Image: Form Us With Love
Designing for Circular Consumer Goods Packaging
21.09.2023
Four Nordic companies partnered to create a new circular service for consumer packaged goods. Called På(fyll), it is an app-based subscription service for household products made by conglomerate Orkla. Honored recently by Fast Company, it uses specially designed reusable and recyclable HDPE containers and aims to reduce single-use packaging waste.
Image: BASF
What are the environmental impacts of alternative raw materials?
12.09.2023
In mass balancing, chemically recycled or bio-based raw materials are input at the very beginning of plastics production and then computationally assigned to the end products. Using the example of flexible mozzarella packaging, a study investigated whether and how this procedure influences the life-cycle assessment of packaging produced from these raw materials.
Image: Dow
How labels are becoming more recyclable
12.09.2023
A world without labels? Inconceivable. Their endless variety of materials, shapes and functions help labels attract attention. But it should also be possible to separate them from their packaging again at the end of the packaging’s life in the interests of a circular economy. Recyclable solutions are on the way.
Image: The Paper Lid Company
Paper lids for less single-use plastic
15.08.2023
When the time comes for a hot or cold drink while out and about, many people opt for takeaway beverages in disposable cups. These often come with a plastic lid, resulting in a significant volume of waste. One Finnish start-up is instead using recyclable paperboard lids and has entered into a partnership with Walki.
Image: Futamura
Sustainable tamper-proofing
11.08.2023
When it comes to protecting valuable products from tampering and theft, the method often used is to apply adhesive tape that will leave permanent marks on the packaging if an attempt is made to open it. In addition to recyclable paper solutions, there are now compostable alternatives made from bio-based film.
Image: PulPac
Eurostars project for fibre-based packaging concluded
11.07.2023
As part of the Eurostars funding programme, PulPac in Sweden and the Bio-Lutions start-up in Germany have together developed a prototype for a new dry-moulded-fibre machine that’s able to process fibres from agricultural waste. The project saw them adapting standard components that are traditionally used to make plastic products.
Image: igus GmbH
Recycling programme for engineering plastics
11.07.2023
Plastic energy chains and bearings are deployed wherever movement is required in production. They are responsible, for instance, for keeping processes running smoothly in packaging plants. But even chains and bearings need to be disposed of at some point in time. What happens then?
Image: Interzero
HDPE bottles made from waste light packaging
11.07.2023
A new and patented recycling process from recycling service provider Interzero allows HDPE plastics from post-consumer flows to be processed in such a way that during processing the properties of the recycled materials compare favourably with those of virgin plastics.
Image: thyssenkrupp Rasselstein
Tin packaging becomes more climate-friendly
13.06.2023
They are regarded as best for recycling: Tin cans, tubes and bottles. But they don’t score well in terms of their carbon footprint because it is not yet possible to produce steel without using coal as the source of energy. Industry is, however, working on more sustainable solutions and has launched the first carbon-reduced steel for packaging.
Image: BASF
Compostable coating for food-safe paper packaging
13.06.2023
Barrier properties are particularly important to food packaging. Consumers are additionally demanding solutions that are environmentally friendly. BASF has developed an extrusion coating for paper and cardboard packaging, which may be composted both industrially and domestically.
Image: StellrWeb/unsplash
Considering the carbon footprint during refitting
13.06.2023
Packaging materials are usually the first thing that come to mind when the topic of the ‘carbon footprint of packaging’ is brought up. Machines, however, also produce emissions. But even relatively simple modifications may result in considerable savings. A tool by the KHS mechanical engineering company in Germany is able to quantify those savings.
Image: Hoffmann Neopac
What are the benefits of paper tubes?
