In a packaging world increasingly scrutinized for its use of plastics, RDM Group is offering a grounded and pragmatic approach one that doesn’t vilify plastic, but instead rethinks how it's used in fiber-based packaging to improve recyclability and reduce environmental impact.
As one of Europe’s leading producers of recycled cartonboard, RDM Group has long been at the forefront of circular packaging solutions. But now, they’re going a step further with Multiboard® Barrier a PE-coated, 100% recycled cartonboard designed to preserve the performance benefits of plastic while dramatically minimizing its presence.
A Realistic Middle Ground for Now
The company acknowledges a key truth: plastic, for all its environmental baggage, remains unmatched in functionality especially for applications requiring barrier protection from moisture, contamination, or degradation. In sectors like frozen food, dry goods, and pet care, plastic still plays an essential role in preserving product integrity.
What RDM is doing differently is how they use it. Instead of eliminating plastic entirely which often leads to trade-offs in product quality or cost they’ve designed Multiboard® Barrier to include a minimal PE coating layer (as little as 3-5%), applied over a base of 100% recycled fiber. This thin layer provides the durability and sealability required by sensitive goods, without tipping the environmental balance toward waste.
Recyclable by Design
Unlike conventional multilayer plastic packaging that ends up in landfills or oceans, Multiboard® Barrier is engineered to be recyclable. Thanks to in-house recycling capabilities and adherence to CEPI protocols, RDM can effectively separate and recover the plastic coating. Their latest figures show nearly 90% of all waste is recovered, with pulper rejects diverted toward energy recovery rather than landfill.
“We’re not just creating packaging we’re closing the loop,” the company emphasizes. “From manufacturing to recycling, we own the process, so we can hold sustainability as our top priority at every step.”
Leading by Practical Innovation
Manufactured at RDM’s Fiskeby mill in Sweden, Multiboard® Barrier is not only sustainable but efficient. Its lightweight nature means lower emissions from transportation, and its recyclability rate of 83% far exceeds the 40% rate of plastic-only packaging.
While RDM acknowledges that innovation in truly biodegradable or bio-based materials is ongoing and necessary they’re also clear-eyed about current realities. “We must stop viewing plastic itself as the enemy. The real problem is waste, and how we manage it,” they state.
With this balanced approach, RDM Group is shifting the narrative from anti-plastic rhetoric to smart, scalable solutions. As the packaging industry continues its transition toward circularity, innovations like Multiboard® Barrier offer a roadmap grounded in both performance and environmental responsibility.