The packaging industry is undergoing the most significant transformation in recent years. With the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations（
PPThe gradual implementation of "WR" has transformed recyclable design, circular economy, and single material packaging from "bonus points" to "essential options" for brand development.
For food brands, challenges come not only from regulations themselves: consumers expect more environmentally friendly packaging, brands need to fulfill their sustainability commitments, and packaging must ensure that product quality, shelf life, and user experience are not affected.
So, a key issue lies before the entire industry:
How to achieve recyclable packaging while,
Still maintaining high barrier performance?
An internationally renowned high-end pet food brand has taken the lead in seeking answers.
When recyclability becomes a new market requirement
As a high-end pet food manufacturer, this brand has extremely high requirements for packaging performance. The fat, protein, and flavor compounds in pet food are highly sensitive to oxygen, water vapor, and oil. Even a slight decrease in barrier performance may affect the freshness and consumer experience of the product.
Therefore, for many years, the brand has been using traditional high barrier multi-layer composite packaging structures to ensure that products maintain optimal quality during transportation, storage, and sales. However, driven by the concept of circular economy and the trend of PPWR regulations, brands have set new goals:
Improve packaging recyclability;
Maintain the original shelf life;
Does not affect the appearance of the packaging and brand image;
No increase in packaging costs.
These seemingly simple requirements actually mean the need to rethink the structural design of the entire packaging.
A brand new solution from North America
As a leading global producer of polyolefins, Boluo International has long focused on the development of high-performance packaging materials and has a deep accumulation in the fields of high barrier packaging and sustainable packaging.
Its SUR in the North American production base
PASS ® The series of products are developed based on advanced single point catalysts and multi reactor technology platforms, with excellent barrier performance, mechanical performance, and processing performance, helping brands achieve packaging reduction and single material design.
In response to the challenges faced by customers, Boluo International has developed a new recyclable polyethylene packaging solution in collaboration with industry chain partners, which includes:
SURPASS ® HPx267-AB is used for sealing layers, providing excellent water vapor and grease barrier properties;
SURPASS ® HPS167 AB is used for MDO (longitudinal stretching) printing film to enhance rigidity, dimensional stability, and optical performance;
In conjunction with the design of the oxygen barrier layer, the goal of recyclability is achieved while ensuring product protection performance.
From Challenge to Success: Results Exceed Expectations
After verification, the new packaging not only meets all the requirements initially proposed by the brand, but also achieves multiple breakthroughs:
Meet the requirements of APR (American Plastic Recycling Association) Recyclable Design Guidelines
Realize a recyclable structure compatible with PE (polyethylene) recycling system
Maintain the high barrier performance and shelf life of the original packaging
Maintain excellent printing effect and packaging appearance
Reduce packaging material costs by approximately 10%
For brand owners, this is not only a packaging upgrade, but also an important practice of transitioning from a traditional linear economy to a circular economy model.
High barrier, no longer a barrier for recyclable packaging
In the impression of many people, it is often difficult to achieve both high barrier performance and recyclability. However, this case proves that a balance can be achieved between the two through innovative material technology.
SURPASS ® HPS167-AB can provide up to 50% improvement in moisture barrier performance for packaging, while helping to achieve packaging thinning design, reduce material usage and carbon emissions, and provide more possibilities for brands to achieve sustainable development goals.
In addition to pet food packaging, this solution is also applicable to applications that are sensitive to water vapor, such as biscuits, grains, cheese, meat products, and ready to eat foods.
From responding to PPWR to innovating competitive advantages
As PPWR continues to advance and global brands accelerate their circular economy layout, the focus of competition in the packaging industry in the future is no longer limited to the product itself, but extends to the full lifecycle value of packaging. Brands not only need to meet regulatory requirements, but also establish long-term competitive advantages in the following areas:
Higher recyclability
Lower carbon footprint
Less material consumption
Longer shelf life
Better cost performance
The successful case of this international pet food brand shows that sustainable packaging does not mean compromise. On the contrary, when innovative materials are combined with collaborative innovation in the industrial chain, brands can fully achieve it simultaneouslyHigh barrier, recyclable, and cost reducingThree major objectives.
Boluo International is using SURPASS ® The High Barrier series of solutions helps more and more brands transform the challenges brought by PPWR into innovative opportunities, creating greater business value in the era of circular economy.
