Packaging Solutions
Hoffmann Neopac is continuing its commitment to reducing plastics in its tube designs. The company has introduced the Eco-Stripped tube, which combines a significantly reduced sleeve wall thickness with a comparable materials reduction in the shoulder and cap. The result is a 30% reduction in overall virgin materials without sacrificing product protection, haptics or esthetics.
For cosmetics and personal care product customers, the benefits of Eco-Stripped tubes are several. First, the trimmed down tubes substantially reduce carbon impact; in fact, four Eco-Stripped tubes can be made with the amount of materials it takes to produce three conventional tubes of the same size. Less overall plastics also means lower extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees – so-called ‘plastic taxes’ – as well as lower shipping costs.
For Neopac, reducing overall materials to create lower profile shoulder and cap represents a materials science breakthrough. For size D50 tubes, for example, the sleek Eco-Stripped tubes sit 9.4 mm lower with a 3.75g weight reduction without sacrificing performance.
The latest in the company’s EcoDesign series, Eco-Stripped, is an evolution of its Lightweight tube, which reduces sleeve wall thickness from 0.5 to 0.35 mm. The next generation Eco-Stripped tube builds upon this sleeve weight reduction to create a comprehensively trimmed down tube construction. An eco conscious substitute for standard PE, PP and coextruded options, the new tubes are available in diameters ranging from 30 to 50 mm, for volumes from 40 to 300 ml. For enhanced protect protection and safety, tamper evident (first opening) options also are available.
Neopac estimates that, in its own packaging manufacturing operations, the new tubes will eliminate the need for as much as 7.7 tonnes of HDPE and PP materials per one million tubes produced. This translates to an overall carbon footprint reduction of over 29 tonnes of CO2 per million tubes manufactured.
‘The concept behind our new Eco-Stripped tube is ‘undress to progress’, meaning a key tool in moving toward a circular economy is overall materials reduction – and virgin plastics reduction specifically,’ said Cornelia Schmid, head of marketing for Neopac. ‘As a company, we are continuing to push our sustainability efforts further without sacrificing product protection, haptics, esthetics or other qualities brand owners hold dear.’
Other solutions in the company’s EcoDesign portfolio includes Recycled tube featuring 70% recycling material, 64% of which is PCR; Sugarcane tube, made from renewable raw materials; and Picea wood tube, comprised of 95% renewable material in the tube body and shoulder – including 10% of spruce wood from wood waste in sawmills.
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