Siegwerk, a global provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging and labels, has joined forces with Borouge, a petrochemicals company specialising in innovative polyolefin solutions, and TPN Food Packaging Co., Ltd. (TPN), a food packaging manufacturer in Thailand, to unveil a fully recyclable, mono-material stand-up pouch. The solution targets converters, brand owners, and consumers looking for high-performance, sustainable packaging options.
This pouch represents the first co-development under the wider Siegwerk-Borouge partnership, with TPN overseeing production of the new de-inkable stand-up pouch that incorporates an oxygen barrier. Designed for durability and functionality, the packaging leverages de-inking technology to allow recycled polyethylene to be reintroduced as high-quality feedstock for next-cycle applications.
Anton Wolfsberger, Vice President of Circular Economy and Packaging, Global Marketing at Borouge, said: “This collaboration brings together material science, ink innovation, and manufacturing excellence to deliver a mono-material solution that is fully recyclable and de-inkable. It supports our customers in creating packaging that is not only high-performing but also designed for a circular economy.”
The stand-up pouch employs a full polyethylene (PE) triplex laminate structure, integrating Borouge’s Borstar® FB5600, a bimodal high-density PE made with Borealis’ Borstar® technology, and Anteo™ PE sealant film, which features a low sealing initiation temperature to enable high-speed packing. Despite being mono-material, it delivers strong mechanical properties, seal integrity, stiffness, and printability, offering a drop-in replacement for conventional multi-material laminates.
Siegwerk’s oxygen barrier coating, CIRKIT OXYBAR BC1582, combined with its de-inking coating CIRKIT CLEARPRIME, ensures low oxygen transmission while facilitating efficient de-inking of end-of-life printed materials. Leveraging TPN’s rotogravure printing expertise, the MDO-PE printing layer achieves high stiffness and flatness at production speeds of approximately 200 meters per minute. The resulting oxygen transmission rate (OTR) remains below 1 cc/m²/day at 23°C and 50% relative humidity, on par with metallized PET. The pouch’s design promotes circularity, enabling the removal of inks to produce high-quality, uncolored recycled PE for next-cycle life.
Dr. Stephane Bertaux, Head of Brand Owner Collaboration and Sustainability for Southeast Asia at Siegwerk Thailand, commented: “This development is a great example of how collaboration between different areas of expertise and knowledge can achieve the production of high-performance mono-material packaging that is de-inkable and fully recyclable. This project demonstrates how cross-industry collaboration can produce scalable, sustainable packaging solutions.”
The new mono-material stand-up pouch addresses the requirements of converters, brand owners, and consumers for sustainable packaging suited to oxygen-sensitive, dry products such as nuts and pet food. By merging advances in material science, ink innovation, and printing and lamination techniques, Borouge, Siegwerk, and TPN have introduced a practical, circular solution. The project highlights the power of cross-industry collaboration in driving innovation, increasing recycling adoption, and fostering a more sustainable packaging ecosystem.