From plastic to paper: Metamorphosis is a breakthrough for the entire supply chain
Plastics and plastic packaging are an integral and important part of the global economy and unfortunately today most of them, once used, are dumped into rivers, lakes and oceans. 95% of plastic packaging material – worth $ 80-120 billion a year – is eliminated after a short first use and only 14% of plastic packaging is collected for recycling. The greatest difficulty in this process lies in the multitude of polymeric materials available on the market, which often cannot be recycled together. The reduction in the use of plastic is, therefore, an imperative and involves companies, communities, people. Industry too can make the difference, in particular that of packaging. Innovation and product design, recycling of materials, cooperation in supply chains to increase circularity: these are the levers that can bring tangible results in reducing the environmental impact of plastic.
These efforts at Fedrigoni are embodied in the ‘plastic to paper‘ and ‘paper to paper‘ transitions driving new product development. Our target is to double the production of Paper and Self-Adhesives products with circular features, i.e., products with high technical performance, unique appearance, and designed for recycling. We innovate to ensure that we use plastic only when needed, and that it is reusable or recyclable.
Materia Viva® is our paper collection, an example of our commitment to circular innovation.
The first chapter of Materia Viva® was Roots: from Paper to Paper, 9 fine paper series, reprocessed from recycled materials. Each paper is unique, characterized by a strong visible recycled component, both in terms of surface and sustainability features. Papers included in Materia Viva® support the creation of any graphic and packaging design, offering a wide range of color and finish options.
The latest addition to Materia Viva® is Metamorphosis. From Plastic to Paper.
Metamorphosis is a sampling of 32 next-generation papers designed to replace plastic and give packaging a new perspective. Seventeen technologies, including anti-scratch, anti-oil and anti-fingerprint, anti-mold and water-resistant, translucent and metalized, rigid or elastic, impact-, tear-, crease-, heat-, and light-resistant: such features broaden the scope of Fedrigoni’s new papers making them suitable from food to cosmetics, fashion to retail, jewelry to luxury, and personal care.
A further breakthrough for Fedrigoni towards its 2030 goals, yet towards shaping the ‘post plastic world’, together with its entire supply chain.
Fedrigoni is also relying on augmented reality to support its customers, designers, printers and brand owners in the ‘from plastic to paper’ transition: users are involved in a new experience, where products and applications come to life and insights on papers and technologies are ramped up. The Group’s commitment is to promote a ‘cultural’ shift in the value given to a product: it can no longer be considered for its aesthetic characteristics only, rather for its overall circularity.
