SIG has formed a partnership with PulPac, a company specialising in Dry Molded Fiber technology, to work on the development of paper-based closures for its aseptic cartons.

This initiative is part of SIG's broader objective to increase the paper content in its packaging to 90% by 2030.

SIG chief technology officer Gavin Steiner said: “We believe in Dry Molded Fiber technology, paving the way for innovative and responsible alternatives to plastic closures.

“It is one of the most scalable fibre-based solutions on the market with great potential to boost progress in the transition from plastic to paper-based closures. In our paper-based closure, both the base and the cap will be paper-based - significantly increasing the already very high proportion of paper in our aseptic cartons.

“At the same time, we aim to offer consumers the same convenience and first-class opening performance they associate with our existing closure solutions.”

The collaboration aims to enhance the sustainability of SIG's aseptic cartons by raising the paper content, thereby reducing reliance on fossil-based materials and lowering carbon emissions.

For the current year, SIG has set a goal of achieving 85% paper content in its packaging, excluding closures.

PulPac's technology involves creating a dry web of fibres, which reduces water consumption during production and results in lower carbon emissions compared to conventional plastic methods.

This approach also allows for greater design flexibility and supports large-scale manufacturing.

In the context of SIG's aseptic cartons, closures are applied after the filling process, ensuring that the products remain secure within the aseptic environment.

SIG chief markets officer Christoph Wegener said: “For packaging innovations focused on sustainability to have a significant impact, they must be compatible with the installed machinery setup.

“That is why 'plug-and-play' solutions are an absolute design principle for us at SIG, which we inherently follow across our unique packaging structures without [an] aluminium layer. We apply the same approach to our paper-based closures.

“The combination of aluminium-layer-free packaging materials and paper-based closures will be our path to 90% paper content in our full-barrier aseptic cartons. This would be a real breakthrough in the packaging industry toward a circular economy.”

Earlier this month, SIG unveiled one-litre aseptic carton packs made from the Terra Alu-free + Full barrier material, omitting the aluminium layer.