The Struggle to Choose the Right Sustainable Barrier Options in Paper-based Packaging
The packaging team of a Fortune 500 company faced the challenge of improving the sustainability of their paper-based packaging, which traditionally relied on plastic coatings or liners for water and grease resistance. While effective, these plastic liners hinder recycling and contribute to environmental issues due to non-recycled plastic waste.
Recognizing the need for a more eco-friendly alternative, the team aimed to develop a solution to maintain the necessary barrier properties without plastic. However, they encountered further complications, as existing packaging technologies weren’t compatible with many plastic alternatives, causing issues like blocking during reel winding, sheet conversion, and storage.
To overcome this, the company sought an innovative approach to enhancing its packaging’s sustainability while seamlessly integrating it into its current production processes.
Identifying Barrier Coating Solutions for Reducing Plastic in Paper-based Packaging
The team received crucial solutions to their packaging challenges, including Steaplus® PRIME by IMERYS, a natural mineral base for water-based barrier coatings, and Barricote by Mitsubishi Hitec Paper Europe, offering resistance to water vapor, grease, oil, and oxygen.
These solutions were backed by a detailed analysis considering factors like commercialization potential, scalability, environmental impact, and physical/chemical properties. Equipped with these insights, they could effectively categorize the most viable options while also keeping an eye on emerging solutions for future consideration.
Additionally, the study provided them with a crisp overview of the paper-based packaging landscape and key technological advancements, giving them the insights needed to reduce or eventually eliminate the use of plastic significantly.
Key Findings from the Analysis
The analysis provided insights into various innovations in sustainable paper packaging, highlighting key solutions for enhanced barrier properties in paper-based packaging, this included:
Steaplus® PRIME by IMERYS
A natural mineral base for water-based barrier coatings in fiber-based packaging, ideal for moisture, oil, and grease resistance. It is repulpable, recyclable, and FDA-compliant for direct food contact, with applications in fast food, bakery, and confectionery. Coatings can be applied online, offline, or on a printing press.
Barricote by Mitsubishi Hitec Paper Europe
The innovation includes barrier papers with water-based coatings that resist water vapor, grease, oil, and oxygen. Recyclable and certified for direct food contact, they are used for wrapping dry and greasy foods, like cheese, and for heat-sealed bags, offering an alternative to PE film packaging for various food products.
Research Process- How did GreyB Help?
Exploring Available Options
The search began with an extensive review of available solutions for sustainable paper-based packaging. This included analyzing patents, research papers, product literature, and information from conferences and industry events to gather a broad range of potential solutions.
Evaluating Promising Solutions
The identified solutions were then assessed based on several key criteria: commercialization potential, effectiveness in barrier properties, environmental impact, application suitability for various food items, and compatibility with heat sealability and reliability.
Refining Recommendations
The evaluation focused on filtering out the most viable options. Factors such as scalability, practicality, and alignment with the team’s needs were considered to ensure the recommendations were both effective and feasible for implementation.
Addressing sustainable paper-based packaging challenges such as preventing blocking during reel winding, resolving sheet conversion issues, and handling storage complications requires a thorough understanding of innovative solutions. Successfully balancing enhanced performance with eco-friendliness and managing the complexities of implementation can significantly improve your packaging strategy.
Discover customized strategies and innovations to tackle your specific packaging issues. Contact our experts for precise solutions that enhance your packaging efficiency and sustainability.
