An interdisciplinary team of researchers, developers, engineers, market researchers, inventors and strategists is working on sustainable solutions for the packaging sector. We see this as a huge challenge, as packaging has become an integral part of our daily lives. Packaging must fullfill functions such as: protective function, storage and transport function, sales function, identification and information function, and use function.
Our task is to develop sustainable materials from wood that fulfill all these functions while also being suitable for consumers as well as for industrial processing.
Consumers consider packaging as especially sustainable if it is biobased and/or biodegradable or recyclable and/or made of recycled materials. And that is exactly why, in the sector of sustainable packaging materials, Technikum Laubholz focuses on the development of biobased and biodegradable foils and molded fiber parts made from wood-based renewable raw materials that can be biodegraded.
Both sectors also require the material to be functionalized with respect to sealability, puncture resistance, ductility, printability and barrier layers, while maintaining the environmentally conscious approach. The right type of barrier is important, as it is the only way to ensure longer shelf life for foodstuffs. The problem is urgent as about one third of all food produced for human consumption is thrown away unused. In high-income regions, this is largely due to wastage during processing, distribution and consumption. Sustainable packaging greatly reduces food waste, while at the same time thus preventing unnecessary CO2 emissions.
TLH will also take a holistic approach to the sustainable procurement of resources and optimization of manufacturing technologies. We are supported in this area through extensive regional networking with universities, institutes, producers of packaging materials as well as packaging machines.
