In a breakthrough that blends sustainability, safety, and real-world functionality, Radienz Living and Graphic Packaging International have unveiled the first certified child-resistant, curbside-recyclable paperboard packaging for laundry pods a true industry first.
The innovation, branded as CleanClose™ with ChildBlock™, represents a bold departure from traditional flexible plastics that dominate the category. Certified under U.S. 16 CFR 1700.20, the new solution offers a dual benefit: keeping children safe while giving consumers a package that can go straight into curbside recycling bins.
For Radienz Living, this launch builds on its history of packaging leadership. The company previously replaced bulky plastic tubs with recyclable club-size pouches, cutting plastic use by 80%. Now, with CleanClose, it is taking another step forward delivering a package that is protective, sustainable, and designed for the realities of modern supply chains.
“This paperboard pack represents the next chapter in laundry pod packaging safe, curbside recyclable, and built for the realities of today’s supply chains,” said Ernesto Levy, CEO of Radienz Living. “Our focus on innovation and collaboration made this possible, and we’re proud to offer customers a meaningful step forward.”
The design is as practical as it is innovative:
- Made from paperboard with 50% recycled fiber content
- Prequalified as “Widely Recyclable” by How2Recycle
- Engineered with a child-resistant closure that locks with a reassuring “click”
- Optimized for e-commerce and retail, SIOC-ready and tested for durability
From a logistics perspective, the benefits are significant. The pack ships flat to save space, offers at least 10% more efficiency than plastic pouches, and can withstand top-load tests of up to 400 lbs making it self-palletizing and ideal for large-format retail environments.
“Achieving child-resistance in a recyclable paperboard format that also meets supply chain demands has been one of the most exciting packaging challenges of my career,” shared Chuck Tarlton, Director of New Business Development at Graphic Packaging. “Together with Radienz Living, we’ve created a platform that is safer, more sustainable, and ready for the market.”
The collaboration highlights a broader shift in the packaging world: solving complex challenges by aligning the right partners, materials, and design expertise.
As Tom McLenithan, Vice President of R&D at Radienz Living, put it:
“This project builds on our history of first-to-market innovation. By bringing together the right partners in paperboard, closures, and packaging design, we’ve been able to deliver a solution that protects children while reducing environmental impact.”
With CleanClose, Radienz Living and Graphic Packaging are doing more than introducing a package they are setting a new standard for the future of laundry care packaging, one where safety and sustainability no longer need to be a trade-off.