Unilever announced in June the upcoming launch of what it considers the world's first paper laundry bottle. The prototype developed for the OMO (Persil, Skip, Breeze) brand is expected to be marketed in early 2022 in Brazil, with the ambition of a rapid rollout in Europe as well as other countries around the globe.
The technology was developed in partnership with the Pulpex consortium, a collaboration between Unilever, Diageo, Pilot Lite and other industry members. The bottles contain a coating that does not absorb water and allow the paper-based packaging material to hold liquid products such as laundry detergents, shampoos and conditioners, which contain surfactants, fragrances and other active ingredients.
Richard Slater, Unilever's R&D director, states:
"To combat plastic waste, we need to completely rethink the way we design and package products. This requires a radical change that can only be achieved through industry-wide collaboration. Pulpex paper-based bottle technology is an exciting step in the right direction, and we are excited to work together to test this innovation for our products.»
Unilever has pledged to cut its use of virgin plastic in half by 2025. Paper bottles should also quickly find their way onto store shelves with various brands moving in this direction.
