ECOGRIP – The Corrugated Alternative to Plastic Shrink Wrap
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Sustainable packaging is an important issue for our planet, especially when it comes to single-use plastics that are not biodegradable. Shrink wrap is a growing concern, and a new packaging concept called ECOGRIP has been developed by the combined expertise of Blue Box Partners, Klingele Paper and Packaging Group’s Pan-European alliance.
During the purchasing process, research has shown retailers and consumers are demanding more sustainable packaging solutions. Moreover, the EU’s single-use plastic (SUP) Directive, which came into force on 3rd July 2019, aims to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. As a result large brands and manufacturers are now re-evaluating their packaging strategies and seeking out sustainable alternatives.
ECOGRIP is the result of extensive development and structural research. The concept eliminates the need for single-use plastic ‘shrink wrap’ when carrying multiple bottles. It provides a 100% biodegradable packaging that can be adapted to fit any type of bottle on the market.
As consumers, regulators and retailers are all demanding an end to single-use plastic this is pushing for sustainable packaging alternatives:
While industry continues to improve recycling rates for plastic bottles and containers, most secondary packaging such as shrink-wrap falls into the category of single-use plastic. Shrink wrap plays a significant role in the packaging industry because it is efficient to produce, lightweight and convenient. However it has a catastrophic effect on the environment when it is not recycled. Each year, hundreds of millions of tons of SUP are produced and end up in our oceans and landfill. Governments, environmental groups and consumers are demanding solutions around sustainable biodegradable packaging.
Of course, the impact on the supply chain of any alternative to shrink wrap needs to be adaptable. Any concept needs to be easy to transport, easy to handle and easy to store. With so many different sizes and shapes of bottles on the market, any paper-based solution has to be simple and scalable to meet demand.
Klingele Paper and Packaging Group, as one of the four members of Blue Box Partners (together with Hinojosa, VPK and Cart-One) carried out extensive customer-focused workshops and in-situ trials and testing to ensure performance. The development team harnessed knowledge and experience from all four partners to produce a biodegradable packaging solution that meets the needs of brands all over Europe.
Practical and flexible, ECOGRIP accommodates any amount, style of bottle or cap. ECOGRIP will be compatible. Our core message to customers is around adaptability, ease-of use and biodegradability.
With ECOGRIP, Klingele Paper and Packaging Group is looking to further build on its long-term relationships with customers, brands and manufacturers. Our mission is to eliminate every gram of single-use plastic from future supply chains. ECOGRIP is truly a biodegradable packaging technology for today's challenges: a robust, simple, sustainable product ready for application at speed and scale.
We want a world where retailers and consumers can be confident that the purchases they make are packaged responsibly, not just today, but also in the long-term.
