Leading Austrian packaging firm Constantia Flexible has unveiled a new line of solutions named “Ecolutions” specifically designed to meet the requirements of sustainability.

The Vienna-based company, the world’s fourth-largest flexible packaging specialist, said the new line was developed in response to the challenge of increasing post-consumer waste and consumer demand for more environmentally-friendly options.

Ecolutions consists of the three packaging lines EcoLam, EcoCover and EcoTrainerAlu, which together reduce the carbon footprint of packaging, focus on recyclable solutions and decrease the impact on the environment.

The mono PE laminate EcoLam is lightweight, and its OPE/PE structure is fully recycle-ready due to its mono-material structure. In addition, its carbon footprint is approximately 32% smaller than that of comparable products, Constantia explained in a statement.

Another advantage of the EcoLam packaging line is its barrier properties, which improve from EcoLam, to EcoLamPlus to EcoLam HighPlus.

EcoLamPlus and EcoLam HighPlus solutions, despite their “excellent” barrier properties, are still mono-material based, making them easier to recycle.

Asian Paints, an Indian ‘do it yourself’ manufacturer has, according to Constantia, switched all their DIY products from PET/PE to EcoLam.

In addition, dry pet food, laundry products including powders, tabs and capsules can be packed in EcoLam.

Due to its quality oxygen and moisture barrier, EcoLamPlus is suitable for meat, cheese and dairy products in pouches, while EcoLamHighPlus provides an additional high barrier against both moisture and oxygen, making it ideal for salad dressings as well as coffee beans.

The EcoCover line has been developed to replace standard aluminium lids, said Constantia. By downgauging the thickness of the aluminium layer, the carbon footprint of these lids, compared to a standard thickness lid, is reduced by as much as 50%. However, the material can still be identified and sorted for recycling as aluminium.

EcoTainerAlu is also an aluminium-around foil container system mainly used for pet food. The solution uses a water-based – as opposed to a solvent-based – coating system to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

According to CEO Alexander Baumgartner, Constantia is also currently working on compostable solutions for small packagings such as stick packs which can hardly be recycled.

Contantia said it had recently commissioned a survey which found that 80% of end consumers preferred “eco-friendlier packaging over a regular one and would pay up to 15% more for recyclable and compostable packaging.”