Is Holo Eco-Friendly?

What a tricky question that is! A few months earlier, holographic glitter was anything but eco-friendly. Typically, it is made from plastic cut in the shape of hearts, moons and stars with a dazzling rainbow effect. It is beautiful but a biohazard and source of pollution of oceans and rivers. However Bioglitter™ HOLO entered the market as the FIRST plant-based, biodegradable holographic glitter in the world!

Holographic glitter is highly demanded due to its beautiful rainbow effect and metallic finish. It is the crème de la crème in the glittering world, especially for arts & crafts and decorations. However, all that sparkle comes with a cost.

When buying holographic glitter, even the so-called “biodegradable glitters”, you must read the fine print. The truth is that until March 2022, any holographic glitter brand claiming to be biodegradable was simply lying or over-stretching the “eco properties” of their product (aka - greenwashing).

Indeed, a few months back, Ronald Britton Ltd, the British company behind Bioglitter™ HOLO, was still “in the making” of a genuine biodegradable holographic glitter that could be both eco-friendly and live up to the glittery expectations.

What Is Holographic Glitter Made of?

Glitter is made from sheets of plastic film with a metallic finish (mainly polyester, PET or polyethylene terephthalate) chopped into small pieces no greater than 5 millimeters. 

In the case of holographic glitter, it goes beyond because it has an embossed or raised pattern on the surface. The result? Light bends and rebounds in different directions giving away the colors of light, just like a rainbow. 

So, holographic glitter shines and gives you a punch of color at the same time! It all sounds lovely until you remember that glitter is plastic, or to be more precise, microplastic. And remember that plastic can take up to 400 hundred years to degrade.

The moment glitter is shed from a greeting card or washed off our faces, it will go down the drain and end up in oceans and rivers, playing havoc with ecosystems and disturbing marine life when ingested by sea creatures.

So, if you don’t want to add up to the planet´s pollution but want to keep the glitter in your life, you are in quite a pickle. However, there is a solution in the form of Bioglitter™ HOLO, the first biodegradable holographic glitter in the world!

What About “Biodegradable” Holographic Glitter?

When choosing a biodegradable glitter, it won’t necessarily be cheaper. But remember that regular plastic glitter comes at a high price to our Mother Earth. So, little extra bucks are necessary to keep a clean “green consciousness.” 

But, what biodegradable holographic glitter should you buy? Are they all truly eco-friendly?

The ugly truth is that all the so-called biodegradable glitters on the market (other than Bioglitter™ HOLO) are made from cellophane, cellulose acetate, PLA, or compostable glitter and, as such, they are no more eco-friendly than plastic.

Even though some may be plant-based, they do not degrade under NATURAL conditions. These fake eco-glitters need special facilities with specific conditions of heat, humidity and bacteria to decompose.

Also, they require the glitter to be recollected in composting/recycling bins first. And if you know one or two things about glitter, it is super tiny and gets everywhere. So, trying to collect glitter is like catching the wind with your bare hands! 

Bioglitter™ HOLO Is Your Guilt-Free Glitter

Bioglitter™ HOLO has a regenerated cellulose core derived from eucalyptus hardwoods plantations instead of plastic. It is an ethically and sustainably sourced glitter.

Also, Bioglitter™ HOLO can NATURALLY degrade in freshwater environments. It has been independently certified as water biodegradable by TUV Austria, a trusted and highly reputed third party. Not to be confused with the composting biodegradation testing!

Bioglitter™ HOLO doesn’t dissolve in plain water, though. It needs the presence of microbes to break down into harmless substances such as water, biomass, and carbon dioxide. How quickly it degrades depends on environmental factors, such as heat, humidity, and concentration of bacteria, taking a minimum of 4 weeks! The process is natural, quick, and effortless. 

When burning Bioglitter™ HOLO (don’t try this at home!), it would be just like burning paper. If you were to perform this Burning Test on “fake eco-glitters”, the glitter would melt, smell funny or stick to the surface. This is an easy way to prove that a particular brand of glitter is not biodegradable!

So, the next time you are in the mood for glitter, always look out for our Bioglitter logo or “made with Bioglitter” stamp. With our products, you don’t have to worry about where the glitter will end up. 

Bioglitter™ HOLO is your eco-friendly and guilt-free sparkle indistinguishable from regular plastic glitter. 

Bioglitter HOLO™ Is Eco-Friendly and Good for Cosmetic Use, Too

Usually, holographic glitter is only used for arts and crafts. It can feel a little scratchy on the skin, and it is not safe for cosmetic use around the eyes or lips.

However, Bioglitter™ HOLO has a soft touch and complies with global cosmetics and rinse-off legislation of the USA, EU, JPN, CHN, KOR, AUS, and CAN. So, now you can have a rainbow-holographic effect near your eyes without fear of allergies or skin reactions!

So, some drum rolls, please.... As of March 2022, holographic glitter is truly eco-friendly! It took us a long while, but Bioglitter™ HOLO is finally here to give you lots of sparks without the litter that comes from regular glitter.