Would it be possible to replace metal lids for consumer products such as jams and spreads with a lid made of biobased fibers? This is what disruptive start-up Blue Ocean Closures is now investigating together with neighbouring Swed-jam, a Swedish brand producing jams, marmalades, jellies, fruit drinks, smoothies, juices, fruit soups and compotes.
Swedish start-up Blue Ocean Closures is determined to reduce the climate effects of packaging. In a project funded by BioInnovation / Vinnova to research and develop substitutes using biobased materials, the company has partnered with Swed-jam, a food producer that makes jam, juice, drinks and smoothies, based in the same region and with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.
In our development, it is important for us to work closely with companies in other parts of the value chain to explore and learn together how fiber-based closures could work in an industrial setting.
Isabel Malone, Project Manager, Blue Ocean Closures
For some product types, no alternatives to metal screw lids exist on the market today. The project is based on a clear hypothesis, backed by requests from global customers, that a concept for recyclable lids made of paper fibers would meet requirements and market needs of more sustainable solutions.
To replace metal with a biobased material, would mean a great impact in terms of decreased climate effects, potentially more than 500 000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year.
The technology development in this project is really exciting, says Birgitta Björk, CEO of Swed-jam. It will be interesting to see what benefits can be achieved from an environmental, cost and market perspective.
BioInnovation Program Manager Per Edström comments;
BioInnovation funds projects that pave the way for a circular bioeconomy, and this project is well qualified by addressing a clear market need for biobased replacements of metal lids with a potential to global market scale-up.