Manufacturing and Carbon Footprint

August 5, 2025•Climate

Turning raw materials into that lipstick or lotion on your counter involves energy – often from burning fossil fuels – and other resources. The carbon footprint of beauty products comes from multiple stages: -Factory Emissions: Factories need electricity (often from grid = fossil fuels) to run mixers, heating elements, conveyors, etc. They may use steam or heat in processes like distillation or sterilization. Unless a factory runs on renewable energy, this contributes CO₂. Some big companies have started to green their factories with solar panels or purchasing renewable energy credits. But not all production has caught up, especially contract manufacturers. - Transportation: Consider the travel: ingredients shipped from all over to the factory, then finished products shipped to distribution centers and stores worldwide. That could be via trucks, ships, planes – all emitting CO₂. For instance, a lot of packaging (like cheap plastic compacts or components) might be made in one country (say, China), shipped to a filler in another (maybe USA or France) to be filled with product, then shipped globally. It adds up. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the beauty supply chain are significant; one brand found packaging transport was a big chunk of their footprint, prompting them to localize production where possible. - Packaging Production: Manufacturing packaging (bottles, tubes, palettes) also has a footprint. Glass is energy-intensive to melt and mold (but can be more often recycled, offsetting that if recycled widely). Plastic is made from petroleum (so its carbon footprint includes oil extraction & refining + molding). Even paper boxes have a footprint (pulping wood, etc., though that can be sustainable if managed forests and renewable energy are used). -Scale of the Industry’s Footprint: Let’s put some perspective: The beauty industry is valued at over $500 billion. A British Beauty Council report from 2020 found beauty (in the UK context) had an annual carbon footprint of about 37 million tons of CO₂ (including products and services), roughly equivalent to around 1% of total UK emissions – not negligible. Globally, it’s hard to pinpoint, but when you factor in plastic production, shipping, etc., it’s a non-trivial amount. - Air Pollution: Manufacturing can also release particulate matter or VOCs that contribute to smog. For example, making aerosol propellants or certain chemical processes might emit volatile compounds. Workers in manufacturing can be exposed to these if not properly managed, which is both an environmental and occupational health issue. - Waste & Water Pollution: Factories produce waste – off-spec batches, chemical solvents, cleaning water. If not treated, these could pollute waterways. Many large companies have wastewater treatment on-site, but smaller ones might rely on municipal treatment. Spills or accidents can happen – e.g., a pigment spill could contaminate local water. Also, think of dyes or adhesives used in packaging printing – their production and cleanup have impacts.

A shining light

a number of brands have committed to carbon neutrality. For instance, some are offsetting emissions by investing in renewable energy or forest conservation projects. Others are redesigning their supply chains to cut down distance or using sea freight over air freight (air has a much higher carbon footprint per ton). The rise of “waterless” beauty also helps reduce shipping weight (less water means lighter products or even powdered forms that consumer adds water to at home). And innovative approaches like 3D printing makeup (reducing excess production) or on-demand mixing machines at point of sale (not mainstream yet, but envisioned) could cut waste.

As consumers, we can support brands with robust sustainability commitments or third-party certifications (like carbon-neutral certified). Also, simply using products fully (not wasting what was produced) and buying local when possible helps. The British Beauty Council data also mentioned that 41% of consumers feel guilty about beauty’s environmental impact, indicating a readiness to change habits if given the chance.

Manufacturing and Carbon Footprint

A shining light

Related reading