Let's talk about Personal Care & Cosmetics

How to Make Biodegradable Glitter?

Written by Blue Sun International | Jun 19, 2019 12:00:00 PM

Many new types of biodegradable glitter are popping up as the perfect solution to the micro-plastics pollution partially caused by standard plastic glitter, but some of the claims made by these products manufacturers may be deceiving.As the news on plastic pollution are only getting worse, innovation is needed more than any other time before in glitter history. Glitter consumers may be easily tricked by false claims and misconceptions; learning the process of how to make biodegradable glitter is essential for any retailer who wants his customers to not be fooled.

 

The Way Plastic Glitter Hurts the Planet

The reason why innovation in glitter is so desperately needed these days is that the glitter we know, the plastic-based glitter, is terrible for the environment.

Here are some of the downsides of using plastics in glitter:

  • Since they cannot decompose, they sometimes disintegrate into very small pieces forming micro-plastics
  • Plastics can segregate gases when burned or heated
  • They cannot be buried because they do not decompose
  • Plastics cannot disappear from our world, once created they have to be kept or recycled
  • Less than 9% of plastics are recycled
  • Plastics can remain unaltered for decades or even centuries polluting the environment
  • Standard glitter is basically shiny micro-plastics, which is known to be terrible for the planet

A Naturally Biodegradable Glitter Is Needed More than Ever

Following the news on micro-plastics hurting the environment, many governments around the globe are banning products containing this type of plastics. Consequently, many alternatives to standard glitter are coming up, some of them claiming to be biodegradable or not harmful to the environment.

But very few manufacturers know how to make biodegradable glitter. The new bio-glitter needed must be an eco-friendly alternative to plastic based glitter and has to be developed to fight plastic pollution.

Bio-gitterTM arises as the ideal bio-glitter because it is naturally biodegradable thanks to:

  • The use of natural, planted-derived and non-plastic materials
  • The certification by independent testing organizations guaranteeing biodegradation in any environment
  • The replacement of the core polyester film with cellulose from hardwoods
  • The use of environmentally friendly coatings based on natural resins
  • Having eco-credentials not achieved by any other glitter in the industry

 

Other Types of Glitter Are Making False Claims

As part of the innovation required, some manufacturers of PLA and compostable glitter claim their product is bio-glitter, in other words, they claim their glitter is naturally biodegradable but in reality, they are as bad as standard glitter for the environment.

  • PLA falls into the category of recycling plastic and it is only compostable if the consumer has access to high heat of industrial composting, which is very uncommon for regular people. PLA glitter is not biodegradable.
  • Other glitter manufacturers making false claims are those of compostable glitter. Compostable glitter only decomposes if it is on a compostable soil and finds the right temperature and bacteria to start its biodegradation process, which is also very unlikely to happen. Thinking that compostable glitter is good enough is a terrible misconception.

 

Blue Sun International Is Offering the Real Biodegradable Glitter

Bio-glitterTM meets all the criteria to be considered the eco-friendliest glitter in the world. It represents innovation and it is on the journey of removing all plastics from glitter. Its latest product, BioglitterTM PURE, is the first 100% plastic free glitter in the world.

BioglitterTM PURE also has other characteristics including:

  • It holds the OK Biodegradable WATER Certification, which guarantees biodegradation in natural and freshwater environments
  • It is soft to the touch which makes it more comfortable on the consumer’s skin
  • It is aluminum free and suitable for use on lips according to the FDA regulation
  • It can be used for many purposes, including cosmetics, household, coating, printing and decorative applications
  • It complies with all current and future micro-plastic legislation
  • It is certified as having 100% Biobased Carbon Content according to Beta Analytic

The world’s first guilt free and eco-friendliest glitter in history is sold in the US only by Blue Sun International, which is the authorized reseller of the Bioglitter products and understands that the process of how to make biodegradable glitter can only be guaranteed by the company representing top innovation in glitter: Bio-glitterTM.