The British multinational packaging firm has announced its partnership with Touchguard to develop antimicrobial coating in packaging.
December 09, 2020
DS Smith, the leading sustainable packaging company, has announced its partnership with the company – Touchguard to develop a new range of sustainable cardboard packaging to protect consumers against harmful bacteria and viruses. The ‘Touchguard product is a patented formulation, distinct in that it is specifically designed for use on the surface of the paper, where it is more active and efficient in minimizing the risk of infection transfer of certain bacteria and viruses.
Alan Potts, Design and Innovation Director for DS Smith commented: “While it would never replace good hygiene practices and due care, this technology has the potential to bring a real and proven additional layer of protection to our customers and their consumers as packaging move across the supply chain. Importantly, this technology maintains the sustainability of our products and it is 100% recyclable.”
Although there is no evidence of virus transfer from cardboard, Touchguard’s patented technology has proven to be efficient against a number of bacteria and viruses, including envelope viruses, of which COVID-19 is a member.
DS Smith is looking to use the technology across its operations in North America and Europe. As especially amid the pandemic that has boosted e-commerce nationwide and increased demand for shipping boxes, this new packaging will further build consumers’ confidence in handling packaging in their homes.
Julian Dugdale, the inventor, and CEO of Touchguard said: “Our partnership with DS Smith provides us with an opportunity to bring our patented Touchguard® technology to the market at scale through its sustainable packaging offer. With its manufacturing reach across Europe and the US and extensive e-commerce and fast-moving consumer goods customer base, we will be able to offer a range of solutions to support changing consumer habits.”
As part of its recently launched “Now and Next Sustainability Strategy,” DS Smith has committed to closing the loop through better design and it has planned to manufacture 100% reusable or recyclable packaging by 2023.
