As I was browsing the latest innovations and headlines in the fashion industry, this one really caught my eye, and I found the topic to be fascinating the more I read and searched their website. BioGlitz is the first company in the world to manufacture and produce biodegradable glitter. As a lover of sparkle and glamor, I was super intrigued by this innovation. I love to wear some glitter and sparkly makeup when I am dressing up, and I have never really considered just how much glitter can actually be harmful to the environment. This caused me to do some of my own research, and below I’ll share a few things that I found. 

“…The real issue with glitter isn’t that it’s annoying – it’s that it truly does get everywhere: not just in your home, but also into the farthest-flung corners of the Earth” (The Guardian, 2020). Glitter is a micro-plastic made from a combination of aluminum and plastic. Microplastics are a known hazard, and countries are beginning to see the environmental impact of glitter so much so that various places within the UK have banned glitter from being incorporated into certain things such as holiday products (2020). Since glitter is a microplastic, there are several ways that it can be problematic. A study talked about in this article states that, “microplastics can become airborne and come down in rain – literally rain down – on protected natural areas we expect would be pristine” (2020). Because these micro-plastics can be airborne, they are able to cover a great distance, and truly travel everywhere, as well as further than the eye can see. These microplastics do not just travel upwards, but also end up in the ocean and on the seafloor which has greatly impacted the health and well being of all marine life. This is a primary reason as to why these plastics are of such concern. One last disturbing study mentioned in this article that I will mention, is that on average, humans ingest about five grams of micro-plastic each week because of how many of these particles become airborne. This is not all necessarily related back to glitter, but these sparkles definitely are an unnecessary contributor to these harmful causes. 

Thanks to BioGlitz, customers are now able to enjoy using glitter without the harmful impacts the product currently has on the environment, and the hope is that this product will eventually replace the current glitter production means . A great hashtag that they have adopted as a motto on their site is, “#SHINERESPONSIBLY”, which I find to be a very effective use of words that reflects what BioGlitz is all about. After reading through their site, I discovered that the idea and development of BioGlitz has been around since 2014, which was cool to read as I assumed that this was a more recent development and innovation. Bio Glitz was founded by Saba Gray, who is a strong believer that glitter is a universal tool that can be used for self expression. Along with this strong belief, Gray is also dedicated to sustainable fashion, and once she discovered that her love for glitter didn’t necessarily align with her beliefs and values, she wanted to change that; and hence, the invention of BioGlitz.  

“Our Mission Is To Raise Environmental Awareness And Encourage Fearless Self Expression Through Spreading Sustainable Shine” (BioGlitz, 2023). This mission statement encapsulates all of BioGlitz values, and I think that this innovation is going to be a great turning point and asset to designers as the fashion industry turns to more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. For a sustainable product, the BioGlitz products are very affordable, and there is a wide variety of options that can satisfy anyone’s sparkle needs. I will definitely be a BioGlitz customer in the future whenever I need some new glitter, and I can’t wait to see this innovation make its way into the fashion industry!

If you want to read more about BioGlitz and take a look at their products, I’ll provide a link to their website here: https://www.bioglitz.co

References 

BioGlitz. (2023). https://www.bioglitz.co

Matei, A. (2020). Glitter is an environmental abomination. It’s time to stop using it. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/22/glitter-environment-microplastics-hazard