Designed primarily for drinks, these boxes are plastic and tape free and made from recyclable, compostable and  biodegradable FSC-certified paper, while the sleeves are made from 85% recycled paper pulp. Compact to store and lightweight for shipping, the Fold Top Box is easy to use and can be customised with company branding.

Zeus is now stocking Flexi-Hex’s range of sustainable, plastic-free bottle packaging and will be the first supplier to offer the new Fold Top Box, designed to protect naked bottles, pre-boxed bottles or tinned bottles in transit when used with the Flexi-Hex Mini Sleeve or Air Sleeve.

They are available in three sizes for one, two or three bottles. Flexi-Hex sleeves can also be used for a wide range of fragile products, from smartphones and tablets to cosmetics and perfumes.

This range is available in the UK and through Zeus’ sister companies in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Donna Simonds, head of sales at Zeus Packaging in the UK, said: “We are excited to have the opportunity to work in partnership with Flexi-Hex. Their innovative and smart designs complement our existing, comprehensive range and ensure that our team here at Zeus have the very latest market leading products to share with our customers. Launching the new Flexi-Hex Fold Top Box in time for the peak season will add real value to our customers process efficiencies and we are excited to be launching this new product to market.”

The first in a series of new innovations under the heading of DeltaGlobalOriginals, the FutureBox launch comes when sustainability is at the forefront of consumers’ minds.

The Leicester-based firm, whose clients include Net-a-Porter, MATCHESFASHION and Tom Ford, said it has designed the FutureBox to ensure the highest sustainability standards and the packaging uses no tape, has flatpack functionality and has easy assembly functionality.

Delta Global said this makes it simple to fully recycle and is cost effective at the production stage. The materials used are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) accredited. Crucially, the box requires no magnets for secure closure, an addition that prevents even the most ‘sustainable’ packaging from being fully recyclable.

Robert Lockyer, chief executive of Delta Global said, “COP26 will see world leaders leverage the post-pandemic rebuild as way to accelerate eco-friendly policy making. It is less likely that sustainability efforts will rely on good will but will be led by laws and policies that require luxury brands to meet environmental standards.

“The FutureBox makes it easy for brands to meet these standards and flourish in this new economy.”

The company said each box can be tailored to both brand aesthetics and its sustainability goals. Foiling and water-based finishes can be incorporated into the packaging design and its versatility makes it optimised for the modern luxury brand, with many heritage labels increasing sustainability efforts to align with consumer, investor, and government policy demands.

The luxury fashion sector is under scrutiny for the excessive package and textile waste it produces. As much as 88% of newly listed items on e-commerce websites contain plastics, while 85% of all textiles in the US are thrown into landfills.

Gucci and Burberry are notable examples of this sustainability drive. Both brands have eliminated plastic lamination from boxes, introducing ethically sourced packaging materials that are easily reused.

And where the big fashion houses lead, other luxury brands are compelled to follow. Delta said the FutureBox makes this transition both cost-effective and practical. It can be viewed as a high-end, future-proof template that brands can customise to their own needs and design aesthetics.

 Tupperware last year announced a partnership with TerraCycle's zero-waste platform Loop, which works with leading brands to create zero-waste, durable and returnable packaging. Tupperware designed and produced a one-of-a-kind reusable packaging container option for Tim Hortons – one of Loop's brand partners.

The reusable container was created by Tupperware to package Tim Hortons food menu items as part of a pilot program at select locations across Burlington, Ontario. The reusable containers will be available as part of the Loop program on-site at participating Tim Hortons restaurant locations starting today.

Aimed at reducing packaging waste through a circular recycling system, Tupperware is able to bring its decades of knowledge in product design and reusability to contribute to the circular recycling model. Tupperware, a 75-year old company, has deep experience and knowledge in engineered resin and sustainable plastics technology.

