The Swiss paper manufacturer Perlen Papier holds the exclusive production rights for innovative paper bottles from Pulpex in southern Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. The patent-protected technology enables the production of lightweight and recyclable bottles made from moulded paper fibres. Depending on the application, they achieve shelf lives of more than 24 months.
The paper bottle by Perlen Papier is based on a patented fibre-moulding technology from the British company Pulpex. This technology enables the production of bottles made from moulded paper fibres that are lightweight, sturdy and waterproof. The one-piece bottle body is formed from cellulose fibres using a wet-pressing process and then dried. Subsequently, the interior is coated with a thin, food-safe and plastic-free barrier layer. No adhesives are required during production. The fibres used come from certified sustainable forestry or recycled waste paper.
The bottles are suitable for a wide range of products, including still beverages, milk-based foods, oils, wine, spirits, and cosmetic and personal care products. A food-safe and odour-neutral barrier protects the contents against moisture and oxygen, enabling shelf lives of more than 24 months.
Focus on sustainability
A key advantage of Pulpex technology is the recyclability of the paper bottles. They can be processed through existing paper recycling streams, which meets the growing need for environmentally friendly packaging. In addition, when considered from a cradle-to-gate perspective, the paper bottle has a 90 per cent lower carbon footprint than a comparable glass bottle and is 30 per cent lower than that of a PET bottle. The lower weight of the bottle also reduces transportation effort and logistics costs.
Diverse design options
The paper bottles are available in standard sizes of 300, 500 and 750 millilitres, with plans to expand the range to 200 to 1,000 millilitres. The moulded fibre process also enables custom bottle shapes and brand designs through integrated digital printing or labelling. The bottles are compatible with standard filling processes and can be integrated into existing infrastructure.
Germany as a key market
Germany, with its high density of innovative food producers and strong regional clusters in cosmetics manufacturing, has the potential to become a pioneer in the use of this novel packaging solution. Brand manufacturers have the opportunity to rethink the material usage of their packaging and complement glass or plastic with a fibre-based solution.
Dr Florian Geiger, CEO of Perlen Papier AG and Perlen Industrieholding AG:
„For brand manufacturers and bottlers in Germany, sustainability in packaging is no longer just an added benefit – it has to go hand in hand with product protection, process reliability and economic efficiency. That is precisely what the fibre bottle is designed for: it is lightweight, recyclable, high-performing and can be integrated into existing filling processes. With the planned production in Switzerland, we are also creating short transit routes to one of Europe's most important industrial markets and, in future, will be able to supply customers directly from the region, particularly in Southern Germany.“
Florian Geiger, CEO of Perlen Papier AG
Pulpex's fibre bottles are already available today. Furthermore, Perlen Papier is investigating the possibility of producing the bottles from the end of 2027 at the Perlen site in the Swiss canton of Lucerne. This is intended to create a geographically close production source for customers in Germany in the future.
Source: Perlen Industrieholding
