Sustainability

One of the most widely recycled packaging materials is steel, which can be used over and over again without losing its properties.

Globally, the recycling rate is 83% but it’s up to 90% in some countries. Even so, increasing the recycling rate to 95% in countries (most likely in the industrialised world) where steel stocks aren’t growing would cut the need for virgin steel production by two-thirds and carbon emissions by a similar amount, according to an analysis for the Energy Transitions Commission.

Creation Reprographics has helped dried fruit, nuts and snacks business, Whitworths, support brand-wide sustainability by going solvent-free in its flexible packaging prepress. Aiming to further reduce the carbon impact of its packaging, Whitworths has now moved its flexible packaging designs to water-washable Fujifilm Flenex-FW flexo plates, manufactured by Creation.

This week will see Tesco replace the plastic tubs its laundry detergent pods are sold in with new recyclable cardboard packaging.

The move into card will save 252 tonnes of plastic annually, and over four million pieces of plastic across eight lines. The box contains more than 90% recycled cardboard, and is FSC certified, with a thin plastic liner inside to protect the pods. When empty, the cardboard box can be put in the normal household recycle bin.

US-based adhesive provider HB Fuller has joined the multi-industry RecyClass initiative as part of efforts to improve its sustainability.

The company said its decision to join RecyClass highlights its commitment to sustainability.

It expects the move to support the industry’s transition towards a circular economy.

Based in Minnesota, HB Fuller develops packaging solutions for use in PET bottles, rigid plastic containers for home care and flexible packaging.

The change has been implemented across all own-brand 750ml laundry detergents, replacing sleeved plastic bottle packaging with cardboard cartons.

Sainsbury’s tropical super concentrated, bio super concentrated, non-bio super concentrated, colour super concentrated and lavender super concentrated SKUs will be available in the new packaging from this month.

K Laser Technology, a leader in cold foil materials, is promoting its newest sustainable holographic substrate solutions—Viridian Eco-Paper and Eco-Paperboard. Use it to create folding cartons, mailers, hang tags, postcards, labels, and more.

K Laser Technology offers over 150 holographic patterns, which is the most extensive selection in the industry, the company says. Available in sheets or full rolls, Viridian Eco-Paper and Eco-Paperboard are pre-printed with a flood coat foil pattern or registered hologram.

Designed for the ThinkPad Z series (z13/z16) with a strong focus on sustainability, ThinkPad launches a new era of highly sustainable and completely plastic-free packaging.

For its innovative and sustainable design, the ThinkPad Z-series Plastic Free Packaging has recently been awarded a 2022 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

There are two sizes for 13″ display products and 16″ display products, with a total four types of packages.

With the launch of the new plant, Toppan will establish a market-leading and global supply capacity for transparent barrier films with production bases in Japan, North America (Georgia, USA), and Europe.

Personal care brand KanKan has upgraded its sustainable packaging, adding reusable pumps made of recycled plastic to its soap tin cans.

The company collaborated with design agencies Morrama and Two Times Elliot to combine the brand’s aesthetics with functional packaging.

The soap cans are made from tinplate instead of aluminium to avoid rust and features a lid that peels off completely to attach the pump.

Founded by Gabi Jennings in response to the disposable nature of products in the kids’ bath sector, Love Ocean aims to become a part of every family’s bath-time routine. The structure of the Love Ocean bottle, developed by Pearlfisher, aims to act as a talking point during bath time for parents to entertain their children with storytelling about the wonders of the ocean.