When you place a body wash bottle into your kerbside recycling bin, its journey is only beginning.
We frequently see packaging described with simple claims such as "100% Recyclable." But there is an important difference between a material being technically recyclable and a particular item actually being collected, sorted and reprocessed into a new product.
Understanding what happens after collection helps explain why packaging design matters — and why, at APPLE & BEARS, we believe responsible packaging requires looking beyond the recycling symbol.
The Reality of Kerbside Recycling
Once collected, household recycling is transported to sorting facilities where different materials are separated before being sent for further processing.
The exact process varies between facilities, but modern systems can use mechanical screening, magnets, air separation and Near-Infrared (NIR) optical sorting technologies to separate different materials. PET bottles collected through kerbside systems can, for example, be sorted by resin type and sometimes by colour using NIR or X-ray technology.
For plastics, identifying the specific polymer is particularly important. PET, HDPE and PP are different materials and follow different recycling and reprocessing routes.
Getting a package into the recycling bin is therefore only the first step in a multi-stage journey:
- Collection: Is the packaging type accepted by the recycling system serving your household? Collection rules differ between local authorities, so consumers should check their local guidance. Recycle Now — What happens to my recycling?
- Sorting: Once collected, packaging needs to be correctly identified and separated. Packaging design can influence this process — labels, sleeves, colours, coatings and combinations of materials can all affect how an item performs during sorting and reprocessing.
- Reprocessing: Sorted material must reach a suitable reprocessor capable of turning it into usable secondary raw material. PET, for example, can be mechanically recycled through washing, grinding and reprocessing into new material.
- End Markets: Finally, there must be commercial demand for the recovered material.
Recycling is therefore not simply a question of whether a material can be recycled. It is a shared system involving collection, sorting, reprocessing and market demand.
Recyclable, Recycled and PCR — What Do They Mean?
These terms are often used interchangeably on beauty counters, but they describe different stages of a material’s life cycle:
| Term | What It Means | Real-World Context |
|---|---|---|
| Recyclable | The material or packaging has the potential to be collected and processed through an appropriate recycling system. | Actual collection and recycling depend on local infrastructure and packaging design. |
| Recycled | Material that has already been recovered and reprocessed into another material or product. | It has already completed a recycling process. |
| Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) | Material recovered from products that have been used by consumers, collected and processed for use again. | Gives previously used material another application and can reduce reliance on virgin raw materials. |
A bottle can therefore be made from a recyclable material without necessarily being recycled.
That distinction is important.
Moving the conversation beyond the word “recyclable” is essential if we want to understand what actually happens to packaging after use.
Why APPLE & BEARS Chose PET
Our primary body wash bottles are made from PET — Polyethylene Terephthalate.
PET is not perfect. It is a fossil-based plastic, and choosing it does not make our packaging impact-free.
So why did we choose it?
One of the most important reasons is its established recycling value.
PET is a widely used packaging material with established collection and sorting routes and reprocessing infrastructure. Recovered PET can also be processed into secondary raw material for applications including new packaging and other products.
For us, that matters.
We wanted to choose a material that could participate in established recycling systems rather than choosing packaging based simply on appearance or perception.
You can see the PET packaging used across our current body wash range in the APPLE & BEARS Body Wash Collection.
But recycling value was not the only consideration.
Lightweight Packaging
PET is considerably lighter than glass, which was an important practical consideration for us.
Less packaging mass moving through our supply chain — from manufacturing and filling through distribution and final delivery — means there is less weight to transport.
Packaging weight is therefore one of the factors we took into account when choosing the material for our products.
Durability in the Bathroom
Body wash is used in wet environments, often with wet or slippery hands.
A bottle can be dropped.
PET provides a durable, shatter-resistant alternative to glass, making it practical for everyday bathroom use.
For us, packaging needs to work not only environmentally, but also in the hands of the person actually using the product.
Why Didn’t We Simply Choose Glass?
