Sustainably-focused luxury beauty brand Aora México has partnered with rePurpose Global to become the first plastic-free beauty brand certified as Plastic Negative. This partnership comes at a critical time: according to waste management company Zero Waste, “data taken from Zero Waste Week shows that in 2018 alone more than 120 billion units of cosmetics packaging were produced globally.”
We spoke to rePurpose Global’s CEO and Co-Founder, Svanika Balasubramanian, and Aora México’s CEO and Co-Founder, Nour Tayara, to understand the significance of this initiative and its potential impact on the cosmetics and personal care industry.
A holistic approach to plastic waste reduction
“What really made Aora stand out to us was their fresh, holistic approach to sustainability both in practice and in how they are communicating about it,” Balasubramanian began. “Aora is 100% plastic-free, 100% recycle-ready, and for every plastic-free product sold, they remove nine times the waste of an equivalent plastic product,” she explained.
Instead of traditional plastics, the brand turned to “noble materials like metals and wood,” explained Tayara, which “always gives the better, chicer and more robust solution.”
Aora’s initiative aligned with rePurpose Global’s broader mission to drive systemic change in waste management. For example, Balasubramanian emphasized the urgency of the plastic pollution crisis, noting that “plastic waste leaking into oceans will triple by 2040.”
Further, she illustrated, “even if all existing government and industry commitments are met, this will reduce this inflated total by just 7%.”
For rePurpose, she continued, as the self-described “world’s leading plastic action platform,“ the organization is well aware that “there are very real challenges for brands to design away from plastic while meeting performance, health and safety, and regulatory requirements.”
Therefore, Aora matches rePurpose’s ethos by “demonstrating that you can create luxurious, functional beauty products using non-plastic packaging and even unlock unique opportunities to delight consumers.”
The impact of Plastic Negativity Certification
Through the Plastic Negative program, Aora and rePurpose Global aim to raise awareness about the scale of plastic waste in the beauty industry. “Aora’s Plastic Negative program highlights the stark reality that for every plastic product recycled globally, nine are not,” Balasubramanian stated.
She added that Aora is redefining the sustainability conversation with engaging messaging such as #plasticcouldnever, fostering an innovative approach to eco-conscious beauty.
According to its company website, rePurpose Global’s Plastic Negative certification requires brands to measure their plastic footprint and fund the recovery of at least twice as much plastic waste as used in their operations.
“The rePurpose Global mark isn’t just a badge—it’s a bold statement,” Balasubramanian said. She further emphasized that it represents “a promise that every product bearing this mark is part of a global movement to protect the planet, uplift communities, and drive meaningful change.”
The vision behind Aora México
Tayara has a long history in the beauty industry, having previously worked at L’Oréal, and he shared how he saw an opportunity for smaller brands to lead in sustainable innovation.
“Plastic isn’t a luxury experience, and I thought luxury products and their consumers deserve something better,” Tayara said. “At Aora, we are all about reimagining everything and doing it better,” and “plastic-free packaging is just the beginning.”
Tayara also highlighted the cultural influence behind Aora’s brand ethos. “Mexico is my muse,” he said, and “it has been for nearly a decade.”
“I came to Mexico and fell in love with the colors, the people, the culture,” he described, and now “Mexico is finally having its moment among curious travelers.”
To fulfill Aora’s mission, “we have to be able to bring beauty to people while also making the world more beautiful,” Tayara shared. For example, the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Danielle Azoulay, who also brings experience from L’Oréal, is helping shape the brand’s sustainability strategies.
Innovative packaging solutions
Regarding the brand’s sustainable packaging material design, Tayara noted that “good ideas need good execution partners.”
Aora “wanted to make sure our consumers didn’t have to compromise their desire for self-expression when choosing our products.” To maintain functionality and aesthetics, the brand has used materials such as tin, aluminum, and even wood.
“Aesthetics is non-negotiable,” Tayara acknowledged, but “the problem with sustainable beauty until now is that it is all a bit beige.”
He further shared the challenges of developing sustainable packaging: “We are in a world where everyone can start a brand overnight, choosing from formulas, packaging and branding that are on self-serve.”
As a result, he advised, “when you choose a path where the formulas are mega clean, the packaging is unexisting yet, and untested, get ready for the challenges!”
In Aora’s experience, successfully navigating these challenges meant that “we found the best suppliers willing to go on this journey with us,” and “it was an iterative process with a lot of test and learn.”
The future of sustainable beauty
Aora’s “Buy 1, Remove 9X the Plastic” initiative ensures that nine times the equivalent plastic waste is removed from the environment for every product sold. “While we are thrilled to be a plastic-free brand, we don’t think that exempts us from participating in the clean-up that other brands have left behind for decades,” Tayara stated.
He elaborated on the industry-wide challenge: “Many people don’t realize that beauty packaging is not recyclable… [which is] completely unacceptable and antithetical to the ethos of what we are trying to do.”
With 95% of beauty packaging still relying on plastic, Tayara believes the industry must take more aggressive steps. “The innovation is there, companies just have to take a leap of faith and trust that consumers will come on this journey,” he said.
Looking ahead, Aora plans to expand its plastic-free product range. “Expect gorgeous metal compacts, a new take on ingredients, complex mechanisms for refills, and overall, a lot of shine!” Tayara teased.
