Akarton’s Hexpand solution, a protective cardboard packaging material intended to protect fragile goods in transit while unlocking easy recyclability, is now licensed for production and distribution in Europe.
Hexpand is made entirely from corrugated cardboard and claims to be 100% recyclable. It is designed to serve as an equally protective, yet more environmentally friendly, alternative to plastic packaging and padding material.
Because of its mono-material design, the entire pack can be recycled within the standard paper recycling stream, which negates the need to separate different materials and streamlines waste management.
Furthermore, it is designed for easier, faster, and more efficient use due to its ‘innovative’ structure, which is set to cut down on time and labour costs. At the same time, it claims to offer ‘excellent’ cushioning and protection via retention and suspension, while also enhancing the pack’s aesthetics with its ‘beautiful look’.
Akarton adds that the simplicity of the design, alongside the absence of plastic and other additives, saves on costs compared to existing packaging methods.
Potential applications include valuable products like electronics, lighting fixtures, and spare parts, but also everyday products such as food.
Since the solution is globally patented, Akarton is currently licensed to develop, produce, and sell Hexpand on the European and Middle Eastern markets. It hopes to help customers cut down on their environmental impact without sacrificing packaging quality or efficiency.
“Hexpand is more than just a product; it’s a step towards a more sustainable future,” said Mike Noldus, CEO of Akarton. “By combining innovation with sustainability, we are helping businesses across Europe and the Middle East reduce their carbon footprint while optimizing their packaging operations.
“With so far very limited marketing resources, Hexpand is already being noticed by very large A-brands as well as possible parties all over Europe, from Sweden to Spain and Ireland to Romania.”
In another effort to cut down on plastic packaging components in transit, Amazon and Mondi have designed a paper-padded envelope with paper-based, shock-absorbent lining. It was nominated for and ultimately won a Sustainability Award in 2024 under the E-Commerce category.
Since then, DS Smith has developed TailorTemp, a corrugated cardboard solution for storing and delivering temperature-sensitive products designed to replace expanded polystyrene; as well as fibre-based e-commerce packaging for juice products in glass bottles, developed alongside V. Roubis to protect the fragile packaging while utilizing as few materials as possible.
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