“ HP has the capacity to do great simulations about how the fibers are going to behave based on the shape of the mold , and then optimize the final result ,” Libreros says . “ That ’ s allowed us to significantly reduce the amount of fibers that are needed to manufacture our products . We ’ re aiming to save 10 % to 15 % of CO₂ emissions through these process improvements .”
Sustainable packaging materials have made the biggest inroads in the food and beverage industries , followed by cosmetics , consumer electronics , and healthcare . “ By embracing the versatility of molded fiber , our solution can revolutionize packaging across industries ,” says Mariona Company , Head of Molded Fiber Based Packaging Solutions at HP . “ It ’ s our shared responsibility to push boundaries , think creatively , and identify new applications .”
The trend is also extending into developing countries , as the health of the planet is an increasingly urgent issue of worldwide concern . In Latin America , molded fiber packaging producer Gualmosa ( part of Molpack ) is using HP ’ s Molded Fiber Advanced Tooling Solution at its factory in Guatemala to manufacture trays out of recycled paper for shipping fruit . Tests are currently underway , and the company aims to introduce the product across its lineup by year ’ s end , says Ana González , Molpack ’ s chief of quality .
The company had tried to launch a similar project in the past , but they faced challenges in a hot Central American environment . Explains Gonzalez , “ It was biodegradable , and it couldn ’ t resist humidity and high temperature .” This time around , Molpack will have the advantage of computer modeling and design and HP ’ s 3D-printed molds , and it will likely add a nonbiodegradable liner to protect the recycled fiber from moisture .
The fact that packing materials sometimes have to be handled in a certain way to reap their environmental benefits is an underappreciated aspect of recyclable and compostable material . Years ago , Elevate ’ s Cohen noticed that a lot of biodegradable materials were inadvertently being rendered non-compostable because of something as small as a sticker . While to a casual consumer the sticker might seem like a small thing , it was effectively contaminating the process . “ Commercial composting operators were complaining because they were getting all this material contaminated with plastic , and instead of making compost with it , they were having to send it to a landfill ,” says Cohen .
Cohen came up with the idea of creating labels that were compostable , too —“ the world ’ s first pressuresensitive adhesive label material ,” as he puts it . Elevate also makes bioplastics out of plant material that , while they look and function like normal plastic film , are actually biodegradable . The company ’ s clear compostable cellophane bags are made from sustainably harvested wood fiber that is chemically dissolved and extruded into sheets before being dried and coated .
As sustainable packaging materials go mainstream , they not only help consumers and producers feel good about their choices , but they also invite a new generation of innovators to rise to the challenge . Today , all sorts of exciting new approaches are reaching the market . In place of Styrofoam peanuts , shippers can now use sustainably produced and compostable materials like coconut husks and mushroom-based packaging . Another successful innovation is materials like foam packing sheets and packing peanuts made of cornstarch that are used by the shipping materials giant Uline and dissolve under running water .
By 2050 , experts say , sustainable materials could make up the majority of all packaging . But at present the sector ’ s growth is constrained by several factors , not the least of which is cost . Molpack ’ s compostable fruit trays , for instance , cost twice as much as plastic ones .
“ Consumers are very happy to spend an extra penny to invest in packaging that is eco-friendly and sustainable and that is going to help the environment ,” Sutaria says . “ But if this is going to be commercially accepted worldwide on a mass scale , the price differential will have to be balanced . And doing that will depend on continuing innovation .”
The process of mainstreaming sustainable packaging will involve successes and failures . As the saying goes , you can ’ t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs . “ If you want to have big returns , you have to take risks ,” says Omni-Pac ’ s Libreros , adding : “ We hope we won ’ t break any eggs .”
Cornstarch is used to create packing foam that can dissolve under running water , left .
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