Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced today the release of OptiCycle™, a new, innovative line of non-polyethylene (PE) coated, single-use foodservice packaging that provides an alternative to traditional PE and polylactic acid (PLA) coated products. The first packaging solution of its kind to be commercialized by a domestic supplier in North America, OptiCycle is made to be more easily recyclable by allowing smooth separation of the liquid barrier coating from the paper. When OptiCycle is repulped, approximately 98 percent[1] of the fiber is recovered which means that almost the entire cup can be used to make other paper products.
“Paper cups made with renewable fiber are a great on-the-go beverage option for brands and consumers,” said Michael Doss, Graphic Packaging’s President and CEO. “OptiCycle’s advanced coating technology is water-based, requires less coating material and increases the amount of fiber that can be recovered when it is recycled.”
“There is considerable focus on creating products with the future of our planet in mind,” said Ricardo De Genova, Senior Vice President, Global Innovation and New Business Development. “Sustainability is at the center of our innovation efforts at Graphic Packaging. With OptiCycle, we are taking another step in the journey for a better planet, enabling customers to achieve their sustainability goals, and helping them feel even better about fiber-based packaging as an alternative to plastics.”
The development of this leading-edge technology is well aligned with the Company’s Vision 2025, leveraging its industry-leading sustainability profile to generate new packaging solutions that reduce environmental impact. “We’re excited to introduce our new line of foodservice packaging in support of the move to a more circular economy,” said Doss.
About Graphic Packaging Holding Company
Graphic Packaging Holding Company, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and paper-based foodservice products in the United States, and holds leading market positions in coated recycled paperboard, coated unbleached kraft paperboard, and solid bleached sulfate paperboard. The Company’s customers include many of the world’s most widely recognized companies and brands.