16.05.2023
Packaging is being viewed differently in these times of ever scarcer raw materials and increasing environmental issues. As are tubes. Some companies are placing their hopes on fibre-based solutions, e.g. paper. But are there only benefits to paper tubes?
interpack 2023 is ready to start. But is the industry ready? (Image: Jamentle Reskp/unsplash)
Everything in crisis? The packaging industry before interpack 2023
18.04.2023
Six years are a long time. All the more so for a dynamic industry like the packaging sector. But this is the amount of time that has passed since the last interpack. Which issues are being debated worldwide shortly before the start of the trade fair?
How to save? GreenSaver from Robatech provides detailed answers (Image: Robatech)
Advertorial - Systematically making use of savings potential in adhesive application
13.04.2023
Rising energy prices, shortages of raw materials and supply bottlenecks are increasingly putting a strain on companies. Under the motto "You don't need much. Just the right thing.", Robatech will present GreenSaver at interpack 2023. With this service, the savings potential in industrial hotmelt application can be determined.
The carbon neutral paperfloc eco systems keep temperature sensitive products cold and can be disposed of completely with the waste paper. (Image: easy2cool GmbH)
Green shipping package for temperature sensitive products
13.03.2023
When food, cosmetics or pharmaceutical products have to be shipped, they sometimes need constant cooling. Often, the solution is polystyrene. The Munich company easy2cool has developed a sustainable alternative. The paperfloc systems are fully recyclable.
CCL Label was able to reduce the thickness of their stretch sleeves to 30 micrometres. (Image: CCL Label)
Thinner sleeves for more sustainability
14.02.2023
Everyone is talking about sustainability. The way to an improved carbon footprint is to decrease the use of unnecessary material. Austrian company CCL Label, for example, were recently able to decrease the thickness of their stretch sleeves for PET bottles by one third.
Looks like PET, but is PEF bioplastic. (Image: Avantium)
Bioplastics in packaging
14.02.2023
There is a reason why the packaging industry has been focusing for decades on the many different applications for fossil plastics. Now, companies are increasingly focussing on biobased plastics. But what are the possible applications, and what needs to be considered during the changeover?
The European Green Deal is supposed to make Europe carbon neutral by 2050. (Image: unsplash/Alexandre Lallemand)
European Green Deal – ambitious concept for carbon neutrality in Europe
17.01.2023
The bundle of measures that makes up the Green Deal is supposed to make Europe the first carbon neutral continent. Circular economy is an important stepping stone on the way to achieving this goal. The EU Commission now has presented a suggestion for a packaging regulation which is supposed to create a new order for the European packaging market.
Business cooperations can offer added value especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. (Image: Vardan Papikyan)
Added value through cooperation
16.01.2023
In a competitive system, cooperation might not seem the way to success. But small and medium-sized enterprises especially can profit from cooperation – even in the packaging sector. This can be seen in the example of German companies Koch Pac-Systeme and Zahoransky.
The sustainable load carriers by Cabka were especially designed and improved for the chemical industry. (Image: Cabka)
The new generation of recycled plastic pallets
12.12.2022
For the chemical industry, plastic pallets could be a sustainable alternative when it comes to the transport and storage of products. With the help of industry feedback, Cabka has developed a sustainable generation of their plastic pallets, made from recycled material.
Image: Kelly Sikkema/unsplash
Eventful times for the packaging industry
12.12.2022
Only few would have expected the direction in which the year 2022 will develop. A lot has also happened in the packaging industry. Not only has the conflict in Ukraine thrown the markets into turmoil, but new legislation is also presenting the industry with new challenges. But there are also good things to report.
The number of online orders and delivered packages is growing every year, all over the world. (Image: Claudio Schwarz / Unsplash)
Packaging in the times of e-commerce
17.11.2022
Today, even your grocery shopping is delivered by mail. The changes to the way we live our everyday lives, brought about by the lasting e-commerce trend, also mean that packaging is not what it used to be. Even something as seemingly simple as a shipping box comes with a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration and improved.
