Multinational brand Unilever has developed a paper-based laundry detergent bottle that is designed to be recycled in the paper stream.
Set to be launched with its OMO brand (also known as Persil, Skip and Breeze elsewhere) in Brazil in early 2022, Unilever intends to launch it in Europe and other territories shortly after.
The paper bottles are made with sustainable pulp, and are then sprayed inside with a proprietary coating that repels water. This enables the packaging to hold liquid products such as laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioners, which contain surfactants, fragrances and other active ingredients.
This packaging was developed by the Pulpex consortium, which is a collaboration between Unilever, Diageo, Pilot Lite and other industry members.
Unilever chief R&D officer Richard Slater said: “To tackle plastic waste, we need to completely rethink how we design and package products. This requires a drastic change that can only be achieved through industry-wide collaboration. Pulpex paper-based bottle technology is an exciting step in the right direction, and we are delighted to be working together to trial this innovation for our products.
“Innovating with alternative materials is a key part of our sustainable packaging strategy and will play an important role in our commitment to halve our use of virgin plastic materials by 2025.”
