Daily News

The packaging is the first impression of a product. Its appearance often determines the purchase decision. In addition to purely visual aspects, packaging also fulfils important functions such as protecting the goods from damage or contamination. However, many packages have only a short life cycle and are no longer needed after purchase. As a result, the demand for sustainable materials in this sector is constantly increasing.

Herman Miller has announced that its entire portfolio of Aeron Chairs will contain ocean-bound plastic. The company has also added a new color, Onyx Ultra Matte, to the collection which contains up to 1.13 kg of mismanaged plastic waste found near waterways per chair.

Eric Liedtke, a former executive board member and Brand President at Adidas, has announced his latest venture: a new zero-waste, zero-plastic streetwear brand called Unless.

Globally renowned creator and supplier of realistic artificial green walls, Vistafolia, has launched a pioneering collaboration with the University of Surrey to create a new base polymer, the material that their artificial plants are made from, using renewable sources, while maintaining the established safety and design standards of its market-leading product.

Faca, a packaging manufacturer headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, has introduced a new line of products – jars and bottles – made from 100% plant-based raw material.

With its acquisition of a significant minority stake in the Slovak company Panara a.s., the global packaging specialist, the ALPLA Group, is stepping up its activities in the research field of alternative, sustainable raw materials for packaging. Panara's core business is the development of fully bio-based and biodegradable plastics.

Stora Enso has started up its pilot facility for producing bio-based carbon materials from lignin. Realisation of the project, announced in 2019, involved an investment of EUR 10 million investment.

R-Cycle - the digital product passport for sustainable plastics – has been named the winner of the German Sustainability Award 2021 in the "Packaging" category.

The ALPLA Group, a global packaging producer and specialist in recycling, is consolidating its biodegradable packaging solutions under a single label called Blue Circle Packaging label.

Researchers at Göttingen University have developed a plant-based, environmentally friendly material as an alternative to polystyrene.

Eastman is collaborating with SAP to pilot the GreenToken by SAP technology to enable traceability of certified recycled content across the value chain using blockchain technology.

The winner of this year’s BIOPOLYMER Innovation Award , announced 15 June during the Biopolymer Processing & Moulding online congress organized by the POLYKUM Association for the Promotion of Polymer Development and Plastics Technology in Germany, was Fabbri Group.

Packaging supplier Novolex has announced that it has launched a new production line in Tennessee, USA to manufacture compostable cold beverage cups made from the plant-based bioplastic, PLA.

TotalEnergies, MPG Manifattura Plastica S.p.A. and Froneri have joined forces to develop a sustainable food packaging made from Certified Renewable Polypropylene.

Basaltex, pioneers in innovative uses of basalt fibres, has achieved a significant milestone in developing and testing a new composite material solution comprising fibres of basalt combined with EconCore’s patented honeycomb technology.

Greiner Packaging is pursuing various approaches to make its packaging solutions as sustainable as possible. One course of action is to use so-called circular materials – that is, renewable, non-fossil fuel feedstocks.

Today the US Patent Office announced a grant for one of PulPac´s most general patents, stating that Dry Molded Fiber is invented and duly owned by the Swedish scale-up company. The United States is the world´s second largest packaging consumer market, after China.

Quadpack, an international manufacturer and provider of enhanced packaging solutions for beauty brand owners and contract fillers, has unveiled its most circular pack yet, a 50ml jar in Sulapac biocomposite material, with upgraded barrier technology.

As far back as 2018, architectural firms were already surprising the industry with bioplastics-centered projects, including a full-sized, 3D printed, 700m² canal home in Amsterdam made entirely from bioplastics.

Norway’s largest manufacturer and supplier of plastic pipe systems, Pipelife has today launched a new generation of pipes made from BIOVYN.

With the launch of a new, unique event – the Renewable Materials Conference – comes, too, a new innovation award for the Renewable Material of the Year 2021. The conference, said organiser nova Institute, is an attempt to bring all relevant industries involved in the development of renewable material solutions under the umbrella of a single, all-encompassing 3-day ‘renewables’ event.

Good Natured Products Inc., a North American leader in earth-friendly plant-based products, today announced that, through wholly owned subsidiaries, it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire all of the operating assets of Ex-Tech Plastics Inc. a manufacturer of high quality, rigid plastic sheets, and real estate assets owned by a related company ETP Inc. for cash consideration of approximately $14.1 million USD.

So long, plastic!

NatureWorks, the world’s leading manufacturer of low-carbon Ingeo PLA biopolymers, and IMA Coffee, global market leader in coffee handling, processing, and packaging, today announced that they have entered into a joint strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the market for high performing K-Cup compatible compostable single-serve coffee pods in North America.

Keter to introduce climate-positive UBQ material into product lines in a three-year contract, with plans for production worldwide

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry and Polyray (Xiamen Hongtai Optical Co., Ltd.,), an innovative leader in the eyewear lens industry, today announced their collaboration for the use of SABIC’s Lexan polycarbonate resin based on certified renewable feedstock in the lenses of several eyewear end applications such as sunglasses, safety glasses and sports goggles.

ACE, the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, and its members SIGCombibloc, BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak, have formulated a vision for the future in which the industry undertakes, among others, to deliver sustainable packaging that is renewable, climate positive and circular.

Sweets and snacks producer Mars Wrigley and Danimer Scientific, a developer and manufacturer of biodegradable materials, today announced a two-year partnership to develop an innovative home compostable packaging for its numerous product brands.

The 100% biodegradable alternative to polystyrene is already being snapped up by major brands, as the company sets its sights set on rapid European expansion.