A lighter gift package has been designed by Metsä Board, which is described as having the strength features close to those of the rigid box solutions currently used for premium products such as cosmetics.
The new design is made from micro fluted corrugated board, with the aim of presenting a new solution that uses less material and has a lower carbon footprint than traditional rigid boxes.
The team at Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre in Äänekoski, Finland started to work on the new alternative a few years ago.
“We were looking to provide the same experience by remodeling a box that was strong and rigid but lighter and with a smaller environmental impact,” explained Ilkka Harju, packaging services director.
The packaging consists of a separate base and lid made of micro-flute. Its surface liner can be uncoated white kraftliner or coated white kraftliner. Of these, the latter offers the best printing properties.
The packaging solution is suitable for mass production on current production lines. According to Harju, the new gift is an ‘ideal’ fit, especially for cosmetics, chocolate, beverages and other premium products.
“Cosmetics are probably the number one application area, but the material can be customised very easily to create unique packaging solutions,” Harju added.
Metsä Board’s sustainability services team compared the new micro-flute solution to recycled fibre-based rigid box offerings and found the micro-fluted concept to be ‘up to 50%’ lighter.
