Great Earth, a Swedish company specialising in nutritional supplements, has teamed up with the sustainability start-up Blue Ocean Closures to launch an innovative fibre screw cap that aims to reduce plastic usage in packaging. This marks the first commercial use of Blue Ocean Closures’ cellulose fibre cap, a new alternative to traditional plastic screw caps.
The fibre cap is made of 95 per cent fibre and will help Great Earth cut down its plastic consumption by 2.6 tonnes per year, according to Patrik Falk, CEO of Great Earth Scandinavia AB. "In line with our vision, it is obvious for us at Great Earth to choose the most sustainable packaging solution. Fully implemented, Blue Ocean Closures' fibre screw cap reduces our plastic use by 2.6 tons per year and impacts our carbon footprint. It is an important step on our journey towards increased circularity," Falk said.
Blue Ocean Closures’ fibre cap technology is tailored for Great Earth’s vitamin supplements, which are packaged in rPET bottles with a 38mm top diameter. The new closure offers a significant reduction in carbon footprint while also increasing shelf visibility, providing a clear sustainability message to consumers.
Closures are now available in 38mm and 45mm (45mm available in two weeks), with two colour options – brown and white – each maintaining the same sustainability values but using different raw materials.
Lars Sandberg, CEO of Blue Ocean Closures, said the company had taken the concept from idea to market introduction in just over two years. “A great achievement that would not have been possible without our strong team and valuable partnerships,” he said.
Great Earth joins a group of brands, including The Absolut Group and Coca-Cola, working with Blue Ocean Closures to commercialise fiber-based packaging solutions. The first batch of products will be available in June, with a broader rollout planned for autumn.
Blue Ocean Closers explains that fibre-based closures are recyclable as paper in most countries, which significantly increases recycling efficiency. According to the OECD, only nice per cent of plastic waste is recycled, with polypropylene (PP) particularly problematic due to its low recycling rate of just three per cent. In contrast, fibre-based materials, including those used in paper recycling streams, have higher recycling rates, with around 80 per cent of fibres being reused in new packaging materials.
