Knoll Packaging and Guerlain release breakthrough Skincare Refill using Knoll Ecoform Molded Pulp

November 6, 2025

Knoll Packaging, the global leader in deluxe sustainable packaging, and Guerlain are proud to announce the launch of the first Skincare Refill using Knoll Ecoform Molded Pulp co-created with Guerlain exclusively for Guerlain’s Orchidée Impériale THE NEW LONGEVITY CREAM

This pioneering refill represents a major advancement in sustainable luxury packaging. It is the result of more than three years of collaborative research and development, during which Knoll Packaging and Guerlain’s innovation teams worked to design, test, and validate a molded pulp solution capable of protecting one of Guerlain’s most precious skincare formulas. It required the creation of new methods to assess its performance and meet Guerlain’s exacting quality standards. More than 9,500 test pieces were produced and over 80 airtightness tests carried out.

 

The refill is currently patent-pending with Guerlain and Knoll Packaging (FR 24 04336). 

 

Technical & Functional Innovation in Packaging

The challenge of developing a skincare refill in molded pulp required achieving both structural performance and aesthetic refinement. Unlike traditional pulp applications, the Knoll Ecoform solution was engineered to:

• Provide product protection, ensuring the integrity of Guerlain’s Orchidée Impériale THE NEW LONGEVITY CREAM. The refill incorporates a polymer film to guarantee the product’s preservation.
• Maintain precision tolerances, achieved through advanced tooling and custom molding techniques.
• Deliver a luxury-grade finish, with smooth surfaces and defined geometry that align with Guerlain’s exacting standards of elegance and consumer experience.
• Ease of Use: The molded pulp refill can be removed and replaced without tools, offering a smooth, intuitive consumer experience.
• Ensure compatibility with Guerlain’s refill system, seamlessly integrating into the product’s overall design.

This marks the first time molded pulp has been validated to meet the technical requirements of high-performance skincare refills.

 

Sustainability Impact

Knoll Ecoform is produced from renewable plant-based materials, including bagasse (a byproduct of sugarcane processing) and certified wood fibers. These fibers are sourced responsibly, creating a mainly recyclable solution that reduces reliance on single-use plastics.

The production process is designed with sustainability in mind:

•   Ten times lighter³, this innovative system required three years’ development and the creation of new methods to assess its performance and meet Guerlain’s exacting quality standards.

³Calculated compared to the weight of the materials in the refill.

• Elimination of virgin plastic, supporting circular economy principles.
• End-of-life recyclability, enabling consumers to mainly recycle the refill in local paper streams.

"Our collaboration with Guerlain demonstrates how technical innovation in packaging can accelerate sustainability in the luxury sector. This launch redefines what is possible with molded pulp—proving it can deliver both protection and prestige. It our possibly the biggest innovation breakthrough in Knoll Packaging’s over 40-year history." Said Noemie Leblond, European Manager, Knoll Packaging.

"Eco-design, driving force behind innovation at Guerlain, is reflected in this unprecedented cellulose refill, opening up new perspectives for our products and, more generally, for refills in the cosmetics industry. The Formes de Luxe Award demonstrates Guerlain's sustainable commitment, anchored in all our businesses and partnerships." said Claire Coletti, Global Sustainability Director of Guerlain.

 

Setting a New Industry Standard

The Guerlain Skincare Refill using Knoll Ecoform Molded Pulp is not only a breakthrough in material science but also a signal of where luxury beauty packaging is headed. It merges sustainability, functionality, and luxury aesthetics, providing a blueprint for future refill solutions across the industry. 

 

The innovation recently won Best Refill at the Formes de Luxe Awards in Monaco. The awards celebrate the biggest innovations and is regarded as the most prestigious in the industry.