Siegwerk, Borouge and TPN launch recyclable pouch

Siegwerk, a provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels; Borouge, a petrochemicals company; and TPN Food Packaging, a food packaging manufacturer in Thailand, are launching a fully recyclable, mono-material barrier stand-up pouch to meet the needs of converters, brand owners and consumers seeking sustainable, high-functioning packaging.

This packaging technology is the first co-development under the broader Siegwerk-Borouge partnership, with TPN handling production of the new de-inkable stand-up pouch with oxygen barrier. The pouch provides protection, functionality and circularity through de-inking technology that enables high-quality recycled polyethylene feedstock for next-cycle applications.

Anton Wolfsberger, vice president, circular economy and packaging, global marketing, Borouge, said: 'This collaboration brings together material science, ink innovation and manufacturing excellence to deliver a mono-material solution that is fully recyclable and de-inkable. It supports our customers in creating packaging that is not only high-performing but also designed for a circular economy.'

The new barrier stand-up pouch features a full polyethylene (PE) triplex laminate structure, incorporating Borouge’s Borstar FB5600, a bimodal high-density PE produced using Borealis’ proprietary Borstar technology, and Anteo PE sealant film with low sealing initiation temperature for high packing speed. While mono-material, the pouch maintains high stiffness, mechanical strength, seal integrity and printability, providing a drop-in replacement for traditional multi-material laminates without compromising performance.

Siegwerk’s oxygen barrier coating, Cirkit Oxybar BC1582, and its de-inking coating, Cirkit Clearprime, provide low oxygen transmission and enable efficient de-inking for recycling end-of-life printed materials. Leveraging TPN’s rotogravure printing expertise, the MDO-PE printing layer achieves high stiffness and flatness at production speeds of about 200 m/min. The resulting oxygen transmission rate (OTR) is below 1cc/m2/day at 23 deg C at 50 percent relative humidity, comparable to metallized PET. The pouch’s design enables circularity through de-inking technology that delaminates printed laminate films to remove inks and generates higher-quality uncolored recycled PE materials for next-cycle life.

Stephane Bertaux, head of brand owner collaboration and sustainability for Southeast Asia at Siegwerk Thailand, said: 'This development is a great example of how collaboration between different areas of expertise and knowledge can achieve the production of high-performance mono-material packaging that is de-inkable and fully recyclable. This project demonstrates how cross-industry collaboration can produce scalable, sustainable packaging solutions.'

This mono-material product meets the needs of converters, brand owners and consumers seeking sustainable, high-performance packaging for oxygen-sensitive, dry products such as nuts and pet food. By combining material science, ink innovation and printing and lamination expertise, Borouge, Siegwerk and TPN have delivered a technology that advances the packaging industry’s move toward circularity. This project underscores the value of collaboration across the supply chain to scale innovations, accelerate recycling adoption and support a more sustainable packaging ecosystem.