Olive oil in a paper bottle
Jordan is launching olive oil in a paper bottle made of 94 per cent cardboard with a thin inner tube made of recyclable mono-material and a specially developed pouring spout.
Read more " 
Often overlooked, but essential for fully sustainable packaging: the label. The Finnish company UPM Raflatac produces sustainable labelling solutions that are designed to help reduce CO2-footprint of product packaging.
German consumers have become more sensitive when it comes to product packaging. Too much plastic, too many boxes, pointless filling material - all this is now frowned upon. With this sense of sustainability, however, Germans are far above the global average. In supermarkets in other European countries, you can still find bread rolls or apples individually wrapped in plastic - something that is now completely unthinkable in Germany. The interest in sustainable solutions does not end with visible plastic packaging. Consumers are increasingly demanding that companies demonstrate a positive environmental footprint. How climate-friendly are their products and packaging, how big is their CO2-footprint? This also increases the pressure on manufacturers. After all, a product can only be as environmentally friendly as its individual components.
The label is a small but essential part of any packaging. This inconspicuous component is important when it comes to making packaging as environmentally friendly as possible. This can be seen in several key areas: Firstly, labels that are already climate-neutral can improve a product's environmental footprint. Secondly, labels whose materials are perfectly matched to the rest of the packaging can facilitate recycling. And thirdly, labels made from sustainable raw materials can make a positive contribution.
UPM Raflatac recognised the need for more sustainable labels at an early stage and specialises in environmentally friendly label material. Today, the company presents sophisticated and third-party certified solutions that have a positive impact on its customers' environmental footprint.
An example of a sustainable labelling solution: the company's linerless range. UPM Raflatac's entire range of linerless labels has received the CarbonNeutral Product Certificate, awarded by Natural Capital Partners. The greenhouse gas emissions of Linerless products are fully offset by global projects that are verified according to internationally recognised standards. This means that UPM Raflatac has already taken steps to offset its customers' unavoidable emissions (cradle-to-customer). Customers can deduct the emissions caused by the linerless labels in their life cycle assessment calculations - an important step towards carbon neutrality of the entire package. The labels are also produced using wood from FSC-certified forests. The management of such forests focuses on the conservation, restoration and preservation of ecosystem services, including their role as a net sink of CO2 from the atmosphere. This forest certification system is recommended by the WWF and many other non-governmental organisations.
Linerless reduces material consumption
The labels offer another significant advantage: their lower material consumption. The sustainability and efficiency benefits of using linerless labels are considerable, as material consumption can be reduced by up to 40 per cent compared to conventional labelling with liner material. Direct thermal (DT) linerless labels help customers to reduce their packaging waste. The high demand for linerless labels is due to the developed technology and the possibility of significantly reducing waste. The DT market for linerless labels has recently recorded annual growth of around 15 per cent.
The fact that UPM Raflatac is serious about developing innovative and sustainable labelling solutions is also demonstrated by a new product that will be launched at the beginning of June: Ocean Action is the world's first adhesive material made from plastic waste from the sea. This plastic consists of discarded waste of all sizes that is located a maximum of 50 kilometres from the coast in communities or areas where there are no or only very inefficient waste management systems and which increase the risk of plastic waste entering the sea.
UPM Raflatac also sees itself as a pioneer in measures to mitigate climate change: The manufacturer has joined the Climate Pledge, which commits companies to achieving net zero carbon emissions per year by 2040 - a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement's 2050 target.
More news on the topic of green packaging
High recycling rate for beverage cans in Europe
The recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans in Europe rose to over 76% in 2023. The industry sees itself on course for full recycling by 2050.
Read more " 
Delfort switches paper production to fossil-free energy
Delfort has completely converted the production of its speciality papers at the Tervakoski site in Finland to fossil-free energy.
Read more " 
Italy impresses in Nuremberg
The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) takes positive stock of its joint appearance at Biofach 2026.
Read more " 
Fraunhofer software optimises shipping cartons
The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML has developed CASTN carton set optimisation, a market-ready software that makes the actual volume utilisation rate of shipping cartons transparent.
Read more " 
Sustainability as a driver of innovation in cosmetics packaging
Sustainable cosmetics packaging combines recyclability, innovative materials and flexible machine solutions - making sustainability a competitive factor.
Read more "