True Stories
From nature to Beauty: meet Arrival
Andrea Marchesini, CEO Founder of Arrival
After my university studies in Philosophy and Psychology, I joined the family business as Marketing and Sales Manager. Company in the world of Professional Beauty, supplier of products, concepts and new futuristic ideas for the most important multinationals, where the simplification, components reduction, the use of new technologies and recyclable or disposable materials were already in the early 2000s my focus. Subsequently, the last decade, I have undertaken my personal journey as Sales&Export Manager for international companies and groups in the market of professional technical treatments & Hair Care. This further intense and precious worldwide experience was for me the litmus test, a clear and distinct awareness of what shouldn’t be done, a return to putting the consumer, the person at the center in order to offer true, authentic, healthy products for his well-being and the social and environmental one. That’s how Arrival Organized Cosmetics came about.
NATRUE: How was Arrival born? What defines this brand?
Andrea Marchesini: My bond with Venice is strong. The example of its famous navigators but also the same of all people with the desire to discover new horizons is very strong for me. They are aware that the arrival is always a returning from a journey and a new departure with new eyes to go boldly beyond our own limits. As always, this happens when the current situation no longer suits us, indeed, even better, when a vision makes it unsustainable. That’s how Arrival came about, founded on unconditional honesty and transparency, thanks to a new vision, a vivid and clear awareness.
We believe in the Sacredness of the Earth in all its manifestations, which in Nature have their highest expression. Nature does not compromise, but rather demands clear and transparent choices, where the time to act is now. Being mindful that all living beings depend on each other, just as we depend on all the elements of Nature, our vision is contributing to respect for Nature through the World of Beauty, which is its brightest expression, supporting people to care of and respect themselves, to make them happy and gratified thanks to all that Nature offers and gives us. To make this possible, we work concretely and daily to the best of Scientific and Technological Knowledge and with the utmost seriousness and professionalism, in formulating and producing Hair Care products with the highest concentrations of Natural & Organic ingredients, with respect for Nature and the most demanding and aware consumers, bringing Luxury (as per luxuriant nature) into the Organic through Eco-sustainability.
NATRUE: Your products came by an artisanal 100% “handmade” production. Could you tell us more about this process?
Andrea Marchesini: Our artisanal production is based on the centrality of the person throughout the whole manufacturing process: from the natural and organic ingredients resulting from the work of small farms (mainly family-run of the territory) as well as from collaborations and projects with young farmers who have devoted themselves to an ancient but valuable job; from the formulation and production according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in order to offer a high-quality standard to the final labeling and packaging. It is a process, directly and fully supervised, with higher production times and lower output volumes compared to the industrial one but with flexible and precise management skills. Compared to the industry, the relationship between hands (people) and industrial equipment is reversed: the equipment and capital goods are cutting edge but, even if essential, very limited compared to human labor in the process. Therefore, each product made in our laboratory expresses the nature and passion of the people who work on it. Real people know how to convey love and care to what they do every day. Quality, authentic original artisanal work- much more than a craft- also a passion.
NATRUE: Sustainability plays a key role in Arrival, for example, with packaging. How do you supervise it?
Andrea Marchesini: Absolutely. If at the beginning the concept of sustainability was intrinsically linked to that of environmental protection, in recent years it has reached a broader meaning that considers, in addition to the environmental dimension, also the economic and social ones. The activities of United Nations, WTO, International environmental agreements and protocols, the European Green Deal and the establishment of the new Minister for Ecological Transition are an example and guide for all the actions that can be implemented by institutions, companies, individuals’ people. We at Arrival are fully committed to playing our part. This is why I willed to mention Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the company presentation: “The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.” Producing ETHICAL cosmetics is the best possible contribution for us. For this reason, packaging is a topic and a process carefully evaluated by Arrival. The goal, in harmony with our principles of Social and Environmental Responsibility, was to find best materials in terms of recyclability, sustainability, and energy saving. But the main goal was to look for solutions of biodegradable or even compostable materials for the bottle. Unfortunately, the state of the art is not ready yet, but we are confident in the future development of research and the application of new technologies. Nevertheless, we have obtained and used the best that the manufacturing companies can offer today: completely safe, from 100% recycled material to keep plastic and paper in use for as long as possible into a recycling circular loop system. However, we remain in watchful waiting: our goal now is compostable packaging.
NATRUE: How is Arrival adapting to new trends and consumer demands?
Andrea Marchesini: I consider the consumer a partner, a member of the family. So, the question is not how to follow and satisfy the demands of consumers but how to manage a common path together. Basically, we are all around the same table and our concept is to share and not to offer. I think it is right nowadays to overcome the dichotomy between those who produce and offer products and those who demand and consume them where the key has always been to meet the desires and requests of consumers. This is an outdated scheme for me, -not to mention useless. If things are not perceived as an organic whole, the ecological and social transaction goals will not be achieved. The consumer asks for the same things we ask for because we are all consumers, and we all live in the same socio-economic-environmental context. What do we all want? Safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly products and services, with transparent and honest communication, healthy and effective, especially true, where all the people involved are satisfied, respected, and valued. The centre is always the person and the environment we live in.
NATRUE: What would you say to brands that want to join NATRUE? And to consumers that look for natural and organic cosmetic products?
Andrea Marchesini: I am convinced that observing things from another perspective is always the best way to understand. The growing demand for truly natural and organic products is to be found not only in the context in which we live (due to the increase in awareness and sensitivity for the environmental issues that people are developing), but above all for insecurity and mistrust towards the offer. We are overwhelmed by slogans and claims where the words bio, natural, organic, vegetable, without this, without those cover products or magazines or websites, etc. The consumer finds himself in a jungle of words where he is confused, perplexed, and doubtful: rightly so. As there is no regulation on the matter today, without limits and without restraint, these things happen. The solution, in order to respect consumers and protect them as much as possible in transparency, is to address ourselves to serious, independent, and internationally recognized certifications. According to us, NATRUE embodies all of this. Moreover, considering its commendable commitment and constant work in institutions and in Europe, such as the #GreenClaimsCode campaign to combat the risk of greenwashing, supporting consumers increasingly demand greater clarity and transparency, the consumer with the NATRUE seal certainly finds protection, safety, and above all respect.
For more information about Arrival, visit
https://arrivalcosmetics.com/en/arrival-world/
Download this interview here.