Monaco, October 2009. Luxe Pack 2009 marks 25 years of cosmetic and perfume packaging applications that have benefited from the aesthetic freedom and functional performance of DuPont™ Surlyn®. First used for perfume caps in the mid-80s, the growing range of stunning designs in glass-like quality for the caps, closures, jars and bottles of the leading brands from the world of fragrances and cosmetics, including Calvin Klein, Givenchy, Christian Dior and L’Oreal, bears testament to the growing familiarity of designers and moulders with the almost limitless design possibilities of the DuPont polymer. The new Surlyn® 3D overmoulding technology is set to continue the innovation trend.
A durable and transparent alternative to glass
While the majority of today’s perfume bottles continue to be made of glass, the quest for a lighter, more durable, yet equally transparent alternative material for their caps and closures commenced over a quarter of a century ago, as Prosper Zufferey, processing expert at DuPont Cosmetic Solutions, recalls. “Initial mouldings of caps for sample bottles, produced in 1984, revealed the unique combination of properties that Surlyn® can offer: glass-like clarity, functional performance, appealing surfaces, a luxurious feel and ease of production.
Importantly, the polymer is thoroughly resistant to the ingredients of the fragrance and does not alter the nature of the scent. Closures moulded from Surlyn® would neither break nor crack, nor allow any emanation of the fragrance, even after a long service life.” Building on these properties, the first major commercial application of Surlyn® in the cosmetic and perfume sector came at the end of 1984, when it was used for the transparent, amber-coloured caps of Calvin Klein’s Obsession fragrance, as well as for the solid, heavy-looking lids of cream jars from the same range. Applications for other big name brands, including Givenchy and Dior, were soon to follow.
Turning dreams into reality
A dramatic demonstration of the almost limitless design potential of Surlyn® in perfume caps was provided just a few years later, when the renowned French sculptor and designer Serge Mansau first used the material for the “Flower” range of fragrances from Kenzo. Moulded into six different, intricate shapes of flowers, the Surlyn® caps were produced with a frosted effect directly from the moulding tool and without any additional post-processing stages. Their frosted, silky appearance resembled that of glass produced by the world-famous company Lalique – indeed, in the years to come, the glass manufacturer itself would choose to the material for the closures of its own range of fragrances ‘Lalique pour Homme’. “Surlyn® helped develop my creativity by turning my dreams into reality,” claims Mansau, who has continued to work with the material for more than two decades for a number of renowned couturiers. “Surlyn® is as easy to transform as any natural product and represents the perfect substitute for glass or crystal with its reduced weight and ability to play with light. In my opinion, the material should be adopted across the whole industry. Its dimension is entirely universal.”
A further stunning example of the crystal-like quality of Surlyn®, and its ability to recreate intricate designs, was the more recent launch of Délices de Cartier with a transparent, flower-shaped cap. The material enables the production of the complex-shaped and thick-walled cap in a single injection-moulding operation, and, without sinks marks, reproduces the crystal-clear transparency of the petals so fundamental to the bottle’s overall appearance. A further challenge for the cap’s designers, Alcan Packaging Beauty in France, was the adhesion of both a Zamac ring to its base as well as a ruby-red polystyrene stone to its centre – another area where, according to Alcan, the excellent compatibility of Surlyn® with ultraviolet adhesion enabled the company to glue both ring and stone to the flower in one operation.
Easy, cost-efficient processing
The relatively simple and cost-effective production of thick parts with a clear, glass-like quality or an attractive frosted effect – or in some cases a combination of both in a single part – has contributed to the success of Surlyn® in the cosmetic and perfume industry, as Prosper Zufferey confirms. “Surlyn® is comparatively easy to mould and copies perfectly the surface aspect of the tool. In contrast to competitive materials, such as PMMA or copolyesters, Surlyn® requires a comparatively small gate to enter the tool, rendering it virtually invisible when the part is ejected tool and requiring no post-processing stages such as cutting or repolishing. Surlyn® has also a superior chemical resistance compared to other materials The finished part can replicate the visual appearance of glass, without visible sink marks or voids.”
