As a company committed to the environment, especially given the current demand for more sustainable products, Virospack has immersed itself in a not-so-easy R&D project: The development of the first mono-material dropper on the market. We are talking about a dropper entirely made of polypropylene (PP) that can be easily and fully recycled.

This development, for which the company got a grant from the Spanish CDTI -Center for Industrial and Technological Development-, will allow Virospack to introduce a push-button dropper that is highly compatible with any type of cosmetic formulation. The project is a disruptive take on the cosmetic market, since droppers have traditionally been relegated as unsustainable solutions due to their low recycling rate; they need to be dismantled before disposal, and separating the rubber bulb, PP cap, and glass pipette has represented a troublesome task not many users are willing to perform.

FACING A CHALLENGE

Creating such a dropper is a complex task. The company is betting on a circular economy with significant investments of resources and time, which means that the packaging solution will only be available in the last quarter of the year. The technological challenges are framed in three different phases, given the complexity involved in R&D activities:

Formulation of the Bulb Composition

To increase the sustainability of droppers it is necessary to find new and more competitive formulas to replace the currently used mixes of rubber and TPE, as well as glass for pipettes. PP's flexibility and barrier properties make it a good candidate for this endeavor.

Design of the New Bulb

The new design of the push-button dropper will be innovative, an alternative that has never been seen before in the market. The design of the dropper button must be completely new in terms of the internal geometry of the bulb; a perfect structure that ensures correct dosing, sealing, ergonomics, and functionality.

The Manufacturing Process of the New Bulb

The process of manufacturing the new dropper includes a prototype bulb that will be developed using a new process based on the injection blow molding (IBM) principle, the first time this type of production has been used with PP material and for items as small as bulbs, which is a challenge for the company.

Virospack will announce the launch of the finished product in due course in order to respond to inquiries and send information and samples to interested brands. Contact us to learn more.