TetraPak: Affordable Packaging For a Sustainable Future

Our rapidly growing world means the demand for resources is high. This can especially cause issues for companies that use these resources. Let's say packaging companies, for example. They have to use plastic, metal and paper. But what if the answer lied in design, rather than the materials used.

History

TetraPak is a company founded in Sweden by Ruben Rausing. He also invented the carton itself. TetraPak is now one of the leading companies in packaging, machinery for farms and plastic bottles. The headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. The company now has a wide range of different designs, some very affordable and easy for food companies to purchase. How are these packages sustainable, affordable and durable though?

A TetraPak factory is Sweden

How Are The Packages Made?

The first thing we need to do is go to a factory. Huge rolls of paper with the desired print pattern on it are rolled onto a special conveyor belt and rolled out onto a flat surface. The carton is made with TetraPak machinery that makes the package. The cartons are composed of 2 fine layers of plastic, an inner aluminium foil layer, and an outer cardboard layer. The materials are pressed together by heat and pressure into a perfect, three-layer carton. This means no matter how much it is dented or creased, the contents will stay safe inside the carton. And that is no joke, the protective shield of material protects the liquid from oxygen, dirt, moisture and light! 

How Is It Sustainable? 

TetraPak cartons are 75% paperboard with the paper sourced from sustainable forests. This is very important because many trees are cut down unsustainably each year, and it really has a negative impact on the environment. As well as that, the majority of plastic used in the bottle caps and layers of the carton are composed of sugarcane. This type of plastic is called Bioplastic, because it is made of organic material. The TetraPak factories have also reduced their carbon footprint by 33%, which has been improved because there is more paper than plastic in the packages now. The materials are pressed together by heat and pressure into a perfect, three-layer carton. 

Products Everywhere

TetraPak is in more places than you think. They make packages for dairy products, water, soft drinks and even pet food. One notable product they work with is Ramseier, a Swiss fruit juice company. TetraPak owns another company called Sidel. This company makes plastic bottles. It designed the Fanta and Sprite bottle alongside DrinkWorks to get the design right. TetraPak also builds machines that process dairy products. At least one third of all the dairy companies use such machines. 

TetraPak works with many drink companies, especially dairy, to provide a more sustainable packaging option.

  Innovative Future

The company’s goal is to keep getting more sustainable while making an affordable package. While they don’t make reusable packages, they can be recycled. A company that works with TetraPak even makes beams for building sites from used cartons!