Luxe Packaging Insight was on the ground at sustainable packaging trade show Edition Spéciale by LUXE PACK. From recycled and refillable packs to post-consumer waste initiatives, we highlight a selection of the green packaging innovations on show.
With Toile Ocean, Winter & Company is adding an additional reference to its portfolio of upcycled and recycled materials. A fabric woven from recycled plastic, Toile Ocean is comprised of 50% reclaimed ocean plastic and 50% mechanically recycled plastic; the back side of the material has a water-based acrylic coating. To source the ocean plastic, Winter has partnered with Swiss company tide ocean SA, which collects the material on the beaches of Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. With its woven fabric texture, the textile is suited to book covers, but can also be a good fit for labels, stationery, packaging applications and shopping bags.
Procop took home the Green Award following a vote of Edition Spéciale by LUXE PACK exhibitors for its box created with Gmund's Bio Cycle papers. These fine papers contain up to 50% alternative fibers from fast-growing plants, some of which are recycled: hemp, cotton waste from the textile industry, wheat straw cellulose or even grass cuttings from around Gmund's German factory. Their visual and tactile appearance underlines their composition. The grass-based reference comes in bright green; the color was boosted thanks to the addition of natural chlorophyll.
Papeteries de Montségur presented its new protective shipping material called Cheveux d'ange (or angel hair, in French). Due to their length - 500mm -, these thin strips of tissue paper tangle together to form a compact and cushioning mass. Compared to simple paper strips, they are easier to handle and don’t scatter when unpacked. Their lightweightness and original appearance make the product a good fit for luxury goods e-commerce. The company aims to produce almost 100 tons of Cheveux d’ange in 2021. It is also offering tissue paper made of 100% post-consumer waste: a first in Europe. Made from selected paper pulp, the paper can be bulk dyed and printed.
Vimer has launched cardboard boxes that incorporate 20% non-wood-based materials, such as corn, lemon or herbs. Printing on these materials, given their more porous surface, was a challenge, according to the supplier. Eco-design wise, Vimer is offering treatments such as water-based acrylic varnishes and glossy or matte PLA lamination that does not disrupt a pack’s recyclable or compostable aspect. Its silver transfer technique, carried out by a subcontractor, gives the packaging a metallic aspect by simple transfer and without the addition of a plastic film. The used transfer film is recovered to be reused or recycled.
Les Belles Musettes showcased its range of recyclable and reusable gift packaging for the fashion, leather goods and jewelry sectors. The 100% made-in-France, glue-free packaging is modular, allowing it be adapted to the size and shape of the product it contains. The gift pack’s decor can be personalized, with printing on both sides offering a reversible option.
Neyret showcased its eco-friendly range of ribbons, made from materials including linen, tencel, and recycled polyester. Seacell is made from wood cellulose and marine algae, while S-café combines wood cellulose and coffee grounds.
Brandart showed its magnet-free boxes that, thanks to various folding techniques, are similar from a visual standpoint to boxes with magnets. The company also develops FSC-certified single-material shopping bags with woven paper handles that are reminiscent of textiles.
Lessebo Paper laid claim to being the first paper producer in the world to achieve gold level cradle-to-cradle certification for its white range of uncoated paper, which includes Scandia 2000 and Lessebo Design. The paper is used for applications including boxes, shopping bags and printed materials.
Centurybox presented The LoopBox, a prototype designed in response to demand for luxury gift boxes that are magnet-free. The monomaterial box features fold-down flaps that ensure the rigidity of the structure without the need for magnets, plastic stickers or Velcro. Delivered flat, it is made from 100% recycled greyboard and FSC certified paper.
Verescence presented a patented-pending jar with a clip-in glass refill. The hanging system is in aluminium, meaning the jar and its refill are 100% recyclable. Decoration options include lacquering and screenprinting, while the form of the jar can also be customized. After its Verre Infini 40, the company is poised to launch Verre Infini 20, made with 20% PCR and whose aesthetic is closer to that of extra flint glass. Verre Infini 20 will first launch in France, followed by Spain and the US. The supplier says the PCR will be locally sourced.
Eurovetrocap offers a catalog of eco-responsible products thanks to the life cycle analysis tool that its subsidiary Zero In Pack developed with Milan’s Bocconi University. It includes a line of jars and bottles made by Zignago Vetro from 90% recycled glass, 60% of which is post-consumer. Other new products include interior lacquered refillable airless bottles, recycled PET containers made on solar-powered injection blow molding machines and a mono-material dropper made of recycled PP to launch in December 2021. The company has also developed three-layer extruded polyethylene bottles: a layer of recycled PE is placed between two layers of virgin PE, one of which is in contact with the formula and the other on the outside.
Bormioli Luigi is replacing plastic with glass for skincare and make-up products as part of its “Back to Glass” campaign. Le Rechargeable is a patent-pending glass jar and refillable cup held in place with a clip-in plastic ring. Skin Lock comprises a glass jar and cap; the patent-pending, airtight closure is thanks to the mechanical pressure of a glue-free plastic seal. The supplier also presented a refillable lipstick with a glass cap and base. A glass mascara bottle was also on show.
ID Scent presented its latest pure paper fragrance sampling solutions: Scentpad and Scentdow. With Scentdow, best described as a sample card, the user opens the precut window to access the fragrance impregnated on the paper underneath. Designed to enable brands to dispense with secondary packaging, it allows for two fragrances in a single sample. Scentpad is inspired by cushion compacts and comprises a card applicator, or “pad”, inserted into a paper booklet. A QR code is printed on the card behind the pad. The pad allows for around 100 fragrance applications. Decoration possibilities for Scentpad and Scentdow include hot stamping and embossing.
Favini was pushing its Tree Free range, which uses bamboo and cotton fibers and targets brands that “want to be green but do not wish to compromise on their corporate image”. The supplier also highlighted its papers integrating various by-products: up to 25% leather by-products, for example, or industry by-products such as those generated from wine-making.
g.Pivaudran presented new caps made from 100% aluminum. The weighted part of the cap is now in aluminum rather than steel, and the insert in aluminum versus plastic previously. The next step is for the caps to be assembled without glue for 100% mechanical assembly. The caps can be made with 15% PCR content.
