Koehler Paper, part of the German family-run Koehler Group, has joined forces with French cardboard packaging expert Wimbee. Together, they have developed the world's first aerosol can cap made entirely of 100 per cent cardboard and paper—a move designed to reduce the environmental toll of traditional plastic caps.
The cap was created for Heritage, the company behind O'Cedar furniture care products. It incorporates “Koehler NexCoat Smart”, a specially designed flexible packaging paper known for its durability, versatility, and printability.
Bettina Bastien, Koehler Paper's brand owner manager for flexible packaging paper, explained the material’s importance, saying, “Koehler NexCoat Smart is ideally suited to the challenge of creating a greener and, in particular, recyclable alternative to standard caps. It is made of renewable raw materials and can be re-used multiple times within the established paper recycling process.”
Currently, the cap is available in 51mm and 63.5mm diameters, with plans to offer sizes of 45mm and 55mm in the future. The collaboration between Wimbee and Koehler Paper leverages Wimbee’s experience with packaging and Koehler’s expertise in flexible packaging paper. The new cap not only reduces environmental impact but also improves printing and processing characteristics, particularly in terms of its high fold-crack resistance.
Koehler Paper’s efforts don’t stop there. They are part of a broader mission to replace plastic with sustainable paper-based alternatives. The NexFlex range, for example, includes recyclable paper solutions tailored for food and non-food packaging. Some of these products have even received the “Made for Recycling” seal from Interzero, underlining their environmental credentials.
