Siegwerk, a premier global provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels; Borouge, a leader in innovative polyolefin solutions; and TPN Food Packaging Co., Ltd. (TPN), a top food packaging manufacturer in Thailand, have jointly announced the introduction of a fully recyclable, mono-material barrier stand-up pouch. This innovative packaging meets the demands of converters, brand owners, and consumers who prioritize sustainable food and drink packaging.
This cutting-edge solution is the first product from the broader Siegwerk-Borouge partnership, with TPN taking charge of production for the new de-inkable stand-up pouch, which features an oxygen barrier. The pouch offers strong protection and superior functionality while embodying circularity through advanced deinking technology. This technology enables the use of high-quality recycled polyethylene feedstock for next-cycle applications, enhancing sustainability in food and drink sustainable packaging.
Anton Wolfsberger, Vice President of Circular Economy and Packaging, Global Marketing at Borouge, stated: “This collaboration brings together material science, ink innovation, and manufacturing excellence to deliver a mono-material solution that is fully recyclable and de-inkable. It supports our customers in creating packaging that is not only high-performing but also designed for a circular economy.”
The new barrier stand-up pouch incorporates a full polyethylene (PE) triplex laminate structure, using Borouge’s Borstar® FB5600, a bimodal high-density PE produced through Borealis’ proprietary Borstar® technology, alongside Anteo™ PE sealant film, which ensures a low sealing initiation temperature for improved packing speed. Despite being mono-material, the pouch maintains exceptional stiffness, mechanical strength, seal integrity, and printability. It serves as a seamless replacement for traditional multi-material laminates, offering performance that meets market expectations.
Siegwerk’s advanced oxygen barrier coating, CIRKIT OXYBAR BC1582, coupled with its de-inking coating, CIRKIT CLEARPRIME, provides low oxygen transmission rates and facilitates efficient de-inking of end-of-life printed materials. By leveraging TPN’s expertise in rotogravure printing, the MDO-PE printing layer achieves exceptional stiffness and flatness at production speeds of approximately 200m/min. The resulting oxygen transmission rate (OTR) is below 1cc/m²/day at 23°C and 50% relative humidity, comparable to metallized PET. This innovative design enables circularity through de-inking technology, allowing for the delamination of printed laminate films to eliminate inks and produce high-quality uncolored recycled PE materials for future use.
Dr. Stephane Bertaux, Head of Brand Owner Collaboration and Sustainability for Southeast Asia at Siegwerk Thailand, remarked: “This development is a great example of how collaboration between different areas of expertise and knowledge can achieve the production of high-performance mono-material packaging that is de-inkable and fully recyclable. This project demonstrates how cross-industry collaboration can produce scalable, sustainable packaging solutions.”
This mono-material solution effectively addresses the requirements of converters, brand owners, and consumers who seek sustainable, high-performance packaging for oxygen-sensitive dry products such as nuts and pet food. By merging material science, ink innovation, and printing as well as lamination expertise, Borouge, Siegwerk, and TPN have successfully contributed a viable solution to advance the packaging industry toward circularity. This initiative highlights the importance of collaboration across the supply chain to scale innovations, accelerate recycling adoption, and foster a more sustainable packaging ecosystem.
Learn more at www.siegwerk.com
