Celebrating its 25th edition, Paris Packaging Week took centre stage on the global packaging events circuit in early February, drawing a record 14,500 visitors and 915 exhibitors. Dominique Huret from Cape Decision reports on the innovation highlights for PKN.
High-tech functional beauty
Italian brand Vagheggi Phytocosmetici partnered with Nuon Medical to enhance its Longévité 75.25 cream with an intelligent cap.
The Efficacy Booster Device integrates four technologies – red light at 630nm, microcurrents, therapeutic warming and vibration – designed to work in synergy with the day cream. The result is a packaging solution that combines aesthetics with functional beauty technology, adding a high-tech dimension to premium skincare.
A true sensory experience
The Spanish division of Envases stood out with its Aluwood can. The company has developed a new 3D printing technology that reproduces the look and feel of wood on an aluminium bottle, faithfully imitating both texture and visual appearance.
The technology is available across the full bottle range – from 30ml to 500ml – with various opening options including 1-inch, screw neck and FEA15. It can incorporate up to 100 per cent PCR aluminium without compromising mechanical strength or resistance. It can also be combined with a fully integrated foil stamping process. The can or bottle is manufactured entirely on Envases’ production line in a fully automated process, without manual intervention.
Refillable performance in stick format
Quadpack introduced Linea PP Panstick, a refillable cylindrical make-up stick packaging solution suitable for foundations, blushes, highlighters and contour products.
Featuring a distinctive 60/40 cap-to-base proportion and a minimalist silhouette, the 10g pack supports full customisation and decoration. It is compatible with both top and bottom filling processes and incorporates a snap-on closure system for easy refilling.
Made entirely of PP, with the option of PCR content, the mono-material construction enhances recyclability. The POM-free mechanism, developed by an Asian partner, ensures smooth and controlled gliding, while the cap and base are manufactured at Quadpack’s facilities in Germany.
Three Rs in one tube
Tubex introduced MonoRefill, a lightweight refill tube made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, 95 per cent of which is post-consumer recycled.
Manufactured in a single production step from one aluminium slug, including the cap, the tube eliminates plastic components and supports circularity by keeping aluminium in circulation. To refill, the aluminium closure is broken off and the contents poured into the original container. The cap can then be reinserted, allowing the tube to be recycled as a single material.
Simplifying barriers
Neopac launched NeoDose Solo, a single-material airless tube developed for the PE recycling stream.
It combines a PE airless pump with the company’s Polyfoil MMB barrier technology. The simplified structure supports recycling targets and eco-design requirements while maintaining product protection. The Polyfoil MMB barrier, rated Grade A by RecyClass, protects sensitive formulations against oxygen and moisture. The integrated airless system enables hygienic dispensing and precise dosing down to the last drop.
Decoration options such as coloured actuators, collars and hot-stamped caps allow brands to maintain shelf presence while reducing material complexity.
Every shade for every segment
Silgan Dispensing unveiled Aspire Chroma, the latest evolution of its Aspire fragrance pump platform for the lifestyle market.
The development combines performance with extensive colour customisation, made possible through in-house injected PP collars and actuators. Brands can create signature aesthetics, differentiate across product tiers, or develop collections inspired by olfactive notes and scent families. The result is a pump designed to deliver a refined and controlled user experience while supporting brand positioning.
Precision dispensing with minimal contact
Aptar showcased NeoDropper Autoload, designed to limit formula contamination by preventing direct contact between formula and applicator. Tests conducted by an independent microbiology laboratory showed microbial contamination levels four times lower than those observed with a traditional dropper.
The twist-and-push automatic dispensing mechanism reveals the push-button actuator through a smooth twist of the cap. Upon opening, the formula automatically fills the applicator with a predefined dose. A high-precision pipette and soft actuation enable controlled application, with the applicator reloading automatically to deliver the same measured dose each time.
A refill system without shape limitations
Korean company Yonwoo presented its EZ Rotate Airless refillable system. Until now, most refill systems have been limited to circular bottles because the inner bottle must be rotated for attachment and removal.
EZ Rotate Airless introduces a refill structure in which the inner bottle is pushed downward through rotation of the collar (shoulder) component, enabling compatibility with a wide variety of airless pump bottle designs. The system is crafted from olefin-based materials such as PP and PE and incorporates a mono-material pump.
Next-gen compressed gas aerosol technology
The Aerosol Technology of the Year award went to Coster for its CosterEco Regulator.
The technology advances compressed gas aerosol systems powered by air or nitrogen. Key developments include the removal of LPG, traditionally required for flash boiling atomisation, and the introduction of a new pressure-regulating mechanism. This ensures consistent spray performance, even with high-viscosity or particulate formulations, while remaining compatible with existing filling lines and standard valve systems (stem Ø 3.9 mm).
The system also incorporates a fully recyclable actuator engineered to remain safe under high pressure, up to 10 bar, meeting growing demand for sustainable, high-performance dispensing solutions.
This article was first published in PKN Packaging News March 2026 issue, page 20.