“When the crystalline Surlyn® first appeared, exhibiting astonishing properties, it marked a clear step-change in terms of mechanical performance and chemical resistance versus PMMA,” confirms Alain Bethune, packaging research director at L'Oreal. “Used for the first time for the famous launch of Tresor by Lancome, Surlyn® has never stopped developing and improving.”
From the outset, handful of moulders have made themselves familiar with the processing requirements of Surlyn® to achieve optimal results, thereby supporting its growth. “Those companies have been quick to utilise the benefits of Surlyn® in cosmetic and perfume packaging. They have been key to our material’s success, and we would like to thank them for their contributions,” states Jonathan Cohen, global business director, DuPont Cosmetic Solutions.
Over the course of the last 25 years, DuPont has extended and enhanced its range of Surlyn® grades to reflect its adoption as a material of choice for perfume and cosmetic packaging. New grades have seen improvements made in humidity barrier performance, special grades for colour effects and improved melt flow characteristics. Surlyn® PC2000, a grade launched at the start of the 21st century, is highly suitable for injection moulding, providing enhanced processability over other grades.
It is ideal for applications where easy melt flow characteristics and high stiffness, high clarity and good abrasion resistance are desired. DuPont continues to invest in Research & Development to invent the new Surlyn® grades of tomorrow with breakthrough enhancements in terms of aesthetic effects, productivity and processability.
Surlyn® 3D overmoulding technology to go beyond glass in luxury packaging
“One of our drivers is to remove glass from the bathroom for safety reasons and to support the nomadic “on-the-go” consumer trend,” is how Arnaud Mastain, cosmetic market development manager at DuPont Cosmetic Solutions,summarises the company’s future strategy for cosmetic and perfume packaging. “Cream jars and perfume bottles moulded from Surlyn® not only offer a unique blend of visual and tactile aesthetics but are lighter and more resistant to breakage and chipping.” DuPont’s new Surlyn® 3D overmoulding technology represents a significant step towards its objective, combining enhanced design freedom and greater decoration possibilities with greater consumer safety by replacing glass. It involves the encasing, or over-moulding, of an inner container with Surlyn® resins using a unique patented process. Several layers and different resins or materials can be used for the inner container depending on the appropriate level of barrier properties and desired decorative effects.
“The multitude of design options made possible by this development is very exciting,” concludes Prosper Zufferey. “Intricate shapes and decorative effects, ranging from crystal transparency, coloured translucency or frosted effects – most of which would be extremely difficult to achieve in extrusion blow moulding or with glass – are easily produced using Surlyn® 3D overmoulding. And now, because glass has been entirely eliminated from the bottle’s design, it is safer, more robust and lighter as well as being easier and more cost-effective to produce when creating complex shapes and decorated designs.
DuPont Cosmetic Solutions brings DuPont’s "Miracles of Science" to the world of beauty and personal care by expanding the possibilities of its comprehensive range of materials and technologies, and by fostering partnerships focused on technology and consumer insight. Its primary aim is to develop new and differentiated cosmetic solutions that meet brand owners’ and designers’ needs for innovation while enhancing the consumer experience and bring more fun, emotion and well-being.
DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers is a world-class manufacturer of high-performance resins and films for a variety of packaging and industrial applications. Its best known ethylene copolymer products include Surlyn® resins for packaging and industrial applications, Bynel® coextrudable adhesives, Selar® PA amorphous polyamide barrier resins, Nucrel® acid copolymers, Elvax® EVA copolymers, Elvaloy®,
Elvaloy® AC, Entira™ and Fusabond® modifiers.
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food, building and construction, communications, and transportation.
X X X
The DuPont Oval, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, and Surlyn® are registered trademarks or trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.
|
)
57616.zip