A new prototype bottle launched by Jabil Packaging Solutions, a division of Jabil Inc. hints at what the future could hold for bottle packaging. The Eco.bottle product platform, developed for the Nestlé mineral water brand Vittel, is a hybrid structure made from paper and plastic components that uses over 50% less plastic compared to Vittel’s current 1-litre bottle, the company said.
The product platform has been designed for scalability by a team that included Ecologic Brands, the company acquired by Jabil in February of this year that developed the original Eco.Bottle .
This bottle features a patent-pending tear strip that allows the paper and plastic components to be easily separated by consumers at the end of life for efficient recycling. Constructed of 80 percent paper and only 20 percent recycled plastic (cap included), both the plastic and the paper components are 100% recyclable.
The outer shell is made from certified Forest Stewardship Council reclaimed and recycled material. The plastic liner uses just 9.2g of recycled plastic.
The two-shell system, enabled by interlocking paper tabs, allows for nesting during transit and warehousing. This eliminates extra space in the supply chain and has the potential to lessen the amount of trucks needed for delivery by 50-60 percent.
“True innovation in sustainable packaging requires a holistic view of the product that goes beyond aesthetics, material selection and design features,” said Julie Corbett, senior business unit director of Jabil and founder of Ecologic Brands. “Our goal is to innovate around the entire life cycle of the bottle, not only to decrease the use of plastic.”
Today, Customer Package Goods companies not only need to reduce their waste, they must also find solutions to repurpose this as well.. “Jabil’s Box-to-Bottle manufacturing platform allows us to take our customers' waste and incorporate it into our manufacturing process within our facilities in Manteca, California and Tortosa, Spain.,” said Jason Paladino, senior vice president of Jabil and CEO of Jabil Packaging Solutions. “This fully accountable and traceable manufacturing platform provides forward-thinking brands like Vittel with unparalleled visibility into the circularity of their products.”
The Vittel hybrid bottle project began in 2020; in less than one year, Vittel and Jabil have successfully delivered one of the world’s first hybrid water bottles. Consumer testing in Europe will begin in June and the bottle will be showcased to the media during the upcoming Tour de France, taking place 26 June 2021 through 18 July 2021.