Dow, the global materials science company, has announced a collaboration with Procter & Gamble China (P&G China) to introduce an air capsule e-commerce packaging solution. This innovative packaging, which combines P&G China’s expertise with Dow’s materials, aims to provide an effective and efficient way to protect products during transportation while minimizing excessive packaging and promoting recyclability.
The air capsule packaging represents a significant milestone in advancing sustainability within the e-commerce industry. It offers several key benefits, including a reduction of over 40% in material weight compared to traditional corrugated parcel boxes. As a result, it requires only 25% of the original trucking capacity and 75% less warehouse space. Additionally, the packaging ensures safe and reliable cushion protection and enables recyclability through an all-polyethylene (PE) mono material structure.
Moreover, the design of the air capsule packaging is consumer-friendly, featuring a tamper-free opening to maintain content integrity, an easy-to-tear strip, and an auto-deflate feature for hassle-free disposal after opening.
Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific commercial vice president of Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics, emphasized the importance of developing materials that enable sustainable packaging from the outset. Candra stated, “Through our collaboration with P&G China, we not only meet the needs of consumer brands and e-retailers but also enable consumers to do their part with materials that close the loop on packaging waste.”
Traditional e-commerce packaging typically consists of carton boxes as the outer packaging, with air cushion bags or bubble wrap inside for product protection during delivery. However, the multi-material structure of traditional air cushion bag films, including nylon, tie-layer resin, and polyethylene, poses challenges for recycling using conventional methods.
Dow’s ELITE™ AT high-performance PE resins offer comparable gas barrier performance, enabling the removal of nylon from the formulation. This advancement creates an all-PE mono material structure that enhances the recyclability of the packaging.
Neo Yang, Go to Market Packaging Innovation Director of P&G Greater China, highlighted their commitment to optimizing packaging design and promoting circularity in plastic packaging. Yang expressed, “Partnering with Dow has enabled us to make progress in our commitment toward achieving 100 percent recyclable or reusable packaging by 2030. The development of our air capsule e-commerce packaging is a step in the right direction, and we hope to continue collaborating with more partners to drive such impact at scale.”
Dow’s collaboration with P&G China exemplifies its dedication to working closely with partners to deliver a sustainable future for plastics. These efforts align with Dow’s sustainability goals, which include ensuring that 100 percent of its packaging solutions are recyclable or reusable by 2035 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Through its expertise in materials science, Dow aims to play a significant role in closing the loop and promoting a circular economy.