Refill packs now available for select D’DIFFERENCE products

Packaging recycling, reuse, circular economy, sorting, refills… these topics circulate widely. We are gradually adapting to the idea that changing the behavior of 8 billion people may seem ambitious, but the belief that “everyone’s contribution counts” is slowly taking hold. Greenwashing is something I strongly dislike. It is a serious matter that should not be trivialized with slogans and cunning marketing.

Therefore, I genuinely believe that we are making progress towards incorporating more of our products into the packaging loop. What do I mean by greenwashing? When I look around the shops, I notice that 70% of the packaging is made from recycled material. However, this type of product does not fit into the packaging loop because the raw material remains unknown. The good thing is that the packaging is made from collected waste, but there is nothing further that can be done with it. It cannot be used for new packaging and will ultimately end up as either incinerated or stored in municipal waste.

Recycled materials

Based on recent incidents from some of more local cosmetics manufacturers where recycled packaging failed, we now opt for mono-material packaging in categories 1-5. To recycle these jars and tubes properly, they should be placed in designated packaging containers. If unmarked, empty packaging should be thrown in municipal waste. Those packages are incinerated and used for only energy, as no other materials can be recovered. It’s crucial to separate packaging and household waste effectively. We align our objectives with EU packaging rules and waste management guidelines.

Our efforts so far

In 2020, we launched a campaign: “Return empty packaging and receive a 15% discount on new packaging.” Within 3 months, customers returned 5 packages… Obviously, it was early.

From 2021 to 2023, we actively introduced new packaging materials – more glass, more polyethylene tubes, and polypropylene caps (packaging circle symbols 4 and 5). Whenever possible, we have eliminated product boxes. Although paper is recyclable, it burdens the environment due to its water-intensive production process and nitrogen emissions.

You, our dear customers, have helped us greatly by asking questions and sharing your feedback. The most common feedback was about the disposal of our attractive jars. We understand that you have felt sorry about throwing them away and we share that sentiment.

Refill idea

Earlier this year, we discovered that the manufacturer from whom we purchase our D’DIFFERENCE packaging offers refill options for our jars. This news initially brought us immense joy, which was soon accompanied by questions when we noticed that the contents of the jars in our warehouse wouldn’t come out when we tried to replace them. However, through experimentation, we have found a way to separate the contents from the outer shell using a little effort and a sharp object.

We have created a video demonstrating this slightly awkward exchange process. You can find the QR code instructions included in each refill pack, and a link to the video can be accessed here: https://ddifference.eu/how-to-refill/

Additionally, written replacement instructions and a selection of refill packs are available on the page.

Between 2024 and 2025, new filler jars will be gradually introduced to all refillable products, making replacements much easier as they are specifically designed for this purpose.

In the meantime, we appreciate your understanding and willingness to experiment.