Bower Collective, Kelpi launch paper sachets for liquid hand wash

UK – Bower Collective and Kelpi have introduced paper sachets for liquid hand wash using a seaweed-derived bio-coating, enabling a plastic-free format that can be placed in household paper recycling.

A sample box containing three 5ml sachets will be sent to customers before they commit to full-size purchases. 

The sachets carry hand wash in Orange Blossom and Mimosa, Pistachio and Vanilla, and Wild Peach variants. 

Nick Torday, co-founder and co-chief executive of Bower Collective, said the company’s mission was to eliminate single-use plastic waste from homes, describing the Kelpi partnership as another step toward that goal.

Conventional Sachet Lines Handle Paper Format

Kelpi’s coating supplies the water-resistant barrier that allows paper to contain liquid without a fossil fuel-derived plastic lining. 

Guardpack, the United Kingdom’s longest-established sachet and wet wipe producer, handled production and filling using existing lines without equipment changes. 

That compatibility is significant because most brands cannot justify capital investment in new machinery when evaluating alternative materials, and it demonstrates the format can slot into established supply chains rather than requiring bespoke infrastructure.

Disposal Pathways Cover Recycling and Biodegradation

The sachet can be placed in household paper recycling and is designed to biodegrade safely if it enters the natural environment. 

Hugo Adams, chief executive of Kelpi, said liquids represented the hardest packaging challenge in paper, which was precisely why the launch mattered. 

He added that Bower Collective had provided the ideal first application for proving the coating could hold a liquid formulation reliably while remaining genuinely recyclable and free of fossil fuel plastic.

FDA Clearance Opens Food Packaging Markets

Kelpi secured food contact clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration for its seaweed-based coating last month. 

The decision permits use on paper and board food packaging sold in the United States, extending the technology beyond personal care into food service, dry goods and prepared food applications where grease and moisture resistance are needed without conventional plastic films or PFAS treatments. 

The combination of recyclability, biodegradability and regulatory approval positions the coating across multiple packaging categories, while the sachet trial provides real-world performance data that could support broader commercial adoption.

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