"We are excited to bring Loop's brand partners, like Tim Hortons, the opportunity to access and leverage our rich heritage in reusability to help bring more consumers into the fold on what it means to reduce their single-use footprint," said Hector Lezama, President of Commercial Business Expansion at Tupperware. "This partnership aligns to our purpose to nurture a better future every day by bringing to life sustainable options in the quick service industry. We look forward to seeing how this pilot program performs."

The test pilot with Tim Hortons is Tupperware's first foray into the market as a part of its partnership with TerraCycle's Loop, and will advance Tupperware's No Time to Waste® initiative to significantly reduce single-use plastic and food waste. Additional reusable package options created by Tupperware will be available to more of Loop's brand partners in 2022.

The smart, 100% recyclable construction made of 100% corrugated cardboard also scores with its high sustainability. Because when the tray is no longer needed, it can just as easily be folded up again and stored in a space-saving way until it is needed again. Whether for transport, storage or product presentation - the easily and safely stackable reusable tray is suitable for a wide variety of sectors and uses.

At DS Smith, we systematically develop innovative ideas and turn them into solutions with real added value. How it is done? Always ask the right questions and then deviate from usual thought patterns. In both display and packaging development, the company pursues a holistic approach that takes the entire supply cycle into account. Our designers consistently apply the Circular Design Principles that the company developed together with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. One of the five principles is ‘we find a better way’ which is all about challenging what is really possible.

As in the case of the quickly erectable and reusable tray that DS Smith recently presented in Germany. Thanks to the unusual design with automatic side bases, this innovative solution not only simplifies logistical workflows. The tray is material-optimized (reduce), reusable (reuse) and made of 100% recyclable corrugated cardboard (recycle).

The new solution is delivered flat and pre-glued. It can be erected on-site in just a few steps. The integrated stacking lugs allow several trays to be stacked safely and without slipping. The reinforced corners ensure high load-bearing capacity. When the trays are no longer needed, they can be folded up again quickly and easily thanks to the automatic bases on the sides. And without damage, so that their functionality is fully preserved for the next use.

ALPLA is acquiring BTB PET-Recycling based in Bad Salzuflen. The company turns used PET bottles into recycled material.

In acquiring BTB PET-Recycling GmbH & Co. KG based in Bad Salzuflen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, ALPLA is investing in further developing the region’s recycling loop. The company processes used PET beverage bottles sourced from Germany’s reverse vending system and turns them into food-grade rPET (recycled PET) pellets which are then primarily used for the manufacture of new preforms for PET bottles, including beverage bottles.

Bottle-to-bottle
BTB stands for ‘bottle-to-bottle’, in other words a closed packaging loop that turns bottles collected in the region into new bottles. First, BTB pre-sorts, shreds and washes the input material, then sorts it again. It is then melted down in an extrusion process and turned into pellet form, resulting in valuable food-grade rPET. The processing volume is around 20,000 tonnes of PET bottles each year. The company has approximately 35 employees, all of whom will be kept on by ALPLA.

Efficient production, functioning system
Georg Lässer, Head of Corporate Recycling at ALPLA, comments on what led to the acquisition: ‘BTB produces highly efficiently, using established technology. The team in Bad Salzuflen is highly motivated and does a fantastic job. For us, buying this company is an investment in the future, enabling us to increase the existing capacities and further strengthen the bottle-to-bottle loop.’

Georg Pescher, Managing Director of ALPLA in Germany, adds: ‘By acquiring BTB, we are investing in a very structured company which has been operating successfully within the local circular economy for years and which is already supplying our preform business in Germany with rPET. What’s pivotal here is a functioning system comprising a bottle return infrastructure, bottle production and bottling companies in the direct vicinity of the recycling plant.’

The parties signed the contract on 28 September 2021. They have agreed not to disclose the purchase price or any further details.

