Flexible packaging is a sound solution for organizations’ sustainability initiatives
In our most recent blog we discussed how sustainability is helping to drive the growth of the flexible packaging industry .
As our emphasis on the topic of sustainability continues, we will focus on how flexible packaging manufacturers help corporations meet sustainability initiatives, with a real-world example of how SigmaQ developed and produced eco-friendly packaging for a food manufacturer.
Sustainability is becoming a prerequisite in the business world
Sustainability is now more than a trend; it is a way of life. Here are some examples :
- Nearly every one of the world’s largest companies now publish a sustainability report and set goals.
- More than 2,000 companies have agreed to science-based carbon targets.
- Banks including JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America have pledged from $1 trillion to $2.5 trillion to invest in climate action and sustainable development.
- Corporations are urging suppliers and vendors to set science-based sustainability targets, and in some cases issuing fines if they fail to do so.
So, as corporate sustainability initiatives and environmental legislation influence packaging design, more companies are using flexible packaging to reduce energy and resource consumption. Recent upstream innovations in materials such as resins have helped reduce packaging weight as well, resulting in even more flexible replacing rigid packaging.
In one example , a manufacturer that substituted a flexible pouch for a high-density polyethylene bottle realized these benefits:
- A 5% increase in package volume
- An 8% decrease in product price
- A 76% reduction in package weight
Recyclable flexible packaging
Recycling flexible packaging can be complex since most flexibles are made from multiple layers of different materials, and because separating those layers can be difficult and time consuming. However, according to a McKinsey report , “changes with film converters and recycling infrastructure to build recovery capability to accept polyolefin multi-substrate films, which could allow for a much larger amount of flexible packaging and other multi-material packaging to be recycled. This also involves developing and scaling more advanced recycling technologies.
“Plastic film producers, meanwhile, are pushing hard to develop mono-material (such as all-polyethylene) packaging solutions, which are fully recyclable at the end of their lifecycle and can replace today’s multi-material flexible plastic packaging that cannot be recycled with today’s processing technology. There is also substantial work under way to develop more food-safe-grade plastic films incorporating recycled content. This development will increase the use of recycled materials in the large quantities of flexible packaging that are used today for food.”
SigmaQ helps its customers achieve sustainability objectives
problem
- To meet an internal sustainability objective, a well-known North American food manufacturer needed recyclable flexible packaging for its traditional hot sauce.
- The packaging would need to include a convenient design for restaurants to pair to-go orders.
solution
- SigmaQ designed and produced rollstock sachets (single-serving airtight bags) that the food manufacturer filled with sauce using automated form-fill-sealing (FFS) equipment. The flexible packaging featured:
- A monomaterial polyethylene structure that would be recyclable
- A shape that would easily synchronize with the manufacturer’s equipment
- Easy-open functionality
- An appearance and quality level that met or exceeded brand standards
- A resilient barrier that retained the sauce’s distinct flavor as well as the chemical resistance required for this application.
results
- SigmaQ’s recyclable sachets helped the manufacturer advance its sustainability goals.
- Customer personnel discovered that their FFS machines could run at lower temperatures, saving them significant revenue through reduced electricity usage.
Interested? Need more info?
Contact a SigmaQ Flexible Packaging Expert.
