Replacing Plastic with Paper
The packaging industry is largely driven by sustainability goals, and changes in materials are constantly taking place. For many brands and retailers, plastic alternatives remain the top priority, as they hope to shift towards solutions that offer a better environmental footprint, or at least gain acceptance from consumers who are increasingly concerned about plastic.
Continental has changed the packaging of its mountain bike tires to corrugated design
The German cardboard packaging expert STI Group has designed a recycled corrugated cardboard box to replace the previous plastic packaging of Continental's high-tech mountain bike tires. The box is hexagonal, in line with Continental's brand image, and features cut-out windows, allowing consumers to see and touch the products inside the packaging without opening it. The box is fixed by folding and gluing and is intended to use as little material as possible. Although STI Group states that manual assembly is relatively complex, it can be automated for production. This packaging bag is considered cost-effective, easy to assemble and fill, and can be stacked on other packaging bags. Its integrated handle also enables the packaging bag to be hung on European hooks or shelves for display, making it easier for consumers to take the product home.
Continental will use the cardboard packaging solution designed by STI Group to package its mountain bike tires.
The Champagne house Maison Perrier-Jouet has launched a striking paper-plastic bottle
The French Champagne winery Maison Perrier-Jouet has announced the launch of a sustainable and environmentally friendly gift box, which is made entirely of two natural materials - molded pulp and grapevine buds. The gift box was developed in collaboration with COLOURFORM™, a brand under the materials and paper products company James Cropper. James Cropper considers itself a forward-thinking paper mill that uses various materials, from cotton and wood to carbon fiber, for packaging, creating visually distinct materials. This gift box named "Belle Epoque Cocoon" perfectly wraps the Champagne bottle, while showcasing bright colors, giving the gift box a luxurious yet natural feel. The gift box weighs only 49 grams, 93% lighter than the previous ones. The gift box also contains no varnish or glue. COLOURFORM™ uses 100% renewable energy, with most of the electricity generated by the company's own solar and hydroelectric power plants.
Maison Perrier-Jouet has launched paper-molded eco-friendly packaging bottles.
The all-natural chocolate manufacturer Nucao has been using paper packaging to wrap its Nucao Fruits and Nucao Nuts products since the end of 2022
The German all-natural chocolate manufacturer Nucao claims to be the first chocolate manufacturer in the industry to adopt paper-based disposable packaging. Since the end of 2022, it has been using this packaging to package its "nucaofruits" and "nucaonuts" chocolate products. The packaging supplied to Nucao is based on the NexPlusAdvanced from Oberkirch's Koehler Paper. NexPlusAdvanced has excellent oxygen, mineral oil, and grease barrier properties, making it highly suitable for direct contact with food. It also has good offset printing, flexographic printing, and digital printing performance. Compared to traditional plastic packaging, flexible paper packaging significantly reduces the CO2 footprint and provides a positive image transfer for the product and the company brand. Since it is entirely made of paper, it can be placed in the paper recycling bin after use. The brand's research shows that the majority of European consumers prefer food products with a small amount or no plastic in the packaging and are willing to pay a higher price.
German all-natural chocolate manufacturer Nucao has switched to paper packaging.