Lego Drops Plastic Packaging, a Heat-Sealed Paper Solution, and a Plastic-Free Bottle for Dry Goods

Packaging continues to see a lot of change of materials driven largely by sustainability objectives. Plastic replacement is still top of the agenda for many brands and retailers as they look to switch out of the material to solutions that may offer a better environmental footprint or at least be better received by anti-plastic focused consumers.

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Lego pushes to replace plastic packaging.ThePackHubLego on a Mission to Rid Plastic from Packaging

Construction toy giant Lego has announced that it is in the process of removing all single-use plastic packaging from its products. Over the next three years, single-use plastic bags will be phased out gradually, and as it is an incremental change, Lego says that customers might find a mix of plastic and paper-based bags in their boxes. Lego’s aim is that by the end of 2025, all of their packaging will be made from sustainably sourced materials that are either renewable, or made from recycled content and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®C117818). The boxes that Lego comes in are made from cardboard, and 75% of all cardboard used is derived from recycled materials, and can be recycled where infrastructure and access to paper and cardboard recycling exist. Also, new paper-based packaging for baseplate packaging is being introduced this year, which replaces the previous single-use plastic wrappers.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö's fiber-based heat-sealed packaging.ThePackHubFiber-Based Heat Sealed Material Launched

Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a Finland-based manufacturer of fibre-based materials. Their product PurposeSeal is a heat-sealed paper solution constructed to ensure quality and protection for end-use packaging solutions. PurposeSeal is available with one-sided or two-sided heat sealed adhesive coated options. It can also be combined with their PurposeFil paper-based material which offers numerous options such as color, transparency, water resistance and high stretch, among others. Product categories suggested for PurposeSeal technology include e-commerce and retail packaging materials, transparent garment pouches and bags, and for single-use consumer goods packaging such as confectionery and baked goods. It is regarded as a replacement for traditional plastic film usage. Being paper-based, PurposeSeal is sustainably sourced and 100% recyclable allowing producers to easily meet sustainability goals. It has been certified recyclable passing the Western Michigan University SBS Equivalency (WMU SBS-E) test.

Cullen's paper bottle for dry goods.ThePackHubLightweight Paper Bottle for Dried Goods Launched

Molded pulp and corrugated packaging producers Cullen have introduced a lightweight bottle for dry goods, including food. It is marketed as ‘100% plastic-free’ and made from moulded fibre pulp. The bottle is formattable in several colors and shapes, can be used in automated packaging lines and is suitable for labelling. It is compatible with snap-off or resealable closures, allowing companies to fully customize the packaging for their specific needs including dyeing to achieve brand colors. At the end of its use, it can be fully recycled and will biodegrade if left in landfill. The bottle also has reuse possibilities. Cullen have said that the packaging innovation is ready to launch with several million units ready to go.

Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.