ALPLA promoting a PET loop in Europe
Just recently, ALPLA and its partners announced the founding of the joint venture PET Recycling Team Targu Mures for the recycling of post-consumer PET bottles in Romania. The target is annual production of 15,000 tonnes of food-grade rPET to strengthen the local materials cycle in Central and South-Eastern Europe. In the UK, ALPLA has been cooperating with the British waste management company Biffa since this year and sources food-grade rPET pellets from the Biffa recycling plant in Seaham. With this collaboration, ALPLA is increasing the proportion of British recyclate used to manufacture packaging in the UK.

Expansion of recycling activities
In early 2021, the ALPLA Group announced that it would invest an average of 50 million euros a year until 2025 in the ongoing expansion of its recycling activities. In particular, it plans to globalise its activities in the area of high-quality recyclates in order to close the materials cycle in as many regions as possible. In all, the annual capacity of the ALPLA recycling companies, joint ventures and partnerships amounts to approximately 130,000 tonnes of PET and 60,000 tonnes of PE.

After over 16 years since the creation of the Leatt neck brace, the South African brand known for problem-solving and innovation is taking strides to #SaveOurPlanet. For years, scientists and ecologists have warned about the effects of climate change and industrial pollution. While change cannot be done overnight, 2022 is another milestone year for Leatt as it introduces biodegradable, plastic-free packaging with soy inks on its entire 2022 range of Moto and MTB products. In addition to plastic-free packaging the all-new Leatt Natural Range is released, featuring the brands first sustainably sourced products.
 

The all-new Leatt Natural range is the beginning of an entirely new journey. Leatt Natural range apparel is made from Eco-Friendly fabrics which are responsibly sourced. The material is more durable so the garment can be used for longer periods and requires less washing due to anti-odor and moisture-wicking properties. The production of these products also requires less water than cotton or polyester. To finish it all off, the product is placed in plastic-free packaging and delivered using consolidated shipping. From source to shop in a responsible fashion. These are products that environmentally conscious consumers can purchase, knowing that the garment is responsible sourced, produced and packaged.
 

In the Leatt NaturalL range consumers will discover two new materials – the first, Tencel™ Produced from excess tree pulp, Tencel™ is a very high-performance material that offers unmatched comfort and temperature control. Tencel™ is very soft on the skin and delivers supreme comfort.
 

The second is Yarn. Our yarn is produced from recycled coffee grounds. Yes! Coffee grounds! The Yarn jerseys come in two options: WarmYarn is a fast-drying, odor controlled fabric that will keep you warm on chilly rides. While IceYarn is a breathable fabric, cool to the touch offering low-speed temperature control, leaving the lazer cut ventilation to handle high-speed cooling.
 

A new kind of compostable carrier bag that is made from the same material as egg shells and has a much lower carbon footprint than plastic, paper and other “biodegradable” bags has been launched in the UK.

Known as the Happy Dolphin, the bag is the result of a £4m EU commission to invent a new kind of plastic substitute to help solve the waste crisis.

Its developers are in discussions with UK supermarkets about using their bag and have signed a deal in Vietnam to supply four billion of them to Seven-11 outlets in the country.

Hundreds of millions are also in circulation in Europe.

“This is a transformational breakthrough in the war on plastic and climate change. It’s the silver bullet with the lowest CO2 emissions and no plastic pollution,” said David Hughes, of Happy Dolphin, in Wrexham.

Compostable “bio” bags have typically been made from corn starch, sugarcane or cassava and have had a mixed reception. Many can only break down at high temperatures of 55C to 70C and suitable processing facilities are in short supply.

By contrast, the Happy Dolphin bag is made from a newly-created, patented material called Biodolomer; a mixture that is 50 per cent calcium carbonate mineral – the dominant ingredient in egg and snail shells – mixed with vegetable oils and sugarcane.

It can break down at normal “ambient” temperatures in less than a year and can completely biodegrade in less than a day in a commercial composter.

The material is strong, meaning it can be used 50 times over a period of up to two years before it becomes too weak or worn to use. It is also affordable at 25p to 30p, making it comparable to existing supermarket bags-for-life which cost between 20p and 50p.

