A new technology from Nanopool replaces plastic packaging with transparent glassine paper. A patent-pending barrier ensures good product protection - with full recyclability in the paper stream.
A transparent window made of paper was long considered technically impossible. Nanopool GmbH from Saarland now presents Glassine by Siopack, a patent-pending solution for recyclable, paper-based transparent packaging. The coating technology makes glassine paper so transparent and barrier-effective, that it can completely replace plastic windows in packaging - without converting the production processes and with complete recyclability.
Visible packaging without plastic
Until now, there was no alternative to plastic windows when products needed to be packaged visibly and protected at the same time. Although pure paper such as glassine offered ecological advantages, its use was limited in terms of transparency and barrier effect. The Glassine by Siopack technology developed by Nanopool has now created the first ever a material that combines visibility, protection and recyclability.
The coating can be inline in paper production or offline using standard flexographic printing systems without the need for additional infrastructure or supply chains. Initial pilot applications, such as self-service bread roll bags in the retail sector, show this: Plastic can be completely replaced without compromising on product protection, hygiene or visibility.
Wide range of applications - from bakery shelves to pharmacies
In addition to food retail, the developers see potential in numerous other sectors: From detergents and cleaning agents to tea and chocolate packaging and pharmaceutical products, Glassine by Siopack enables paper-based viewing windows, which function as an integral part of the packaging. The technology offers new design options, particularly in the pharmacy or mail-order business, where trust and product clarity are crucial.
Visibility becomes part of the packaging design: Colours, fill levels and dosage forms are directly visible, without having to resort to plastic. The material also opens up new options for hygienic, transparent portion packaging in system catering.
A lever for visible sustainability
According to the company, over 100 billion packs with plastic windows are used in Europe every year. A replacement of just ten per cent with Glassine by Siopack could save more than 150,000 tonnes of plastic per year. According to Nanopool, this changeover is possible immediately.
The technology is not intended as a niche solution, but as a new packaging standard. According to the provider, it fulfils Requirements for sustainability, product protection and industrial scalability equally. The development has already been honoured several times with awards such as the Green World Award (2020) and the Green Product Award (2022).
Source: Nanopool
