Paboco x Blue Ocean Closures

Paboco second-generation paper bottle with Blue Ocean Closures’ moulded fibre lid / Source: Paboco

AfricaAsiaBeautyBlue Ocean Closures Screw CapEuropeFood & BeverageMoulded FibreNorth AmericaOceaniaPackagingPaperSouth America

5 MINUTE READ

Nadine Smith

WHAT WE SAY:

Paboco (the paper bottle company) wants to be part of the solution for a sustainable future, but until now there have been two things getting in its way: liners and lids. Thanks to a partnership with Blue Ocean Closures, one of these issues is beginning to be resolved with the use of their innovative moulded fibre lid.

Both bottle and lid will be recyclable with paper – however, the lid and the bottle will still have a thin plastic lining. The race is still on with the various fibre bottle developers. Whoever innovates fastest, creating a fully fibre, toxin-free bottle with matching cap will have Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies queuing up.

KEY FACTS:

Paboco has designed the second generation of its paper bottle to incorporate Blue Ocean Closures’ Moulded Fibre Screw Cap.
While the current Paboco bottle must be used with plastic screw caps, the integration of the two fibre-based (but not 100%) products will take small, un-recyclable pieces of plastic out of the equation.
Unlike its predecessor, the new design will be recyclable within the Paper stream.
The new bottle is set to roll out in 2023, and Paboco has received backing from the likes of Carlsberg Group, Coca-Cola, L'Oréal and The Absolut Company.

Next-generation prototype / Source: Paboco

Blue Ocean Closures’ screw cap / Source: Blue Ocean Closures

DIVE DEEPER:

More than a million plastic bottles are sold every minute around the world. With only 9% of plastic currently recycled, these bottles largely end up in landfill and the oceans or they are incinerated.
The current Paboco paper bottle reduces plastic by up to 65% compared to a standard PET, HDPE or LDPE bottle.
However, it still requires plastic components to achieve the required functionality. The barrier film is made from a choice of recycled PET, PEF or PEN (all members of the polyester family) and in order to be recycled, the components must be separated.
Paboco’s new design, made from FSC-certified wood pulp, is set to be 100% bio-based and fully recyclable within the paper stream. There are two barrier options in the works for the bottle: an integrated PE coating, which is suitable for the paper recycling stream (although still plastic), and a bio-based version, which is in development but has no release date as yet.
The biggest step forward is the integration of the Blue Ocean Closures screw cap. Made from FSC-certified wood fibre and shaped using a dry press vacuum forming technique, it is recyclable in the paper waste stream and biodegradable in an ocean environment.
A drop-in solution, the fibre screw cap can be manufactured with existing equipment.
The current version of the Blue Ocean Closures screw cap also features plastic in the form of a PHA or PHP lining. Although it is a bioplastic, it is still considered a plastic under the UNEA-5 plastics treaty. Again, development is underway to remove the plastic layer.
The thread structure of the new bottle will be engineered to fit the Blue Ocean Closures screw cap and it will be digitally printable with water-based inks, allowing for branding and communication opportunities. The lid can be textured and embossed, and there is potential for a coloured fibre base in future.
Paboco intends to bring home care, still drinks and cosmetics to market in the bottle initially. Pioneer brands for the Paboco project, and therefore potential users, include Carlsberg Group, The Absolut Company, L’Oréal, Coca-Cola and P&G.
As a member of the 4evergreen Alliance, Paboco is working towards increasing the recyclability rate of fibre-based packaging to 90% by 2030.

"Being part of this journey from the beginning, inventing the technology and building the first machine for the paper bottle, with my bare hands, is my chance to make a difference. A difference towards a sustainable world for future generations."

Christian Carlsen – Technical Director, Paboco

Key Design Considerations:

Lining composition

The exact composition of the next generation bottle is still under development, but upon release, conscientious designers should question the make-up of the impermeable barriers. If something is water-resistant, the likelihood is that it includes PFAS – otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals.’

Incorporate recycled materials

The Paboco bottle and Blue Ocean Closures screw cap are recyclable, but made from virgin fibre. Could you use your position to encourage the use of recycled paper in a similar vein to the Frugal Bottle?

Ensuring recyclability

While some applications (e.g. soft non-carbonated drinks such as water) will be easy to remove from the packaging prior to recycling, some suggested products (e.g. fabric softener) will likely leave residue. Investigate whether, at high volume, this will contaminate the recyclate and how a need to rinse the bottle should be communicated with the end users.

Substitution vs system change

A paper bottle is an immediate solution replicating the existing, single-use plastic bottle. Consider if this is the best way forward for your application or whether you could kickstart a reuse-based system change instead, which may have a greater overall impact in reducing disposable products.

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Paboco x Blue Ocean Closures

WHAT WE SAY:

KEY FACTS:

DIVE DEEPER:

More than a million plastic bottles are sold every minute around the world. With only 9% of plastic currently recycled, these bottles largely end up in landfill and the oceans or they are incinerated.

The current Paboco paper bottle reduces plastic by up to 65% compared to a standard PET, HDPE or LDPE bottle.

However, it still requires plastic components to achieve the required functionality. The barrier film is made from a choice of recycled PET, PEF or PEN (all members of the polyester family) and in order to be recycled, the components must be separated.

The biggest step forward is the integration of the Blue Ocean Closures screw cap. Made from FSC-certified wood fibre and shaped using a dry press vacuum forming technique, it is recyclable in the paper waste stream and biodegradable in an ocean environment.

A drop-in solution, the fibre screw cap can be manufactured with existing equipment.

The current version of the Blue Ocean Closures screw cap also features plastic in the form of a PHA or PHP lining. Although it is a bioplastic, it is still considered a plastic under the UNEA-5 plastics treaty. Again, development is underway to remove the plastic layer.

Paboco intends to bring home care, still drinks and cosmetics to market in the bottle initially. Pioneer brands for the Paboco project, and therefore potential users, include Carlsberg Group, The Absolut Company, L’Oréal, Coca-Cola and P&G.