SIG launches industry-first aluminum-free full-barrier aseptic multiserve carton

SWITZERLAND – SIG has unveiled an innovative full-barrier aluminum-free packaging material for multiserve aseptic cartons, an industry first.

The new SIG Terra Alu-free + Full Barrier solution is composed of more than 80% paper and incorporates forest-based polymers to replace aluminum.

According to SIG, this advancement can reduce the carbon footprint of its standard aseptic cartons by up to 61%.

“In our SIG Terra Alu-free + Full Barrier packaging material, specific polymer barriers replace aluminum to block oxygen, aroma, and water vapor,” explains Stefan Mergel, Head of Sustainability and Digital Marketing at SIG.

“The key challenge was developing an alternative to the aluminum layer that could offer comparable protection for oxygen-sensitive products like fruit juices, flavored milk, plant-based beverages, and nectars.”

Despite removing the aluminum, the packaging retains the same full-barrier protection and offers a shelf life of up to 12 months, equivalent to that of traditional aseptic cartons.

Mergel notes that this new multiserve format builds on the success of SIG’s aluminum-free solution in single-serve aseptic cartons, with over 300 million units sold in China since 2023.

Though aluminum accounts for only about 5% of a standard aseptic carton’s weight, it contributes up to 25% of the total carbon footprint in full-barrier applications.

A major advantage of SIG Terra Alu-free + Full Barrier is its compatibility with existing SIG filling lines.

“We developed a unique plug-and-play solution that runs seamlessly on our standard filling machines — with no need for retrofitting or new machinery,” says Mergel.

“Thanks to SIG’s sleeve-based aseptic system, we can deliver these innovative carton packs to customers with full performance, including high-speed filling.”

The new material operates efficiently at speeds of up to 24,000 packs per hour on SIG’s small-size carton lines, and up to 15,000 packs per hour on multiserve lines, requiring only minor, low-cost adaptations.

This easy integration enables customers to adopt more sustainable packaging without sacrificing product integrity or production efficiency.

Pioneering experience in aluminum-free packaging

SIG’s journey in aluminum-free aseptic packaging began in 2010 with the introduction of SIG Terra Alu-free for plain liquid dairy products. Since then, over 4 billion SIG cartons without aluminum have been sold, demonstrating market readiness and consumer acceptance.

“We’ve continued to build on our expertise in aluminum-free structures,” says Mergel.

“With the success of our small-format full-barrier cartons, we are now expanding this innovation across our full range of flagship formats in both single-serve and multiserve segments.”

As part of its future goals, SIG plans to increase the paper content of its aseptic cartons to at least 90% by 2030, including closures.

An interim target of 85% paper content (excluding closures) is set for this year. This shift is expected to further reduce carbon emissions, enhance renewability, and simplify the recycling process by requiring only the separation of paperboard and polymers.

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