Sustainable packaging is becoming more innovative and popular as we speak. Packaging designers and manufacturers are always on the lookout for the most recent technological innovations to boost their sustainable packaging designs, making them safer, more efficient and – last but not least – even greener. In this article we discuss some of the latest
innovative sustainable packaging materials we believe will soon take the packaging industry by storm.
1. Chill Buddy: lightweight insulation material
Chill Buddy is a lightweight insulation material that offers a green alternative to not-so-sustainable expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. Although currently only used to manufacture cooler bags, experts are confident that the Chill Buddy insulation technology will soon be used in packaging applications as well.
2. Micro-fibrillated cellulose
Made of plant waste and stiffer yet lighter than carbon fiber or glass, micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) is a sustainable material that makes packaging stronger while creating an
oxygen and moisture barrier. Adding as little as 1 percent of MFC to an existing substrate already improves a packaging’s performance 15 to 20 percent.
3. Molded fiber printing technology
Molded fiber packaging is nothing new … But it just got a whole lot more sustainable thanks to a new printing technology that makes it possible to print high-resolution coloured graphics
directly on the packaging, making labels and secondary packaging in many cases redundant.
4. Aqueous barrier coatings
Improvements in the field of aqueous barrier coating technology present a great
alternative to laminated packaging materials. Contrary to laminated structures, the latest aqueous barrier coatings are sustainable and recyclable.
5. Micro-patterned packaging materials
Micro-patterning, a new technology by Hoowaki, is currently being used to make
cups for hot beverages easier to hold. Micro-patterning provides a better grip, has an insulating effect and slows down condensation.
Inspired by Packaging Digest
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