Page 67 - Plastics News Issue September2025
P. 67
IN THE NEWS
Such packaging innovations enable brands to Packaging Innovations: What's Next?
tailor their protection requirement - it could
range between aromatic protection of gourmet It is time to peep into the new frontier of packag-
coffee, UV blockage of pharma vials, or fresh- ing innovations in the high-barrier field:
ness preservation of deli meat. 1. Smart Barrier Films: Implanted with a sensor
to sense spoilage or pH shifts and it provides
Sustainability and the Rise of Eco-Designed Films
real time information of product quality.
Since it is now essential, the culture of sustain- 2. Antimicrobial Layers: These coatings are es-
ability cannot be ignored. In come eco-designed pecially helpful in films used to package food
barrier films and biodegradable barrier packag- as well as in films used to package medical
ing - growing quickly in scale, with the promise devices in that they are active on touch and
of high performance at lower environmental im- working to deactivate microbes.
pact. So what are they compared to convention-
al multilayer films? 3. Digital Watermarks: Laser marks are im-
parted into flexible packaging to enable
Although there is a terrific protection by legacy improved traceability and counterfeit pro-
barrier substances, such as PVDC or aluminum tection which is especially important to the
laminates, these sorts of barriers are hardly re- pharma industry.
cyclable.
4. Re-closable, re-sealable and interactive
Conversely, emerging materials like bio-based high-barrier films of nutraceuticals which are
EVOH blends, PLA composites or monomaterial suitable to the on-the-go health-conscious
polyethylene designs are extending new fron- customer.
tiers as far as functionality as well as sustainabil-
ity are concerned. These innovations mark an intertwining of mate-
rial science, data analytics and sustainability.
Starch-based polymers or bio-PET are tested
and tried widely used barriers in the European Challenges in Manufacturing and Adoption
markets. These films decay on industrial com- The road however does not lack hindrances
posting and maintain the competitive properties even at the promise. Plastics manufacturing
of the barrier on packaging of plastics. processes used in the production of the multi-
layered barrier films are heavy on the capitals.
The problem is that this creates a balance be-
tween recyclability and performance. Brands are Regulatory and precision machinery is sought
trying out eco-designed barrier films that could after in coating followed up with lamination and
bring eco-designed films into existing recycling co-extrusion particularly in pharma.
streams without sacrificing protection. This push Furthermore, moving to biodegradable bar-
is only being speeded by regulatory incentives rier packaging will also add variables of sealing
and consumer demand. temperature, clarity and tensile strength which
September 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 67
