Speaking on the launch of the report, Elopak’s Sustainability Director Marianne Groven stated, “To be sustainable in business is not only possible, it is highly necessary. Maintaining healthy growth without exploiting natural or human resources is essential.” Sustainability is at the heart of Elopak’s mission to provide consumers with a natural and convenient alternative to plastic bottles that fit within a low carbon circular economy. The company has previously recorded a number of key environmental milestones including the reduction of its emissions by 70 per cent between 2008 and 2018 and the attainment of carbon neutrality in 2016. In the introduction to the report CEO Thomas Körmendi sets out the context for Elopak’s ever-strengthening focus on sustainability stating, “2019 was a year of many global challenges. We saw teenagers on strike for climate change. We saw the Amazon on fire. We saw hurricanes and flooding, and terrorist attacks. We saw politicians struggling to agree on how to tackle the global challenges ahead. Lately we have also seen how the whole world can rapidly change and adjust to forces greater than ourselves.” “We recognize our part in the global struggle to preserve the planet for future generations,” Körmendi continues. “In 2019, Elopak strengthened the focus on sustainability, thoroughly embedding sustainability as part of our overall business strategy. A set of goals and strategic initiatives were anchored in the Board of Directors and several projects have been initiated in various business units. Elopak was one out of 87 companies, and the first packaging company, to lead the way towards a 1.5°C future at the UN Climate Action Summit,” he explains. As one of the first companies to have signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative commitment to keep the rise in global average temperature below 1.5°C, Elopak continues to push itself towards new sustainability goals. These include a 55 per cent reduction of internal GHG emissions by 2030, and a 16 per cent reduction in emissions across the value chain by 2030 from a 2017 baseline, as approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. Other targets include a 70 per cent recycling rate in the EU and Canada by 2025, a sustainability evaluation of key suppliers by 2022, and 100 per cent certified forestry in Elopak cartons. Innovation is set to play a key role in helping Elopak meet its ambitious targets going forward, with the company increasing R&D spending by 25 per cent between 2017 and 2019. Recent innovation efforts contributed to the launch of Elopak’s most environmentally friendly carton to date – the Pure-Pak® Imagine. Launched in 2020, the carton is a modern version of the company’s original Pure-Pak® carton, containing 46 per cent less plastic and designed with a new easy open feature. It has no plastic screw cap and is 100 per cent forest-based made with Natural Brown Board.

Invest in developing a packaging design that doesn't use a large amount of packaging material. Minimal packaging helps in reducing material use, leading to reduced product cost.

The annual Packaging Awards 2020 is one of the most recognized national competitions for industrial products. Each year, companies are awarded for their innovation in packaging design, the materials and technology used and the processes that add value to the entire packaging chain of a product. During the awards ceremony that took place in Athens, on September 22, we were honored with 2 awards!

The two awards concern the Design of Sustainable Packaging and specifically our new EcoMak series, which consists of products explicitly designed to minimize the burden on the environment:

Through continuous research and development, we managed to create a new packaging that responds to the most traditional Greek product, the olive, and guarantees that it will continue to be an ambassador of Greek values ​​and flavors, even under the growing Circular Economy. 

The olive, due both to its composition and to the modified atmosphere with which it is packaged, is one of the most difficult applications of flexible packaging. Nevertheless, being pioneers in replacing the -traditionally- glass packaging in flexible for the demanding application of olives, we took the lead once again, transforming the structure that we established in the past and today serves most of the Greek export activity, into fully recyclable.

The company PELOPAC for which this new packaging is intended, with an excellent team of partners, with vision and dedication to innovation, gave us the opportunity for this award. Just as in human relationships there are friends that lift you up, so in the professional arena there are collaborations that become the cause of evolution.

The motto of the Nutrilicious brand "Doing good through food" is both the philosophy that governs the design of the product and its promise to the consumer: the product is a healthy snack alternative, as it is organic , contains 80% less sugar than similar products and high percentages of vegetable protein, while at the same time part of its sales support the Big Hug Foundation (an organization that helps disadvantaged children access food, health care, and education).

This is exactly the promise we were asked to emphasize and convey to the consumer. We thus created a fully recyclable packaging, which retains its high aesthetic value and combines impeccable quality with the protection of the product.

We regularly keep in touch with our stakeholders and based on their feedback, we have decided to postpone our show until 13th – 14th October 2021, so that we can continue to provide the same service and deliver an event in line with what you’ve come to expect from Pharmapack Europe. The new dates will give us more certainty about international travel reopening and enable us to put on a successful event for everyone.

