Mondi and Fiorini International have collaborated to develop the paper-based packaging solution for Antico Pastificio Umbro, an Italian manufacturer of premium pasta products. The new packaging is completely recyclable and will eliminate up to 20 tonnes of plastic every year.
August 3, 2022
Mondi, in partnership with Fiorini International, a world-leading converter and packaging producer based in Italy, has successfully created and launched a new fully recyclable paper packaging solution for a pasta range.
Antico Pastificio Umbro decided to combine the expertise of Mondi and Fiorini International to design and produce a paper bag with a viewing window for its premium pasta ranges. Following the complete rollout, this new packaging solution will support the company’s sustainability goal of reducing plastic by saving up to 20 tonnes of plastic per year.
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The partnership between Mondi and Fiorini International has resulted in an innovative paper bag design with a window made of transparent, recyclable, and biodegradable cellulose that allows the end user to see the contents. The bag is fully recyclable while offering the same protective properties as plastics. Made from renewable resources, the packaging can be easily disposed of by consumers in existing paper waste streams. The new pasta bag offers superior printability so that all brand and product messages can be communicated effectively and it has great runnability on filling machines.
The packaging was included in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Upstream Innovation Guide to Packaging Solutions, published in November 2021. It was also part of The Waste Age Exhibition, hosted by the London Design Museum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Here it was recognised as an innovative example of substitution for better recyclability, an approach that is in line with the Foundation’s vision for a circular economy for plastics.
Mr. Massimiliano Scottà, Head of Sales Region South & America Kraft Paper, Mondi, says, “We used our customer-centric EcoSolutions approach to develop this recyclable packaging and worked very closely with Fiorini International and Antico Pastificio Umbro. This is a great example of best practice in creating packaging that keeps materials in circulation and contributes to Mondi’s MAP2030 sustainability target to make 100 percent of its products reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.”
Mr. Pietro Fiorini, Sales Director Packaging Division, Fiorini International, explains, “We are proud to be part of a sustainable mission and we know that this requires a systematic and cooperative approach among stakeholders in the supply chains, from producer to consumer. This includes involving consumers in initiatives to raise awareness of sustainable consumption and lifestyles, providing them with appropriate information about packaging. The partnership with Pastificio Umbro is a successful pilot project where Fiorini International’s experience, research, innovation and technology have defined a sustainable production model perfectly integrated within a brand strategy and a common mission.”
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Mr. Leonardo Faccendini, CEO, Antico Pastificio Umbro, concludes, “Reducing the environmental impact of our products – their manufacture, packaging and transport – is a top priority for us as a company, and replacing traditional plastic packaging with paper is a major step towards achieving this goal. We are investing in new systems and a plant and are planning to roll out this plastic-free packaging across our entire pasta range.”
