Henkel Floating Shrink Sleeve for Fabric Softener, Chobani Brand Overhauls Yogurt Cup to Cut Plastic, Coop and Emmi Closed Cycle Dairy Bottles

Recycling initiatives are the most common type of packaging innovation reported in ThePackHub's Innovation Zone. Material reduction initiatives make up a significant chunk of recent innovations, along with companies adjusting materials to improve their products' recyclability.

Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.

The floatable shrink sleeves on Henkel's fabric softener packaging facilitate separation during recycling.ThePackHubHenkel Uses Innovative Floatable Sleeves to Enhance Fabric Softener Bottle Recycling 

German multinational chemical and consumer goods company Henkel AG & Co., headquartered in Düsseldorf, has been awarded a Worldstar Global Packaging Award in the household category. It has enhanced the recyclability of its fabric softener PET bottles in Europe through a partnership with Canadian label manufacturer CCL, adopting a novel EcoFloat material for shrink sleeves. This innovative polyolefin material, characterized by its low density, ensures that during the recycling process, the sleeve floats while the PET bottle sinks, facilitating their separation in recycling facilities. The use of EcoFloat addresses the common issue of consumers not removing sleeves before disposal, thus improving the recycling rate of the bottles, which are already made from 100% recycled PET. This advancement represents a significant step towards better recycling outcomes for Henkel’s fabric softener packaging, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and recycling efficiency. 

Chobani brand Gippsland Dairy has cut nearly half of its packaging's plastic content by removing the plastic lid and spoon.ThePackHubChobani Australia Brand Overhauls Packaging for Sustainability

Chobani Australia, known for its Gippsland Dairy brand, has announced significant changes to the packaging of its 160g stirred yogurt products, in a bid to align with sustainability goals. The company has eliminated the black plastic lid and the plastic spoon, previously embedded in the lid, reducing the plastic content per unit by almost half. This change is part of their commitment to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and the 2025 National Packaging Targets. The packaging now features a black band around the top, replicating the look of the former lid, while maintaining the product’s distinctive appearance on shelves. The PP (polypropylene) yoghurt tubs are produced by MPAK – Mercedes Packaging, and the foil lids are printed and converted by The Van Dyke Press. This initiative is expected to remove 95,000 kilograms of plastic in 2024 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the supply chain. 

Retailers Coop and Emmi have introduced Switzerland's only food packaging that can be recycled and reprocessed in a closed cycle.ThePackHubSwiss Retailers Coop and Emmi Launch Sustainable Packaging for Dairy Products 

Swiss retailers Coop and Emmi have introduced a sustainable packaging solution for selected milk and cream products. The new PET bottles contribute to both companies’ sustainability objectives, aligning with their circular economy strategies. These opaque, white PET bottles enhance product protection and taste consistency, being the only plastic food packaging in Switzerland that can be recycled and reprocessed in a closed cycle. Coop and Emmi aim to extend this commitment to recyclable packaging across their brands, with a clear labelling system indicating the recyclability of PET bottles. The switch to PET aligns with Coop’s broader circular strategy, which has substantially reduced packaging materials since 2012. Additionally, Emmi’s adoption of PET aligns with its sustainability goal of achieving 100% recyclable packaging and a minimum of 30% recycled materials by 2027. The initiative reflects a concerted effort by both companies to contribute to resource conservation and reduce environmental impact. 

Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.