Bioglitter®, sometimes referred to as ecoglitter, is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic based glitter and has been developed to tackle the part of microplastic pollution created by glitter.
Completely unique, Bioglitter®, biodegradable glitter, uses plant derived material as its basis rather than polyester and is the only glitter available on the market which will biodegrade into harmless substances in the natural environment.
Bioglitter® replaces the polyester film used in traditional glitter with cellulose from hardwoods, primarily eucalyptus sourced from responsibly managed and certified plantations operating PEFC™ www.pefc.org standards.
Why is itNeeded?
the plastic problem - time for change
The world is facing a major issue with plastic pollution and glitter has played its own small part. Defined as a microplastic, traditional polyester glitter takes hundreds of years to degrade.
Because of its physical size and diverse number of applications; cosmetics, clothing, cards, crafts, to name a few, the normal recycling bins and compost bins are typically not where glitter ‘ends up’.
Glitter can find its way into wastewater after bathing or washing clothing, which can then end up in our rivers and oceans. The most probable route that glitter finds its way in to marine habitats. Once in the natural environment, glitter like other microplastics, can cause physical harm to small organisms and end up entering the food chain.
We Thought Glitter Needed a Total Rethink
Making a glitter that could decompose in industrial composting processes was not enough. We thought we should go one step further and develop a glitter that would biodegrade outside in the natural environment.
Bioglitter® is the first of its kind, an ecoglitter with a core film based on a naturally biodegradable, specialised regenerated cellulose, unique in glitter production.
It’s also important to be mindful that the extent of glitter microplastics pollution is small in comparison to other forms of microplastic marine pollution such as vehicle tyre dust, wash fibres from manmade fabrics and the weathering of exterior coatings to name a few.
Needless to say, no matter how big or small the potential issue, it still needs addressing. Hence our passion to offer credible alternatives.
How DoesIt Work?
In a microbe free environment Bioglitter® is completely durable.
Once it enters the natural environment such as a farmer’s field or waste water, microbes will consume the biodegradable content turning it into carbon dioxide, water and biomass.
Bioglitter® does not dissolve in water, it needs bacteria and other microorganisms to biodegrade.
The speed at which Bioglitter biodegrades depends on local environmental factors, such as heat, moisture and concentration of microbes.
Like a leaf, Bioglitter® will degrade faster in warm and wet conditions.
Where IsBioglitter® Used?
Cosmetic Bioglitter is being used by brands in the cosmeticsindustry, just look for our Bioglitter® logo.
The Bioglitter® product family is soon to expand outside of Cosmetic Bioglitter with Deco Bioglitter®, designed for decorative and coatings industries
Also new to the range will be Craft Bioglitter® designed for artand education uses.
How It All Began
Initiated by conversations in 2010 with selected forward thinking cosmetic manufacturers, we became increasingly aware of the potential issues with small plastic particles in the environment. As a glitter company we felt duty bound to offer an eco-friendly alternative.
Forging a new way forward takes time and inevitably we have discovered lots of ways of how not to do it along the way! It was a huge challenge, however, Bioglitter® is the culmination of many years of research and development; a product which is naturally degradable, non-toxic to the environment and compliant with legislative standards.
Where We Are
Bioglitter® is the first step on our journey to providing a solution to the issue of glitter microplastic pollution and offers an eco-friendly glitter choice.
The core of Bioglitter® is a naturally biodegradable cellulose, representing more than 90% of the product’s content. It is the best foundation on which to build on to reach our ultimate 100% plastic free goal.
This Core is certified compostable in both industrial (EN13432, EN14995, ASTM D6400, ISO 17088) and home composting environments (OK Compost Home) and also marine biodegradation approved to ASTM D6691-09. No other glitter film material currently matches this criteria.
With the current incarnation of Bioglitter® we have already come a long way to achieving our goal of a naturally biodegradable and plastic free glitter. Being 92% plastic free and degradable outside in the natural environment, Bioglitter™ already significantly reduces its effect on nature. Nevertheless we are working hard to go further…
Plans For The Future
The challenge continues. Making the final steps can be increasingly difficult, however, the future possibilities have us all energised and excited about things to come. We feel incredibly privileged to have this opportunity to make a difference. Currently we are investing in a major research and development program to drive Bioglitter® to its ultimate goal of being totally plastic free. Watch this space for our latest announcements and new products!
The month of April proved to be a successful one for us as we hit the headlines across the world following the launch of our innovative product, Bioglitter Sparkle. Headlines were not the only thing we grabbed as our trip to Amsterdam saw us claim Gold for the second year running as we claimed the […]
Bioglitter® strikes gold for a 2nd time at In Cosmetics Global.
Bioglitter stikes gold again!!! For the second year running Ronald Britton are awarded Gold for Cosmetic Bioglitter® Pure for most Innovative Cosmetic Raw Material at In Cosmetics 2018 in Amsterdam. http://www.in-cosmetics.com/about-the-show/show-features/in-cosmetics-Awards-2018/ Award winning plastic free & biodegradable glitter! Stephen Cotton of @Bio_Glitter tells us more about their amazing product! #incosGlobal #Awards pic.twitter.com/dk11y0oFsc — in-cosmetics […]
BIOGLITTER® SUCCESSFULLY TRIALED ON GREETINGS CARDS
Interest in eco-friendly glitters extends outside the cosmetics industry. Bioglitter® has successfully trialed in the gift card printing, paving the way for Ronald Britton’s new family of Bioglitter® products for the printing, coating and decorative industries; Deco Bioglitter®. Deco Bioglitter® is due to be launched June 2018. http://www.pgbuzz.net/biodegradable-glitter-is-on-the-cards-with-trials-underway/
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Our Address:
Ronald Britton Ltd, Lancashire,
OL12 0HQ, United Kingdom
