Mondi combines sugarcane-based polyethylene with laser marking in new pouch

AUSTRIA – Mondi has developed a flexible packaging pouch that relies on sugarcane-derived polyethylene and laser-etched branding, eliminating conventional printing inks and reducing the carbon footprint compared with fossil-based laminates.

The re/cycle StripPouch uses I’m green polyethylene at a concentration of at least 98 percent, replacing petroleum-derived resin with material sourced from renewable sugarcane.

The format is designed for food, home and personal care applications where flexible packaging must maintain seal strength, barrier performance and machinability. 

Bio-based resins offer an alternative pathway for brands seeking to lower the embedded carbon of packaging substrates without changing the physical structure of the pack.

Laser Etching Cuts Artwork Changeover Times

Rather than applying printed ink, the pouch is marked using laser technology during the converting process. 

This removes ink procurement and the associated processing steps, shortening artwork-change timelines and allowing greater personalisation. 

For brands managing frequent design updates or regional variants, laser marking reduces the lead time and cost typically associated with plate or cylinder changes in conventional printing, while simplifying supply chain logistics.

Life Cycle Assessment Records Lower Emissions

Mondi’s internal product impact assessment found that the bio-based, laser-marked pouch generated lower carbon dioxide emissions than a fossil-based, printed and laminated plastic stand-up pouch. 

The assessment compared the formats while retaining the functional performance expected of flexible packaging. 

Braskem has supplied its plant-based plastic portfolio for more than 15 years, with materials produced from responsibly sourced sugarcane and backed by transparent life-cycle data and third-party verified carbon benefits.

Leadership Frames Concept as Circularity Advance

Tim Wagler, commercial director for EMEA at I’m green bio-based, said collaborations like this showed how combining renewable feedstock with design innovation could unlock new possibilities for packaging, adding that the partners were advancing solutions contributing to a lower-carbon future. 

Jens Kösters, technical service, research and development and innovation manager at Mondi Consumer Flexibles, said customers were under growing pressure to meet sustainability targets while managing increasingly complex product portfolios and changing consumer demands. 

He noted that the concept advanced circularity through the use of bio-based materials and greater artwork flexibility in a single solution, helping brands respond more quickly to market requirements while progressing toward their circularity goals.

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