We’re writing to let you know this now so that you have ample time to rearrange your travel and accommodation as necessary.

No matter what the situation is at the time, the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors and staff is our top priority. We will follow all government and health authority recommendations as well as Informa AllSecure standards to ensure you can attend our event with confidence.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support!

We look forward to seeing you, in person next autumn.

Lightinderm is a French start-up developed within the Paris Santé Cochin – Europe’s largest incubator and business nursery for innovative companies in the field of human health located at the heart of the renowned hospital. It created and developed a skincare home-use device for dermatologic and cosmetic applications. This revolutionary device combines infra-red regenerative light (several types with different wavelengths) with photo-active-packed serums to improve skin concerns, from skin rejuvenation to skin regeneration capacities. For Aptar, the challenge was to develop a perfectly sealed and resistant product, which would also diffuse light rays in the most efficient way to enable activation of the ingredients within the serum.

Q: Why choose Aptar for your project?

Geraldine Decaux, Lightinderm CEO (G.D.): Lightinderm is a brand new concept combining a very innovative phototherapy system with interchangeable capsules infused with photo-active serums. The capsules are in fact mini roll-on airless packages topped with a glass roller ball diffusing the serum and light rays in the most efficient and safest way possible.

This technical and very complex capsule system must combine several properties, according to our very strict technical specifications:

Optical properties to diffuse light rays in a specific and efficient way to enable the activation of the active ingredients within the serum,
A high level of compatibility with not only cosmetic actives, but also food and medical serums,
A well thought-out design allowing a very precise diffusion of the serum through a motorized push-system activated every 15s,
Approved for large-scale productions, of course.
For this challenge, we needed to rely on a well-established partner able to meet our demands and requirements in terms of innovation power and overall project support as well as large-scale production experience. We were looking for an agile and creative team that we could trust with high quality standards and proven processes. Gérald Martines, a packaging expert that had been on board with our team from the beginning, recommended Aptar, and we are thrilled with our choice. Aptar has proven an experienced partner with high standards in terms of technical savoir-faire and attention to details, especially regarding aesthetics. But above all, what really made the difference, is the innovation teams of Aptar, and the design custom packaging manager Eric Jacquin – with more than 10 years of experience in plastic processes – who convinced us to entrust our project to this capable and experienced team.

Q: How did the Aptar teams help you achieving your vision?

G.D.: We felt supported at all times by our Custom Packaging Project Manager, Eric Jacquin, and our dedicated Sales Manager, Olivier Gruson, who orchestrated multifunctional ad-hoc teams to meet our demanding agenda. We have worked hand in hand with moulding experts from Aptar Oyonnax and preferred partners recommended by Aptar for tampography. To take up the challenge of the capsule design with an innovative inside airless piston, Aptar created a cross-entity taskforce gathering experts from Aptar Charleval, specialized in premium airless technology. This incredible synergy has helped us create a perfectly sealed and resistant roll-on system with a moving airless piston adjusting to deliver just the right amount of serum.

Q: One last word to sum up your experience with Aptar?  

G.D.: We would never have done it without Aptar, especially without the dedication of Eric, Olivier and the teams. It has been a challenge and we are happy we took this wild ride together! We have encountered many unexpected obstacles but Aptar never let us down, we are proud of this teamwork and of the final result. I was aware of the good reputation of hard work and excellence of Aptar, but I was also pleasantly surprised to discover a great flexibility, creativity and dedication from everyone involved. Thank you!

A species of seagrass, named Posidonia oceanica, has the ability to catch and remove plastics from the ocean, according to researchers at the University of Barcelona.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, describes the role of the Posidonia as a filter and trap for plastics in coastal areas.

Because of this, it’s seen as a pioneering natural mechanism to take and remove these materials from the sea.

As part of the study, the team analysed the trapping and extraction of plastic in great seagrasses of the Posidonia on the coasts of Majorca.

Anna Sànchez-Vidal, a researcher at the Department of Ocean and Earth Dynamics at the University of Barcelona, said: “Everything suggests that plastics are trapped in the Posidonia seagrass. In the grasslands, the plastics are incorporated to agglomerates of natural fibre with a ball shape – aegagropila or Posidonia Neptune balls – which are expulsed from the marine environment during storms.

“According to the analyses, the trapped microplastics in the prairies of the Posidonia oceanica are mainly filaments, fibres and fragments of polymers which are denser than the seawater such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).”

An estimated 1,470 plastics are taken per kilogramme of Posidonia oceanica seagrass, says study
Typically Posidonia aegagropila – which is a type of algae – are expelled from the prairies – a type of grassland – during periods of strong waves and a part ends up piled in the beaches.

