View Post

Q&A with Viva IML Tubes

In manufacturing, packaging, sustainability by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

Prior to the American Packaging Summit 2019, we spoke with Viva IML Tubes to address sustainability, new packaging technologies, and Viva IML Tube’s expertise. In this Q&A, we discuss what sustainability trends are reshaping the packaging industry, how new technologies and materials have enhanced the customer experience, and why customers choose to work with Viva IML Tubes. This is an excerpt from the Q&A we did with Viva IML Tubes: “Sustainability is at the forefront of many companies. How does Viva IML Tubes align with customers’ strategic initiatives to achieve sustainability goals for the future? We believe in uncompromised beauty and quality combined with the best sustainability solution available. Every tube that Viva makes has a terrific sustainability story. And we have some new developments with FDA certified PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastic that takes the sustainability story even further. Viva produces tubes by injection molding, with in-mold label decoration. The manufacturing method yields significantly lower GHG emissions and has a lower environmental impact – about 25% to 35% less than industry standard tubes (verified by independent Life Cycle Analysis). Viva’s tubes are the only package in the industry that are single-category. Each component of Viva’s tube (label, tube and cap) is made of polypropylene (Category 5 plastic). Polypropylene is the fastest growing category of plastic being recycled and is accepted as a significant majority of recyclers in North America today. All of Viva’s tubes are recyclable and require no disassembly. …

Read More →
View Post

Loop’s Launch Brings Waste-Free Packaging to the World’s Biggest Brands

In packaging, sustainability by Alicia Cheung3 Comments

A new shopping platform unveiled yesterday at the World Economic Forum could be one of the most significant advances in packaging to date. The new Loop circular shopping platform allows customers to responsibly consume products in high-quality, reusable packaging that can be returned and refilled multiple times before ultimately being recycled. The first-of-its-kind platform is supported by some of the world’s biggest brands including Coca Cola, Unilever, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Mondelez International, and Danone. Loop is a business venture of New Jersey-based waste management company TerraCycle, the company that made a name for itself collecting non-recyclable waste and turning it into new products. Its founder and CEO, Tom Szaky, recreates the “the milkman model” by collaborating with top brands, global retailers, and package delivery and waste management companies. Apart from having extensive environmental benefits, which have been proven and verified in Life Cycle Assessments, the new circular shopping platform will elevate the consumer’s brand experience with waste-free, premium products. Loop will launch in the United States and France this spring as a pilot. Additional markets are expected to launch throughout 2019 and 2020. How Loop works: Consumers will go to Loop’s websites or Loop partner retailer’s websites and shop for brands redesigned to be packaging waste-free Consumers receive their products in Loop’s exclusively designed shipping tote that eliminates the need for single-use shipping materials like cardboard boxes Consumers enjoy their premium product while eliminating the worry of packaging waste When …

Read More →

Reduce: An Interview with VOID Technologies

In innovation, packaging, sustainability, technology by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

Packaging sustainability is a critical topic in the industry right now, with many companies moving towards more sustainable packaging to meet consumer demand and environmental goals. Companies today are facing a complex set of choices around how to tackle sustainability, but it is possible to use a simple guiding framework as the foundation for building an approach.  People frequently talk about the 3 R’s of Sustainability: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. What is often overlooked, however, is that this is a hierarchy. The framework encourages us to first and foremost reduce consumption, as this is the most impactful approach to sustainability. This can be achieved by reducing the number of products we use, but also by reducing the amount of material used in each product. VO+ is a revolutionary material reduction technology that engineers nano-and micro-scale voids into commodity and bioplastics to create lighter, stronger, and more sustainable products In advance of the American Packaging Summit, we heard from VOID Technologies about how companies can meet their environmental goals through reducing the amount of packaging they use.

Read More →
View Post

Sustainable Film Solutions: Talking Packaging Innovation with Charter NEX

In packaging, sustainability by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

Demand for a lower carbon footprint and more sustainable packaging has never been greater among consumers and brand owners. Many leading brand owners have gone as far as to set long-term sustainability goals which require 100% of their packaging to be fully recyclable. Today, many leading associations estimate that less than 20% of flexible packaging is actually recycled, which leads us to the question: what can we do to change that? Charter NEX has developed a family of film solutions called GreenArrow which were developed with a sustainability-first mindset. These films aim to rewrite the historical equation between packaging performance and recyclability. According to Nielsen, products which make claims about sustainable manufacturing procedures and business practices are seeing significant growth over similar conventional products. Charter NEX, through the GreenArrow portfolio, aims to enable brand owners to make similar claims around the sustainability of their packaging. In advance of the American Packaging Summit, we spoke to Charter NEX about how they are innovating in sustainable packaging, why they are committed to helping their customers find sustainable packaging solutions, and how the GreenArrow product line supports this goal. Click through the read the article.

Read More →
View Post

Unveiling New Sustainable Packaging Materials and Design at Hasbro

In interview, packaging, sustainability by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

Hasbro is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World’s Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming, and consumer products, Hasbro is famous for some of the world’s most known and loved brands, such as NERF, My Little Pony, Transformers, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Baby Alive, Magic: The Gathering, and many others. But did you know they are also a leader in sustainability in the toy industry? Hasbro ranked No.3 on Newsweek’s 2017 Green Rankings, No.1 on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list for 2017 by CRMagazine, and was recognized as a 2018 World’sMost Ethical Company® by Ethisphere Institute. Earlier this year, Hasbro announced plans to begin using plant-based packaging materials as a way to further solidify their continued commitment to sustainability.

Read More →

Five Premium Manufacturing Facilities, from Bakery Production to Heavy Industrial Manufacturing

In facilities, facility, manufacturing, site location, sustainability by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

The Austin Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of in-house services, including planning, architectural design, engineering, design-build, construction management, and construction, as well as site location and operations improvement consulting, for commercial and industrial companies throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In advance of the American Manufacturing Summit, we asked them to highlight some of their favorite manufacturing facilities they have worked on across different industries, from bakery production to heavy industrial manufacturing.

Read More →

Trends in Packaging: More and More Companies Pledging to Make Packaging 100% Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable

In packaging, sustainability by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

92% of respondents to the 2017 Sustainable Packaging Study, conducted by Packaging Digest and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, said “sustainability in packaging has never been more important”. Brands are taking notice. At this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, the Ellen Macarthur Foundation announced that the list of big companies that they are working with towards the goal of 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025 or sooner has grown to eleven. The companies onboard are: Amcor, Ecover, evian, L’Oréal, Mars, M&S, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever, Walmart, and Werner & Mertz. Together, these companies create over 6 million tonnes of plastic packaging per year.

Read More →