Glass has many positive qualities.
It has a premium aesthetic, can be recycled repeatedly and remains an important packaging material across many industries.
However, packaging decisions should consider more than one characteristic.
Glass is substantially heavier than PET, meaning more weight has to be transported throughout the supply chain.
It can also break when dropped, which is particularly relevant for products used in showers and bathrooms, where broken glass can create a genuine risk of injury.
For our body-care products, PET offered what we considered a more practical balance of:
- recycling value
- weight
- durability
- bathroom safety
- product protection
- compatibility with established recycling systems
That does not mean PET is always the better material.
It means we considered the needs of our particular products and customers when making the decision.
Packaging Design Matters Too
Choosing the right base material is only part of the decision.
We also considered how we put our branding and product information onto the bottle.
For our gloss-white PET bottles, we chose direct two-colour printing onto the bottle rather than using a separate plastic adhesive label or full-body plastic sleeve.
There was a straightforward reason.
If we can print directly onto the bottle, we avoid introducing another separate plastic component simply to carry the branding and product information.
And there is an important trade-off.
Direct printing costs more than applying a conventional plastic label.
We accepted that additional production cost because we believe avoiding unnecessary additional plastic is the more responsible choice.
In other words, this was not a decision made because it was cheaper.
It was a decision where we believed the environmental consideration outweighed the additional production cost.
Keeping the packaging simpler also means we are not adding a separate full-body plastic covering around the bottle where we believe one is unnecessary.
Packaging design can influence what happens during sorting and recycling, which is why we believe it is important to think about the complete packaging format rather than looking only at the base material. PETCORE Europe highlights the importance of packaging design in supporting recyclability and circularity.
We do not claim that direct printing automatically makes a bottle recyclable.
Recycling outcomes still depend on collection, sorting, reprocessing infrastructure and the particular materials and design involved.
But for us, avoiding an additional plastic component is a practical step towards reducing unnecessary material in our packaging.
Sustainability Without Pretending to Be Perfect
There is a temptation in sustainability to look for simple answers:
A material is recyclable. A package is sustainable. A symbol appears on the bottle. Problem solved.
Real-world systems are far more complex.
PET is derived from fossil-based raw materials. Recycling infrastructure varies between locations. Not every item placed into a recycling bin will necessarily complete the recycling journey.
We believe it is better to acknowledge those realities than to suggest that choosing a recyclable material solves the entire packaging problem.
Responsible packaging means making informed choices, understanding the compromises and continuing to improve.
Sometimes the more responsible choice costs more.
Sometimes avoiding an additional material is worth the extra production cost.
And sometimes the best available option is not a perfect solution — it is simply a pragmatic, better step forward.
For more on our wider approach, read Sustainability Without Pretending to Be Perfect in the APPLE & BEARS Press Room.
What Can Consumers Do?
Consumers are an essential part of the recycling journey.
Follow Local Guidelines
Follow the specific recycling instructions provided by your local authority.
Recycling requirements can differ between areas, so local guidance is always the best reference for what should be placed in your recycling bin.
Ask the Bigger Question
Instead of asking: “Is this labelled recyclable?”
ask: “Can this packaging realistically be collected, identified, sorted and reprocessed where I live?”
That is a much more meaningful question.
Our Approach to Responsible Beauty
At APPLE & BEARS, we don’t believe sustainability means pretending that every decision we make is perfect.
It means understanding the choices available, recognising their limitations and continuing to look for better ones.
We chose PET because we believe its established recycling value and practical durability make it a sensible material for our body-care products.
We chose direct printing because we wanted to avoid adding another separate plastic component to the bottle — even though doing so costs us more.
Neither decision makes our packaging impact-free.
But responsible beauty is not about claiming perfection.
It is about making better, more deliberate decisions where we can.
Recyclability is not simply a symbol printed on a package. It is a system.
We chose PET as one pragmatic step on that journey.
And we remain committed to finding the next one.
