Dow and Procter & Gamble China have developed a mono-PE air capsule for e-commerce packaging said to reduce material usage and offer a weight reduction of over 40% compared to traditional corrugated parcel boxes.
The pack is made from ELITE AT PE resins from Dow, which reportedly enables recyclability and replaces traditional, multi-material alternatives. Its mono-PE structure also offers high gas barrier performance and allows manufacturers to phase nylon out of their packaging, the companies claim.
The entire pack serves as ‘safe and reliable’ cushion protection – an alternative to the standard e-commerce solution of carton box outer packaging and air cushion bags or bubble wrap wrapped around the product.
Designed for reliability and convenience, the solution offers a tamper-free opening to increase the security of the pack. Its easy-to-tear strip and auto-deflate feature intend to facilitate easy opening and disposal. Due to its reduced weight, the pack claims to require 25% of original trucking and 75% less warehouse space.
The solution is hoped to contribute towards Dow’s overall goals of achieving recyclability or reusability in 100% of its packaging by 2035 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
“The rise of e-commerce has inevitably generated an increase in packaging waste,” said Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific commercial vice president, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “At Dow, our role is to develop materials that enable better performing, sustainable packaging that is designed for recyclability from the start.
“Through our collaboration with P&G China, we not only meet the needs of consumer brands and e-retailers, but also enable consumers to do their part with materials that close the loop on packaging waste.”
“At P&G, we are focused on optimising our packaging design and committed to driving greater circularity in plastic packaging,” added Neo Yang, packaging innovation leader, P&G China.
“Partnering with Dow has enabled us to make progress in our commitment toward achieving 100 percent recyclable or reusable packaging by 2030.
“The development of our air capsule e-commerce packaging is a step in the right direction, and we hope to continue collaborating with more partners to drive such impact at scale.”
In 2022, Cortec Advanced Films revealed a self-seal bubble bag in an effort to prevent damage in the manufacturing, shipping, and storage processes for electronic components.
Flöter Verpackungs-Service GmbH has subsequently developed 100% recycled, FSC-certified biodegradable paper air cushions for e-commerce applications, and while Fiberwood’s protective packaging materials made from side streams of the mechanical wood industry have received seed funding from Metsä Spring.
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