Cosmetic packaging in Italy has a complex history, closely intertwined with the evolution of design, fashion and beauty. Our country is among the world leaders in the production of cosmetic packaging. But this primacy has its roots in decades of craftsmanship, aesthetic research and industrial innovation.
The origins of cosmetic packaging: artisanal perfumeries
The first forms of cosmetic packaging in Italy date back to the end of the 19th century, when artisanal perfumeries began to package their products in blown glass bottles and decorated cardboard boxes.
Already in the 1920s and 1930s, historic brands such as Bulgari and Paglieri introduced packaging that combined elegance and functionality, often inspired by Art Deco, anticipating the importance of aesthetics in packaging.
The boom years: the industry takes flight
The real leap in quality occurs in the post-WWII period. In the 1950s and 1960s, with the economic boom, the Italian cosmetics sector explodes. Companies such as Collistar and Deborah Milano begin mass production and invest in eye-catching packaging.
Coated cardboard and metallic paints become synonymous with accessible luxury, paving the way for the spread of Made in Italy in the world of beauty.
Cosmetic packaging: from craftsmanship to industrial design
In the 1980s and 1990s, Italy becomes one of the main European hubs for cosmetic packaging. Specialized industrial districts emerge, such as the Ticino Valley (between Milan and Novara), which still today represents one of the most important production hubs at European level.
Unlike other countries such as France (more focused on perfume) or Germany (more oriented towards dermocosmetics), Italy is developing a complete approach: from skincare to make-up, with increasingly refined packaging solutions.
Global leadership and sustainability
Some research conducted by the Packaging Innovation Observatory of the University of Bologna reports significant data, such as the perception of consumers in four European countries (France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy) with respect to the topic of sustainability. Italy is the country with the highest percentage of interviewees concerned about the environmental impact of our habits (90%, compared to 83% in the UK and 86% in Germany and France, 2020 data).
From 2020 onwards, in fact, attention to eco-packaging has marked a new phase. FSC cardboard, printing with vegetable inks, and refillable packaging are now the new standard.
Generation Z is particularly attentive to protecting the environment: 80% believe that companies should adopt concrete measures for the planet.
For Italian paper companies like Moreschini, cosmetic packaging is a dynamic present and a future full of opportunities, in which creativity remains the true signature of Made in Italy.
