California-based start-up Cove has unveiled a bottle made from eco-friendly fibre composites. The company emphasises that the bio-based bottle, called PB1, consists of more than 90 per cent fibres that can be recycled as paper. PB1 has shown a success rate of at least 84 per cent in independent sorting tests for paper waste in Europe. It can also reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 70 per cent, yet functions like a plastic bottle and can be used worldwide. In addition to bottles, the material can also be used to manufacture jars, tubes, refill capsules and other containers.

Old idea implemented in a new way

Cove specialises in sustainable, recyclable packaging technologies for the consumer goods market. According to the team, they want to help implement consumer requirements, retail specifications and global packaging regulations. The young company emphasises that the idea of paper bottles is already around 100 years old. However, implementation was previously considered too expensive, unreliable and not scalable. After years of work, Cove's team of engineers has now developed a marketable solution that can be produced on conventional packaging machines in various shapes and formats. The containers can be manufactured in almost any shape from 50 millilitres to one litre.

Bio-barriers and customised design

Cove relies on bio-based barriers with similar moisture and oxygen barrier properties to conventional packaging solutions. It is also suitable for products with long shelf life requirements such as liquids, creams and concentrates. PB1 is designed to speed up bottle production and enable high-quality surface finishing. It can be adapted to brand, format and product requirements and combined with reusable outer packaging to create a fully refillable solution. Direct printing, embossing, deep embossing, colouring and labelling for custom designs are all possible without any problems, the company emphasises.

Source: Cove