University develops innovative packaging for e-commerce

The project partners are working together on resource-efficient packaging for e-commerce.

The online mail-order business is currently experiencing an unprecedented boom. But when clothing, books, electronics, and the like are delivered directly to the home, they also require appropriate packaging; it’s obvious that this isn’t always sustainable — especially when petroleum-based plastics are used to protect the goods from moisture, for example.

This is where a current research project comes in, conducted by the Sustainable Packaging Institute (SPI) at Albstadt-Sigmaringen University in collaboration with the company Hugo Beck Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG. The goal is to develop a sustainable packaging solution that, on the one hand, optimally protects the products and, on the other hand, conserves resources and does not or at least significantly less burden the environment. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

At its core, the project aims to create paper-based packaging that is coated to become water-repellent while remaining recyclable. “We are developing an automated coating module for the production of such packaging materials,” says Prof. Dr. Markus Schmid, who heads the SPI. “With this, we want to create a resource-conserving and more environmentally friendly alternative to foil packaging.”

To make the project successful, research and development work are necessary. And in the end, only the combination of respective expertise can lead to the goal, says Markus Schmid: “The partner company has innovative plant technology, and we have the right research focus with sustainable packaging concepts.” This way, research and industry can work closely together to contribute to the application of ecologically more sustainable packaging materials in the growing online shipping industry and at the same time set impulses for further research and development.

The project partners are working together on resource-conserving packaging for mail order shipping.