Eco Flexibles has been awarded the Silver Award for Sustainable Investment Project of the Year at the prestigious Environmental Packaging Awards 2025, held at London's iconic Kia Oval.
The recognition comes in honor of Eco Flexibles’ strategic investment in a state-of-the-art, 40,000 sq. ft. production facility in Northampton. Designed to redefine the future of sustainability-focused flexible packaging in the UK, the purpose-built site marks a significant step forward in circular packaging innovation.
"Winning this award is a tremendous honor and a strong validation of our vision – proving that flexible packaging can be both truly recyclable and commercially viable," said Simon Buswell, Director at Eco Flexibles. "Our mission has always been to make the transition to circular packaging easy and effective, and this award confirms we're on the right path."
The Northampton supersite is the UK's only fully integrated facility capable of designing and manufacturing recyclable water-based printed monopolymer and paper pouches entirely in-house. At the heart of its operations are two Fujifilm Jet Press FP790 digital inkjet presses, installed within 12 months of each other due to rapidly growing demand from brands seeking sustainable alternatives to mixed-material packaging.
This world-first installation (outside of Japan) utilizes water-based ink technology, eliminating VOC emissions and significantly reducing production waste compared to traditional analog methods. The facility also features solventless lamination and high-speed pouch conversion lines, offering complete end-to-end control over quality, sustainability, and lead times.
The award recognizes not only the scale of the investment but also its measurable environmental impact and potential for scalability.
"This isn’t just a win for Eco Flexibles—it reflects a wider transformation in the industry. Sustainability is no longer a goal on the horizon; it's now an operational necessity," Buswell added. "We set out to eliminate complexity from recyclable flexible packaging, and this recognition proves we’re delivering on that promise."
He credited the company's workforce for their pivotal role in the achievement: "Our dedicated team has been the driving force behind this milestone. Their expertise, energy, and commitment are the backbone of everything we’ve built—from pioneering new processes to supporting our customers in making the sustainable switch. This award belongs to each and every one of them."