Plastics can also be produced from fibre-based raw materials, for example from sugar cane. (Credit: Victoria Priessnitz/unsplash)
A bioplastic for every application
24.10.2022
Fossil plastics have a lot of advantages, but they are also said to be harmful to the environment. Bioplastics are an alternative for packaging manufacturers. They are just as versatile, but are made using renewable resources, and some are even compostable.
The use of recyclates begins with the correct separation of waste. (Image: Sigmund/unsplash)
Use of recyclates in packaging
24.10.2022
If there is one thing the industry agrees on, it is that more recycled raw materials must be used. In the case of plastics, this means recyclates. They are in greater demand than ever, but the supply is still relatively small. What do packaging manufacturers have to pay attention to when using them, and what has to change so that more recyclates can be used?
There is no such thing as innately good or bad packaging, and the environmental impact should always be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. (Image: Nick Fewings/unsplash)
Life cycle assessments – a useful tool or greenwashing?
26.09.2022
Plastic or paper, single use or reusable – which packaging gets the best marks in a life cycle assessment? The answer often appears to be simple, but an environmental assessment should always look at the individual case in detail, because there are benefits and drawbacks everywhere – and the results are sometimes surprising.
Photo: Wiederstein Verpackungen
Hemp, a trending material?
24.06.2022
When cannabis is mentioned, its intoxicating effects are the first thing that springs to mind for most people. However, the European hemp varieties that are cultivated today contain very little that is intoxicating, and instead have a high amount of fibres that are ideally suited for making them into paper labels, cold storage packaging or even one-way pallets.Nachhaltigkeit
22.06.2022
Image: Fraunhofer IVV
Rebound Plastic Exchange: New trading platform for recyclates
25.05.2022
Circular economy can only truly work if plastic waste is collected, recycled and reused. To drive international trade with recycled plastic, Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC) has now established a new trading platform for recyclates with Rebound Plastic Exchange.
Image: Südpack
Flow packs as a sustainable solution in food packaging
25.05.2022
From requiring less material in production to taking up less space on supermarket shelves, flow packs have some clear benefits. Predominantly used in the food sector, this packaging is becoming more and more popular. But how sustainable are these packs?
Image: Sea Me
Deposit systems for cosmetics packaging?
24.05.2022
On the beverage sector, deposit systems have been around for many years. Now, deposit systems are being introduced specifically for cosmetics packaging as well. A pilot project by Circleback is currently underway in Berlin, while Sea Me has introduced a reusable solution for cosmetics packaging with zerooo.
Image: Greiner Packaging
PCR Coffee Capsules Stay in the Recycling Loop
12.04.2022
For their morning coffee, many consumers choose coffee capsules that then end up in the bin. This is not particularly sustainable, since the capsules consist of new plastics. Greiner Packaging and LyonellBasell have developed a circular solution made of post-consumer recyclates for Nescafé.
Photo: Papacks
Refill and Reuse
16.03.2022
Most packaging is used once and then thrown away. However, a change in this trend is emerging: In addition to the use of recycled materials, new reuse and refill systems are becoming a particularly attractive alternative.
Image: etma
Tube Trends
10.03.2022
The tube as we know it was invented in 1841. In times of resource scarcity and rethinking sustainability, however, this faithful companion is facing major changes. Certain trends are emerging clearly.
Photo: Mondi
Mondi wraps pallets in paper, not plastic
03.03.2022
03.03.2022 - With Advantage StretchWrap, Mondi has added a new paper to its assortment that has been specifically designed to wrap pallets. The paper is elastic, puncture-resistant and provides robust protection for goods during transport.
Image: Coca-Cola Germany
Coca-Cola keeps its cap on
02.03.2022
Coca-Cola Germany has given its single-use PET bottles new caps. In November 2021, the company introduced caps that are tethered to a safety ring on the necks of their bottles. In doing so, Coca-Cola is implementing a EU directive on plastic products way ahead of time.
Image: OutNature
Packaging made out of cup plant fibres – an eco-friendly alternative?
