COS x Paptic

Paptic's wood fibre-based packaging for Cos multipack t-shirts / Source: Paptic

AsiaCottonEuropeNorth AmericaOceaniaPackagingPaperPapticSouth AmericaTextiles

4 MINUTE READ

Sophie Benson

WHAT WE SAY:

It is estimated that the fashion industry produces over half a billion polybags each year, with virtually none of them being recycled.

So while it is encouraging to see the H&M Group subsidiary Cos, use Paptic’s wood fibre-based packaging for its three-pack t-shirts, we cannot help but feel that shifting to renewable packaging for a single multipack smacks of not seeing the forest for the trees. Real progress will be driving that half a billion number down to zero.

KEY FACTS:

H&M Group brand Cos has partnered with Paptic on the packaging of its multipack organic Cotton t-shirts.
Paptic is a plastic-free, renewable packaging material made from wood-based fibres.
Paptic bags are more durable than conventional Paper bags, enabling them to be reused and they can also be recycled in the paper waste stream.
The packaging solution is in use globally, both online and in stores.

A roll of Paptic material / Source: Paptic

A Paptic mailer after postage / Source: Paptic

DIVE DEEPER:

Plastic packaging represents 40% of the total volume of plastics used and 95% of plastic packaging material value - estimated between USD 80-120 billion annually - is lost to the economy after first use.
Clothing is often individually packaged in polybags after production. Removing the packaging completely would seem the obvious solution, however when Patagonia ran an experiment and removed its polybags, 30% of garments became damaged to the point of being unsellable. Tying products with ribbon or twine resulted in a 30% damage rate and paper packaging was often torn during the process of traveling along conveyor belts and packing stations.
To overcome such issues while still cutting out polybags, Cos partnered with Paptic on the packaging for its three-pack t-shirts. Plastic-free per the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive, Paptic is classified as paper and can therefore be recycled with paper, but has higher tensile strength, and is resistant to moisture and tearing.
The collaboration with Cos takes advantage of heat seal options and the ability to print on the packaging using the same methods as paper printing, such as ink set and screen printing. The resultant simple black and white design reflects the brand’s pared-back aesthetic.
The more a bag is used, the lower its overall impact. Paptic bags can be reused multiple times, with the Finnish company reporting that its brand partners are commonly seeing 10 uses.
H&M Group is aiming for 100% of its packaging to be made from recycled or sustainably-sourced materials by 2030 and all packaging designed to be reusable or recyclable by 2025. Cos’s carrier bags are made from FSC-certified paper, and its online orders are sent in paper boxes and pouches.
Paptic aims to deliver 250,000 tons of its material to market by 2027, with a plan to reach ten production sites globally the same year, making access to mass-produced Paptic products easier.

"We are extremely delighted that Cos selected our material for this packaging end-use. We would like to thank the Cos team for this fruitful collaboration helping to further preserve the planet’s natural resources."

Jukka Rovamaa - UK Business Development, Paptic

Key Design Considerations:

What is Paptic’s price premium and how might you mitigate this?

While the company reports that its bags can be produced on existing paper manufacturing lines with slight modifications, the initial upfront cost is undoubtedly higher than traditional polybags. However, there are many opportunities to mitigate and reframe this – can you design your packaging to embrace Paptic’s reusability and nudge consumers in this direction?

How will you ensure benign end-of-life?

Paptic is recyclable and being wood pulp-based, it is also biodegradable in the natural environment if not disposed of correctly. Given this, it is imperative to ensure that your finishing touches, from printing to sealing, do not compromise this.

Does your multipack even need to be wrapped at all?

Supermarkets have begun to remove plastic wrapped multipacks - could you follow suit and advertise a reduced price but allow the consumer to bundle individual products themselves?