An independent study commissioned by the EU found the Happy Dolphin bag had less than half the carbon footprint of both normal plastic bags and other biobags – even lower than paper bags – over the course of its life, from manufacture of the pellets that make up the bag to its disposal.

“There is a very distinct climate benefit when Biodolomer replaces fossil plastics,” said senior researcher Mattias Bisaillon, of the Swedish energy, environment and waste management research consultancy Profu, which conducted the study.

Furthermore, the material has been tested and approved by benchmark European tests for compostability.

The bag was developed, at the request of the EU, by Ake Rosen, a Swedish materials engineer who played a key role in the development of packaging at Tetra Pak, the company known for its tetrahedron-shaped plastic-coated paper drinks cartons.

He has been experimenting with egg shells – which he calls “nature’s perfect packaging” – for years through his company, Gaia BioMaterials in Sweden.

“The egg shell is very important for our packages. We always have it sharply in focus when we develop new packaging,” he said, adding that they protect and enrich the soil as they break down.

“All the earth is covered with calcium carbonate and it takes care of the acid by neutralising it. If we didn’t have it the earth would die of acid.”

The new bio-plastic can also be used for other things:

The makers of the Happy Dolphin bag also have plans to use their new bio-based plastic material in a range of other everyday items, from cups and bottles to cutlery and beer mugs.

Dave Hughes, co-founder of Happy Dolphin, will initially turn his attention to pint glasses made out of the Biodolomer material.

“We’re going to go out to all the Premier League, Formula One, we’re looking at all horse racing, all the festivals,” he said.

But in the longer term, he hopes to branch out much further since the material is suitable for 80 per cent of all plastic uses and virtually all consumer plastic uses.

The exception being tougher industrial uses, such as construction packaging, where the materials it contains may potentially sit in a warehouse for years before being used, he says.

Campaigners welcomed the prospect of the new material coming to the UK.

Maria Westerbos, director of the Plastic Soup Foundation, said: “When used in bags this new material, having a lower carbon footprint than traditional plastic and paper bags, shows real promise going forward in tackling plastic pollution.

“Humanity has just nine years to save the world from the plastic waste crisis before irreparable damage is done to the planet. This should drive us to reduce plastic consumption and production.

“Any new material which inspires a shift away from plastic should be embraced.”

Sustainable packaging company Coveris and Northern Ireland-based poultry meat producer Moy Park have partnered to introduce a new recyclable stand-up pouch.

The MonoFlexBE stand-up pouch has been developed via Coveris’ research and development (R&D) network for Tesco’s cooked chicken product.

The new packaging features a mono-laminate recyclable barrier that helps lower plastic weight by 55%.

The stand-up format comes with a zip-lock to enhance convenience and storage while reducing food waste.

Suitable for all snacking applications, the resealable pouch is currently available for Tesco BBQ Chicken Breast Pieces.

The transition to a recyclable mono-laminate pouch from a rigid tray format is in line with Moy Park’s commitment to reduce packaging weight.

Moy Park packaging development manager Rosemary Perry said: “We were really excited to develop and launch this mono PE film for our cooked chicken product.

“This pack supports Moy Park’s pledge to reduce packaging weight by 5% year on year (YOY)  and delivers on Tesco’s strategy to use mono PE films where possible due to better end-of life-solutions and to promote packaging circularity.”

MonoFlexBE film is the result of Coveris’ collaborations across polymer science, film manufacturing, food safety and shelf-life management, as well as print and technical conversion.

The development also aligns with Coveris’ sustainable goal to become waste-free.

Coveris flexibles technical sales manager Mark Robinson said: “we’re really proud to have supported both Tesco and Moy Park throughout this project and be given the opportunity to deliver a first-to-market solution that not only increases the recyclability of flexible films but also introduces an entirely new, reduced plastic, reduced waste format to the category.”