Nat Habit unveils its packaging-centred sustainability report

Nat Habit nears ₹250-crore in annual run rate and expands across 3,000+ offline stores. It aims to set a new benchmark for how beauty brands in India can scale without compromising performance or purpose.

For instance, Nat Habit has cold-pressed, kitchen-style production methods, zero-pollution infrastructure, and plans to introduce compostable packaging and full-circle product lifecycle solutions.

The company released its first Sustainability Impact Report on 2 December. Swagatika Das, co-founder and CEO at Nat Habit, expressed, “Over the last 24 months, we’ve transitioned 72% of our PET bottles to rPET, eliminated 35 tonnes of plastic bubble wrap, introduced biodegradable paper packaging, and strengthened zero-pollution manufacturing.”

Nat Habit recently shifted to rPET, despite the fragmented recycling infrastructure in India. Das shared, “Despite India’s fragmented recycling ecosystem, our rPET supply remains stable because we maintain annual supply agreements with multiple certified suppliers, ensuring consistent quality.”

The company also replaced 35 tonnes of bubble wrap with paper. Das explained that Nat Habit has developed its own paper bubble with the right GSM, cushioning structure and compression strength specifically for fresh, semi-delicate products.

Before scaling it, Nat Habit tested it across multiple courier partners, routes and climate conditions. Das claims the outcome has been strong: The packaging holds its shape, absorbs impact well and protects the product without relying on plastic. So, she said, the shift to paper has not compromised product safety.

“Transitioning a large share of our packaging to rPET demanded line changes, higher material costs and slower relaunches for some SKUs,” Das said. In the short term, it strained margins and operational flexibility. But, she said, “It aligned with our long-term commitment to responsible beauty and strengthened the brand’s credibility.”

Over the last 24 months, the company has also developed 100% natural, biodegradable formulations with zero chemical discharge into water systems.

Talking about the manufacturing, she said, “Instead of shifting to large automated lines, we continue to operate small kitchen units that produce daily or on alternate days. This cold processed, low-energy, emission-free approach stays intact because we increase the number of units, not the batch size.”

Das claimed that a meaningful portion of the company’s recent CapEx has gone into strengthening sustainability infrastructure. Alongside this, she said, “We have invested in morel production units and supply chain upgrades that allow us to maintain fresh batch manufacturing at scale. For us, expansion and sustainability are intertwined, not sequential.”

In the future, the company plans to introduce compostable packaging into its products. But, Das believes that the challenge lies in balancing environmental responsibility with product safety. She says, compostable materials vary widely in durability, shelf stability and certification clarity. “India also lacks widespread composting infrastructure, which means many packs labeled compostable may not actually decompose in real conditions,” Das continues.

Nat Habit is testing materials with reliable performance and clear certifications and will roll them out where the ecosystem supports their end-of-life journey.