Stora Enso, alongside Blue Ocean Closures and AISA, have developed together the first-ever paperboard tube with a fibre-based closure.
This new, innovative wood fibre-based concept helps brand owners increase the share of renewable material in their packaging. All components of the tube are designed for recycling.
The tube comprises Stora Enso's barrier-coated board material Natura Shape and a screw cap designed in collaboration with Blue Ocean Closures with assembly by AISA.
The solution contains more than 85 percent fibre content, the highest proportion in a tube design. It is intended for cosmetics and personal care applications and is expected to be commercially available in 2024.
As plastic remains the most widely available base material for tubes today, brand owners have faced a challenge when sourcing sustainable alternatives.
Martin Hammer, the business developer at Stora Enso, said the organisation believed it essential to increase fibre content to futureproof paperboard tubes with increased recyclability, reduced carbon footprint, and meet consumer expectations for sustainability and user experience.
Increased collaboration is required across the value chain to help brand owners achieve their sustainability targets without compromising functionalities and shelf presence.
"This paperboard tube development is a great example of a collaboration needed to stay competitive in today's rapidly changing industries, both now and in the long run. Making our paperboard tubes more commonplace in today's packaging landscape requires finding sustainable closures, too," said Salvatore Sortino, Head of Business Alliance at Stora Enso.
"By collaborating with Blue Ocean Closures and AISA, we have accelerated the development of the more sustainable tube solution."
This latest improvement was officially unveiled at Interpack 2023, the world's largest fair for the packaging industry. Stora Enso launched its paperboard tube concept in 2019 for cosmetics packaging as a new, climate-friendly alternative to plastic tubes.