15.02.2022
15.02.2022 - Every child knows that paper is made out of wood. A truth that could soon crumble: German company OutNature uses the cup plant to make some of their paper products – including packaging. A Fraunhofer study has scrutinised the ecological balance of this new commodity.
Photo: Borealis & Tomra
Goods in short supply but in high demand
10.02.2022
10.02.2022- Although the use of recycled plastics is an important pillar of the circular economy, the recyclate market is nearly empty as of the beginning of 2022. In future, standards are supposed to ensure the availability of a sufficient amount of recyclates with consistent quality in order to supplement new material.
Image: Erda Estremera/unsplash
The trend for paper packaging
08.02.2022
Paper packaging has always been part of the scenery in every supermarket. Lately, however, it’s also been creeping into areas where it’s slightly more unusual. There’s more behind this trend than pure marketing strategy.
Image: Peter Tubaas, Vestland Media
Fish in packaging made from chemically recycled plastic
04.02.2022
Styropor boxes are a popular choice for transportation, particularly when food or medication need to be kept cool on the road. In Norway, this task is now fulfilled by the world’s first styropor boxes made from chemically recycled plastic.
Credit: Scott Graham/Unsplash
Trends in packaging: All this and more in 2022
05.01.2022
Nobody can really say what the new year holds in store for packaging. However, some speculations can be made, based on the current state of affairs. We dare to take a look into the crystal ball...
Image: P&G
Procter & Gamble is packaging the future
25.11.2021
What direction will packaging take? How can we meet the challenges of our times? These questions face small and major companies alike. At consumption goods giant Procter & Gamble, the future of packaging is in the hands of one man.
Photo: Mondi
HolyGrail 2.0 and the digital recycling passport
23.11.2021
High-quality recycling is the be all and end all for a working circular economy. The HolyGrail 2.0 initiative is now testing how invisible digital watermark codes can contribute to increasing efficiency when sorting packaging waste; the project is supported by more than 120 companies and organisations along the entire packaging industry value chain.
Photo: HiPP
HiPP organic food jars are climate-positive
10.08.2021
In close cooperation with sustainability consultancy Soil & More Impacts, baby foods manufacturer HiPP is analysing the entire manufacturing process for its jars of organic HiPP food so as to ensure their production is climate-positive along the entire value chain, from the field to the retailer’s warehouse.
New products made from packaging. Photo: LIDL
New products made from packaging
15.03.2021
Packaging is valuable and should be reused and repurposed as often as possible in line with the ethos of a sustainable circular economy. Thanks to improved recycling technology, more and more new products can be created from packaging, as demonstrated by the discount retailer LIDL.
Photo: Coca-Cola Deutschland
The Coca-Cola paper bottle
25.02.2021
Coca-Cola is not the first company to place a paper bottle for beverages on the European market. The beer manufacturer Carlsberg had brought out a paper bottle, the Green Fibre Bottle, before the Coca-Cola bottle.
Photo: Yuka
The Eco-score makes sustainability visible
19.02.2021
With the Eco-score label, another new food labelling campaign from France has been brought onto the European market. The Nutri-score focused on the health of the customer, but the environmental friendliness of the product is paramount for the Eco-score.
Photo: L’Oréal
Increasing recycling of cosmetics packaging
12.02.2021
The cosmetics group L’Oréal is striding into the future with new technology and an attention-grabbing recycling campaign with the objective of increasing recycling of cosmetics products and closing loops.
Photo: McDonalds
The future of sustainable fast food packaging?
15.12.2020
Packaging is a valuable commodity and should be reused as often as possible, or recycled expediently. Burger King and McDonald’s are starting pilot projects in line with this theme and are testing reusable Loop solutions in fast food packaging for burgers and other foods.
Photo: Nivea/dm-drogerie markt
Filling up packaging at refill stations
26.10.2020
In a variety of pilot projects, Henkel and Beiersdorf are testing refill stations for their products. In this way, the companies are seeking to contribute to more prudent use of resources and more recycling as well as to a closed-loop economy.
