18/05/2026
Sustainability has become a central theme in the packaging world. Today, however, for companies in the supply chain, simply declaring a material "green" is no longer enough, it must be demonstrated through concrete data, comparable criteria, and objective analyses.
This need led to the creation of Beauty Unboxed, a project developed by Mag Data Group, Pusterla 1880, and Stratosfera, with the aim of bringing greater transparency to the world of premium packaging lamination.
The project will be previewed on May - 20 - 2026, during Packaging Première in Milan, as part of the conference: "Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Sustainability in Premium Packaging Lamination".
Why was Beauty Unboxed created?
Premium packaging has changed profoundly in recent years. It is no longer simply a question of aesthetics: today, it must reconcile brand perception, functionality, and environmental responsibility. At the same time, the market is faced with new pressures related to regulations, consumer expectations, and the growing technical complexity of materials. In this scenario, there is no longer a "standard" solution, especially when it comes to lamination.
The question many companies ask is only apparently simple: What is the most sustainable material?
The reality is more complex. Each solution represents a balance between technical performance, aesthetic appeal, recyclability, and environmental impact. Without concrete comparison tools, the risk is that decisions are made based on gut feeling.
Beauty Unboxed was created precisely to provide clarity through an independent, comparative, and non-commercial approach. The study compares six different lamination solutions applied to the same luxury cosmetic packaging, made on 300 gsm UV offset-printed cardboard. All packaging variables were kept constant, with only the lamination film modified, to obtain truly comparable results.
The material families analyzed include:
The solutions were evaluated through three main levels of analysis:
Recyclability
Recyclability was analyzed according to the Aticelca 501 and CEPI 4evergreen methods, now among the main European references for assessing the recyclability of cellulose products.
The tests considered parameters such as:
LCA – Life Cycle Assessment
The study also includes a preliminary LCA assessment to analyze the environmental impact of the different solutions throughout the packaging life cycle. The analysis considers the various production phases, from printing to lamination, distribution, and end-of-life using the EF 3.1 methodology and a gate-to-gate approach.
Durability and aesthetics over time
Another key aspect concerns the accelerated aging of packaging, carried out in a climate-controlled chamber at 80°C and 65% relative humidity, to simulate the behavior of packaging over time.
The evaluations took into account:
Beauty Unboxed does not aim to offer absolute answers, but rather concrete tools to support more informed decisions within the supply chain. The project is designed as a constantly evolving platform:
In a context where the risk of greenwashing is increasingly real and sustainability must be demonstrated, the goal is to help build a common language based on data, transparency, and technical comparison.
Want to learn more about the study's findings? Download HERE the study presentatiom
The complete results and comparative conclusions are available upon request.
For more information, please contact Mag Data Group or email marketing@mag-data.com