Which material do you consider to be the best in terms of sustainability?
The answer, as so often in life, is: It depends. Basically, all fiber-based packaging has the advantage that it is made from renewable raw materials and can be recycled via the waste paper cycle. Alternative fibers such as grass or silphia are not used singularly, but complement wood-based fibers as they have different physical properties. The comparison of the product carbon footprint of the materials also depends largely on their production and the energy source used. For example, it is difficult to compare a cellulose cartonboard produced using green energy with a recycled cartonboard produced using gas as an energy source, and the figures vary from supplier to supplier.
Is it even possible to make a final decision?
The decisive factor for us is that we bring monomaterial solutions to the market that are fully recyclable. Product protection plays the most important role in this, because the negative environmental impact of products that are damaged or spoil due to inadequate packaging can be significantly higher than the emissions caused by more packaging.
What are the decisive points and factors for selecting the right fiber?
The performance criteria of the packaging are decisive for the optimal choice of material, i.e. which requirements the packaging must fulfill. The product itself is the first decisive factor. For example, there are special requirements for direct food contact, pharmaceutical products, or hazardous goods. The use of virgin fiber material is often mandatory in these cases in order to rule out potential migration from the waste paper from the outset. There is also the question of what stresses a product is exposed to during transportation, i.e. what drop tests does it have to pass and how is it stored and shipped? A detergent pack sold in a supermarket is exposed to different stresses than a detergent pack sold as a ship-in-product packaging solution directly from the online retailer without additional outer packaging. There is also the question of whether the packaging is filled manually or by machine. Consistent material properties have top priority for optimum machine performance in order to prevent machine downtime. And last but not least, printing and finishing requirements also play a decisive role in the choice of material. Different visual effects can be achieved on bleached virgin fiber materials than on uncoated materials or recycled papers.
What role does the recyclability of the materials play compared to their reusability?
Reusable packaging is based on standard solutions and, above all, standard dimensions, which only exist in a few sectors today. For example, pizza varieties from different manufacturers have different dimensions and muesli mixes have different volumes and filling quantities. Numerous studies have already dealt with the comparison of reusable and disposable solutions, which show that a comparison of reusable and disposable solutions is complex. For example, there is always the question of the number of cycles, the additional empty loads or the energy required to clean the reusable containers.
We strive to keep the resources we use in the circular economy for as long as possible and to achieve maximum recycling efficiency. We also want to expand the range of applications for fiber-based packaging and replace current plastic-based packaging with sustainable solutions.
How do you see things developing over the next few years?
The regulations currently being imposed on us by the EU – be it the Green Deal with the PPWR or the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) – are an enormous challenge for companies. Those who fail to act now risk significant competitive disadvantages. At the same time, the extended regulatory requirements also offer opportunities for market differentiation.
We have, therefore, brought together the diverse knowledge of various experts and our own know-how in a white paper entitled “Future Ready Packaging”, which we are presenting at FACHPACK for the first time. The white paper focuses precisely on the question of future developments – we have focused on the implications of the European Green Deal and thus the new role of packaging.