Foto: Deutsche Post AG
Multi-use Gift Packaging
07.10.2020
It’s far too pretty to throw away! Who hasn’t thought this when they’ve been presented with beautiful, high-quality gift packaging? Even your Grandma has probably given up on ironing wrapping paper by now, but many others have a new take on handling the concept of gift packaging with special care in this modern era too.
Photo: EDEKA
The reusable packaging trend
02.10.2020
Reusable packaging can be a resource-saving alternative to single-use packaging and is very popular with consumers. Environmental protection laws and the high demand for sustainable packaging solutions brings more and more reusable packaging into the retail market.
Photo: Metsä Board
Sustainability in to-go packaging
18.09.2020
Our world is to become more eco-friendly, and manufacturers across all industries and segments are doing everything they can to give their products and processes a more sustainable design. This has resulted in a range of solutions, one of which is sustainable to-go packaging for baked goods.
Foto: Nestlé
Nestlé protects bees with SMART BEES
15.06.2020
The SMART BEES app turns this limited SMARTIES edition into a masterclass on bees. Here, children can find out all there is to know about the busy honey-foragers and support bee projects across Germany with every purchase.
Foto: Kjaer Weis
Refillable cosmetics are trending
25.05.2020
More and more frequently, consumers opt for refillable solutions that help them have a positive impact on the environment. When it comes to make-up and skincare products, the offer of refillable cosmetics is on the rise.
Photo by Evonne Yuwen Teoh //Unsplash
Coca-Cola bottles made out of rPET
14.05.2020
Sweden will soon see the launch of the first Coca-Cola bottles made out of 100% rPET. Other brands produced by the group will also use this fully recycled plastic. The beverage giant has even replaced its sweeping, red-and-white lettering to motivate consumers to recycle the bottles.
© Werner & Mertz
What is reverse engineering?
23.03.2020
Packaging innovations are increasingly based around closed circuits. Engineers are employing the principles of reverse engineering in packaging development. A current and prominent example of this is the stand-up pouch for Frosch liquid soap, produced by Werner & Mertz and Mondi.
© SAMESAME, Katrin Lautenbach
Upcycling glass bottles
04.03.2020
When used glass bottles are disposed of correctly in designated glass containers, 100% of the material can be recycled and thus reused – as intended as well as for other purposes. And more and more companies are deciding to upcycle, giving original products and packaging an upgrade – and new meaning.
© L‘Oréal
Cardboard-based cosmetic packaging
12.02.2020
Many industries are looking for sustainable packaging. Recyclable, organic-based or compostable. The next big trend: A new approach in the cosmetics industry - paper packaging for body care products.
© Vélosophy Cycles AB
Upcycling Nespresso coffee capsules
15.01.2020
Turning waste products into new and useful products is known as upcycling. There are numerous examples: furniture made out of Euro-pallets, toys for children made out of cardboard and bicycles made out of used deodorant cans. Now, Nespresso is showing the world what old coffee capsules can do.
© air up
Sustainable packaging for healthy drink
09.01.2020
Consumers have increasingly high expectations when it comes to the sustainability of beverage packaging, and this also extends to their content – healthy drinks are no longer something just for athletes. As a result, the global offer of innovative solutions for environmentally friendly beverage bottles and cans has increased, as has the offer of full-flavoured, low-sugar drinks.
© ALDI SÜD
Alternatives to plastic bags and single-use plastic packaging
03.01.2020
The European Union has resolved a multi-stage ban of single-use plastics from 2021 onwards. In Germany, the Federal Government finalised a ban on plastic bags in November 2019. And in Britain, customers are calling for carrier alternatives for their supermarket shopping.
Sustainable Packaging
19.06.2016
Increasing demand for ecological packaging.
Transparent packaging
01.10.2015
The tracking code of followfish shows the origin of each ingredient. Will this soon be standard in the food industry?