STRENGTHEN
THE
PACKAGING
55
JUL 2017 FOOD FOCUSTHAILAND
Reference
5exciting, emerging sustainablepackagingmaterials towatch in2016.
Page5of 5. ShaneBertsch. PackagingDesign. February 24, 2016.
-
sustainable-packaging-materials-to-watch-in-2016-2016-02-24/page/0/4.
Herearesome recent innovationson thebleedingedge. It isonly
amatter of timebefore thesenew technologiesarenot onlybrought
to market but become highly influential in various and competing
packaging industries:
1
SustainableAqueousBarrierCoatings
Newsustainablecoat-
ings improve any fiber products (by preventing moisture from
penetrating the material and potentially contaminating foods) and
present alternatives to laminatedstructures that, incontrast to those
treatedwithnewsustainablecoatings,cannotbe recycled. Insustain-
ablepractices, this isamajordifferentiator factorof thisnew technol-
ogy
2
LightWeight Insulation
The temperature-controllingpackaging
material offers clear advantages over conventional insulated
blanket technology and is a flexible, sustainable alternative to ex-
panded polystyrene (EPS) foam. Commercialized in Europe, retail
stores leverage thenew technology for shroudsoverdolly, roll cages
andpallets.Theseshroudsmaintainchilledconditions formore than
3.5hours—andareparticularlyuseful instoreswith limitedspace for
refrigeration andwhenproducts havehigh turnover.
3
Micro-FibrillatedCellulose (MFC) Specialty Fiber
Micro-Fib-
rillated Cellulose is a unique fiber extracted from plant waste,
used to strengthen and lighten fiber products sustainably. Benefits
from this technology include reducedmaterial withmaintained per-
formance, amaterial stronger and stiffer than glass or carbon fiber
(but lighterweight), improvedcrack resistanceandefficient rheology
aid. It also provides oxygen and moister barriers. You can signifi-
cantly enhance product performance with minimal additions of the
material to existing substrates. Since this derived from crops—not
from trees—it provides a much more competitive price point than
othermicro-fibrillated cellulose products.
4
Micro-Pattern Material Enhancement
Emerging technology
transforms the surfaces of cups with micro-patterning. Without
havingany impact ongraphic presentation, this new technology not
onlyprovides improvedgrip, comfort andhandlingof hot beverages,
but slows the formation of condensation and improves material
performance characteristics without changing or introducing new
chemistry.
The rateof technologychangecontinues tochallenge the indus-
try. To stay relevant and efficiently effective, implementing new and
innovative technologies into products and packagingwill become a
norm and a constant, evolutionary process alongside the also
evolving regulatory implications and restrictions. These examples
mentionedare just someadvancements in todaypackaging industry.
The industrywill continue toperpetuate itsownneed for transforma-
tive design, function, operation and technology.
