Mespack and Amcor have successfully developed a recycle-ready 2L stand-up pouch, specifically designed for home care products like soaps, cleaners, and laundry detergent. The partnership combines Mespack’s packaging machinery and Amcor’s packaging materials to overcome the technical challenges associated with scaling up to larger flexible packaging formats using recycle-ready materials. 

Following a successful set of trials, the new sturdy and drop-resistant 2L stand-up pouch is now available for the Home Care market.

Cutting-edge technology for more sustainable solutions 

Until now, the largest formats for pouches using more sustainable materials were limited to volumes between 1 and 1.5 liters. Extending capacity to 2 liters was important for consumers but presented a new set of challenges. Durability was a key concern for the Home Care industry, particularly in ensuring drop resistance and leak prevention.

Amcor and Mespack R&D teams collaborated to make iterative adjustments to machine parameters and film structures and produce a new 2L pouch that meets performance expectations in terms of sustainability, durability, and functionality.

Trials were conducted on Mespack’s highly versatile and state-of-the-art H570 machine, specifically designed to accommodate more sustainable materials. Using a newly developed metal alloy and precise temperature control, the H570 ensures the exact temperature required for sealing recyclable materials, which is crucial for larger format pouches. The H570 also produces leak-proof packaging in several ways, including precise adjustments to ensure perfect seals across all jaws and spout preheating technology which ensures the quality and integrity of the spout seal.

The new 2L pouches are made using Amcor’s AmPrima® recycle-ready solutions – providing a more sustainable packaging option that offers quality, durability, performance and speed on brands’ filling machines. AmPrima also meets the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requirements for recycling design, and can optionally include post-consumer recycled (PCR) content.

Guillem Lloret, Innovation Director at Mespack says: "This achievement marks a significant milestone not just for Mespack and Amcor, but for the entire flexible packaging industry. By pushing the boundaries of what is possible with more sustainable materials, we are moving closer to a more eco-friendly future. The successful validation of the 2L pouch is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation. We look forward to seeing this packaging solution adopted across the Home Care industry and beyond."

Geoffrey Gendebien, Marketing Manager for Home and Personal Care at Amcor says: “As consumers and regulators ask for more environmentally-friendly products, we continue to drive innovation in everything we do. The recycle-ready 2L spouted stand-up pouch is a great example of where collaboration, technology, and material development has created a new packaging option that was previously not possible.

“Flexible spouted pouches use less plastic than containers and bottles. They also enable consumers to refill the bottles they already have over and over again, resulting in a lower packaging carbon footprint. Refill pouches can also appeal to cost-conscious consumers looking to offset inflation. The significance of this packaging innovation for home Care brands and their customers is brilliant to see.”

The new 2L stand-up pouch for the Home Care market will be available to customers from November 2024. You can read more about this solution here: https://insights.amcor.com/2litres_pouches