German confectionery brand, Cool, has chosen NatureFlex compostable cellulose films from Futamura to package its lollipop product Ӧcoologisch Herz Lolli.
NatureFlex is a range of renewable films made from wood pulp that is sourced from responsibly and sustainably managed plantations, which can also be printed and laminated just like conventional plastic films.
According to Futamura, NatureFlex has “good barrier, outstanding optical clarity and unrivalled deadfold, which is a real benefit for traditional twist wrap applications”.
As for the individual lollipops, they are wrapped in single-ply NatureFlex and the outer bag is a NatureFlex/biofilm laminate. Both packaging solutions are printed and converted by the Dutch company Bio4Pack and are home compostable.
“We use NatureFlex films for a number of our customers, either on their own, or as part of bio-laminate,” explains Yaser Tuerkoglu, sales manager at Bio4Pack.
“We have found that consumers really care about the environmental impact of their packaging. Composting is a great solution that is part of a growing circular economy. It is particularly important for high-litter risk packs like small format confectionery, such as lolly wrappers.
“Although we would never advocate littering, if they do accidentally end up in the environment, we know the packs will safely break down, not stay around for hundreds of years.”
The packs are home compostable and certified by the TUV Austria OK Compost Home composting standards for backyard composting. According to Bio4Pack, they also meet all the global standards for industrial composting, including EN13432.
“We were looking for an environmentally friendly variant of this type of packaging and found a suitable price-performance ratio at Natureflex,” says Andre Richter from Cool.
“We have found the machine performance to be good and in no way inferior to other conventional films.
“We regularly receive good feedback from consumers who feel it is very positive that we care about the environment, often asking if there are other products using these bio-films.”
NatureFlex is available in Australia, being distributed by Futamura, which has a sales office in Melbourne.