And, although there are no studies that quantify the amount of aegagropilae expelled from the marine environment, it’s estimated that about 1,470 plastics are taken per kilogramme of plant fibre.

These amounts are significantly higher than those captured through leaves or sand.

Sànchez-Vidal added: “we cannot completely know the magnitude of this plastic export to the land.

However, first estimations reveal that Posidonia balls could catch up to 867 million plastics per year.”

Slow fashion, Slow Cosmétique – what are they?

“Slow fashion” developed in response to “fast fashion,” which entails a rapid turnover in collection – several times a season – to push customers to consume, even to overconsume. The term “slow fashion” means the exact opposite way of doing things: The clothing sold is of high quality, so customers can keep the articles for as long as possible. Furthermore, the brands are conscious of, and focused on limiting the environmental and social impacts of their production processes.

This concept of slow fashion, which encourages quality over quantity, has reached beyond ready-to-wear. In 2012, in light of “the abuses of conventional cosmetics,” driven by the same dynamic as fast fashion (monthly product launches, products offered in dozens of colors that are not always appealing), Julien Kaibeck published the book Adoptez la Slow Cosmétique. This led to the founding of the Slow Cosmétique® association which works diligently to promote ecological, healthy, more sustainable cosmetics by supporting the manufacturers committed to this approach. The movement now has 200,000 people behind it, indicative of a substantial desire to shift toward rational, responsible consumption.

Slow Cosmétique’s influence on packaging

The Slow Cosmétique Charter specifies that both formulas and packaging must be designed with an intent to reduce impacts on the environment. But designing and manufacturing responsible lipstick packaging is not an easy task. Whether the packaging is made of aluminum, wood, or cardboard, the most important technical functions require a small plastic part, thus producing a mix in materials making the package more difficult to recycle. And even if consumers are demanding more responsible containers, they seem not to be prepared to give up the sophisticated side of packaging, not the traditional ‘twist’ gesture! It is therefore up to the brands to find the most workable compromise between environmental impact and design. The lipstick brand ZAO makeup, for example, which has been certified “Slow Cosmétique”, chose refillable lipsticks as a solution to match sustainability with ease of use.

Brands carrying the Slow Cosmétique award must also make life as easy as possible for consumers. Moving to responsible consumption should not involve complications or restrictions.

At the Freedge Beauty pop-up store that stood in Paris’s Le Marais district in December 2019, the brand showed off its newest products created with an environmental consideration and zero-waste approach: The packaging is made of glass and aluminum containers that can be used for two to three weeks. Once empty, they can then be returned by consumers, free of charge, to be recycled and reused by Freedge.

Pro-environmental efforts can also be found in conventional cosmetics. In 2019, the Lush brand introduced full metal lipstick on the market, enabling a longer use over time. Initiatives such as this can also be brand status boosters, helping them avoid being perceived as “low end.” Well-known brands like L’Occitane have long offered a refill system. Today, that practice has become common, including in luxury: One example is the Cha Ling brand from the LVMH group, ecodesigned and “infusing beauty with the spirit of tea.”

Alexis Robillard’s All Tigers: a responsible brand in slow lipstick

The Alexis Robillard “slow lipstick” is making a mark for being a more sustainable lipstick choice. In his lipstick collections, he invites consumers to get back to basics. His brand is introducing ranges made up of colors chosen by the All Tigers Instagram community. He would never inundate his product ranges with increasingly marginal shades that few consumers could see themselves wearing! Responding to consumer demand with a responsible methodology has been the success-generating choice made by this swiftly rising DNVB

Inspired by slow makeup, this maker of natural, organic, and vegan lipsticks stays true to a wholesome mission and philosophy. While standing up for ecological values and remaining committed to reducing impacts to the environment, All Tigers also extols the advantages of a return to minimalist makeup. Gone are the three moisturizers before the four layers of foundation – it’s now time to get back to the kind of simplicity that’s good for the skin… and the planet.

Crystal Lake, Illinois, January 14, 2021 - AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR), a global leader in drug delivery, consumer product dispensing and active packaging solutions, today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.36 per share. The payment date is February 17, 2021, to stockholders of record as of January 27, 2021.

To date, replaceable slide cover has saved pharma company customer 
over $200,000 on information update revisions.

Mondi’s new paper machine at its Czech mill in Štětí is dedicated to producing 100% recyclable speciality kraft paper for shopping bags using a combination of fresh and recycled fibres to prioritise sustainability without compromising on strength
The €67 million investment responds to growing consumer preference and legislative change to reduce plastic waste and demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting the circular economy