Kickstart: A more sustainable lipstick

When Revlon Inc. entered bankruptcy protection for its U.S., Canada and United Kingdom operations in June, it cited "supply chain issues" as one of the causes of its fiscal shortfall.

But in addition to supply chain issues, Revlon is facing fierce competition from brands such as Fenty Beauty, owned by singer and entrepreneur Rhianna, and Kylie Cosmetics, a brand from reality star Kylie Jenner, both of which stress their sustainability in packaging and products. (Although Kylie is facing some backlash about her very unsustainable private plane trips across Los Angeles, which may hurt her messaging on cosmetics packaging.)

So with plans to restructure financing and emerge from Chapter 11 without interrupting sales to loyal customers and compete with younger brands, Revlon is also moving ahead with an eye on future sustainable packaging.

New York-based Revlon has signed a memorandum of understanding with Origin PET to use its plant-based PET developed from nonfood carbon sources, Karen Laird from Sustainable Plastics writes.

The companies are aiming to develop and commercialize new sustainable materials, or "carbon-negative materials for next-generation packaging for cosmetics packaging," Rich Riley, co-CEO of Origin Materials, said.

The RV industry was very hot through the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with high gas prices, will those strong sales continue?

Keystone RV has told officials in Goshen, Ind., that it will close two plants making travel trailers, the South Bend Tribune writes. Keystone is owned by Thor Industries Inc., a company that has been on a massive buying spree of RVs, campers, trailers and suppliers to the RV industries such as its 2021 acquisition of Elkhart Composites.

The RV Industry Association reported in May that RV shipments were up 11.8 percent for the year vs. 2021, but that trend wasn't expected to hold.

"While early 2022 shipment results have been strong, we do see the market leveling off against 2021's record numbers," RVIA reported. "The latest 2022 RV Roadsigns forecast projects RV shipments for 2022 to range between 537,800 and 561,900 units with a most likely year-end total of 549,900 units, an 8.4 percent decline from the 600,240 shipped in 2021."

If camping isn't your thing and you're looking for a getaway to a place where the word "plastic" isn't a bad word, then you may want to try Omaha for the next couple of days.

The Nebraska city is home to the International Plastic Modellers' Society's national convention through July 23.

This year's event is focused on plastic models featuring tanks, planes, ships and other items made in the U.S. as part of the "Arsenal of Democracy" in World War II.

"As modelers we celebrate events by recreating history in miniature for all to see and remember," IPMS says. "Whether it is a pristine F-22 Raptor, a war weary Grumman Wildcat, a race winning Indy car or a dusty M3 Stuart."

The event is expected to draw about 1,000 people from the U.S., Ireland, U.K. and Australia.

Plastic models are no longer just for kids, Scott Hackney, convention chairman, told local TV station KETV.

"The average modeler is really in their ... 20s to their 50s," he said, with fans drawn by the ability to exercise their creativity and engage their minds while building models.