, Research & Development Manager and a second-generation member of the company, tells Renewable Matter. Among the latest projects is the upcycling of ingredients, such as fig leaves from the Mediterranean, grape and wheat germ sourced from agri-food waste, all with the aim of further circularising the production supply chain.
Ecodesign is now an increasingly widespread approach, incorporating environmental considerations from the earliest stages of product development and aimed at reducing its impact throughout its entire life cycle. Companies in the sector are focusing on selecting recycled or recyclable materials, decreasing the volume and weight of packaging, introducing refillable solutions, and promoting sustainable behaviours among consumers. Cosmetica Italia's second edition of the Observatory on Sustainability in the Italian Cosmetics Sector found that 96% of companies surveyed are implementing at least one measure to improve packaging sustainability, reflecting a similar focus throughout the supply chain.
At the same time, companies are revising their production models, focusing on reducing CO₂, optimising processes, and managing waste and water resources more efficiently. 76% of the electricity purchased and used comes from renewable sources, while water use – both as an ingredient and in production processes – remains one of the sector’s most significant environmental impacts. 78% of cosmetics companies adopt waste management policies, a figure that rises to 93% across the supply chain. 54% of the companies surveyed produce a sustainability report, a figure that rises to 71% when considering the entire value chain.
Supply chains and corporate social responsibility
Supply chain sustainability and corporate social responsibility are confirmed as strategic factors in promoting environmental and social practices throughout the supply chain. Around 63% of the companies surveyed apply social and environmental criteria when assessing their suppliers. Both cosmetics companies and those in the supply chain support corporate social responsibility initiatives linked to non-profit organisations and schools, as well as cultural and sporting projects. The path towards an ESG strategy, concludes Benedetto Lavino, “involves every cog in the cosmetics supply chain and is a key element for its future development.”
Cover: photo by Michela Seresini