Spring is in full swing and things are green once again. In addition to what we see outside in the natural world, green is also top-of-mind for many in business. It seems corporations, brand owners and companies big and small become inspired this time of year to get the word out about their individual goals, achievements and sustainability milestones. 

Take V-Shapes, for instance, the developer of an innovative single-unit packaging concept. The company recently shared what makes its products eco-friendly, which is something I find interesting since on its surface, in my mind, lots of single doses of something is not very sustainable. My thinking – as a layman consumer – is that single servings equate to a lot excess packaging and thus, packaging waste. But the company’s story refutes this line of thinking, pointing to its founding principles:

“As the climate crisis continues to evolve and governments around the world are paying more attention to sustainability initiatives and regulations, packaging will come under increased scrutiny for its role in adding to CO2 emissions, landfills and plastics pollution. Addressing this requires new thinking and a mindset of sustainability.” Those are two of the founding principles of  V-Shapes as the company continues to improve its single-dose sachet packaging machines.

V-Shapes acknowledges how it can be tricky to balance the needs of consumers, converters/fillers, brand owners and the planet. “Brand owners want their packaging to convey a desired brand image, including through high-quality color, images and text. Converters/fillers are always developing new ways to serve their brand owner customers. Consumers look to packaging to identify the product they are purchasing or considering, and often seek to understand the sustainability profile of the brand owner. This can play a big role in purchasing decisions, especially with younger consumers. Consumers are also mindful of convenience and safety – with safety being an increased concern in light of what the pandemic has taught us. And with respect to the environment, it’s pretty clear that plastics are not going away anytime soon, so the ones we use should be able to operate within a circular economy,” the company says.

V-Shapes touts its brand owner customers as being ecstatic about its approach to single-dose packaging that can be opened in a single move using only one hand. “They can use high-quality printing on the sachets to promote their brand image and consumer messaging. And they like the fact that there is less product wastage, as well as precise dosing and less space consumption in the shipping process compared to more conventional single-dose units. Conventional packaging of single doses often requires air headspace that takes up room and can have a deleterious effect on the packaged product’s shelf life.

“Consumers love using leading-edge products that are different. They also like convenience. And as we get back to some semblance of normality as the pandemic ebbs, they will likely remain reluctant to use things like large condiment containers in event venues. They will instead be seeking a convenient way to continue to carry hand sanitizer and will be more conscious of other safety issues, in addition to overall sustainability,” according to V-Shapes.

Clearly, V-Shapes has put a lot of thought toward the sustainability aspects of single-dose packaging. Most recently, two important goals have been achieved. First, TOMRA, a provider of reverse vending systems and Clean Loop Recycling, has verified that V-Shapes sachets are detectable in industrial waste stream sorting as 100% polypropylene. This is important as it means that used sachets can be sorted out of the waste stream for recycling. Samples were identified by near infrared detection as being 100% polypropylene in the waste stream. TOMRA was also able to detect polypropylene below a thin high-barrier OPP layer used to prevent migration in some V-Shapes substrates. Plus, to the TOMRA verification, the auditing agency Interseroh tested two different V-Shapes proprietary substrates – reNEW-100 and reNEW X-500 – for recyclability and issued certifications following successful tests.

V-Shapes recently partnered with NatureWorks to offer its Ingeo substrate as an option, which is being marketed under the brand V-Green. Ingeo polymers are certified as compostable according to EN13432.

There is a difference between recyclability and compostability, though. The polypropylene used by V-Shapes can be directed to a variety of applications after it is sorted out of industrial waste streams, including being chopped up for use in other products such as carpets. For a material to be classified as compostable, it needs to be 90% biodegradable and compostable within 90 days, and elements that come from the breakdown of the material should be non-toxic and natural, so the final compost does not contain any toxic material. This is why V-Shapes has made a variety of substrates available, so that the concerns of converters/fillers, their brand owner customers, the consumers of the final product and government regulatory agencies can all be satisfied.

In addition, the company says, for printing on its sachets, it uses water-based inks that can be removed in the washing process, typically in recycling polypropylene – or composted without leaving behind toxic materials in the case of  V-Green. “We have been able to address two other concerns as well – efficient sealing and prevention of ink or other material migration into packaged product. Even when put under pressure in applications like magazine tip-ins with samples, placed in a purse or a pocket, our sachets do not leak. And we use a very thin high-barrier OPP layer as appropriate to prevent migration – a layer that does not affect detection, as shown in the TOMRA results, or recyclability,” V-Shapes says, adding, “We have spent a great deal of time making sure we are serving each and every one of the various stakeholders in the packaging life cycle in the best possible way.”

V-Shapes tells an interesting story in explaining how a single-unit form of packaging should not be dismissed as being unsustainable. However, it’s certainly a niche-product and typically would only be on the radar in a B2B situation. For something more mainstream, let’s take a look at another unlikely sustainability story I found getting clicks – KFC.

This summer, the well-known fast food fried chicken franchise is rolling out new packaging. The sustainability aspect is in the brand’s declaration that all of its new paper packaging is certified by either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative or the Forest Stewardship Council. But that’s just the green hook that ties into a host of other new changes to the packaging.

With the aim of creating a more modern look, the Yum Brands subsidiary is adding more of its trademark red and white stripes, spelling out “Kentucky Fried Chicken” in full rather than using the KFC abbreviation while also adding more detail to the famous face of Colonel Sanders.

The new KFC packaging will also include reheating instructions, which the brand revealed is “because KFC’s fried chicken is just as good the next day.” A closer look into this points toward the impact of the pandemic. Fast-food chains saw a burst in big-order sales during the pandemic, suggesting there are lots of leftovers.

Many fast food restaurants reported huge increases in online orders. To this end, the new KFC packaging also includes graphics urging customers to order online through the KFC app, thus providing a way to obtain more information about ordering behaviors and preferences. But that’s a story for another time.


Steve Katz is the former editor of Label & Narrow Web and is now a regular contributor. He is focused on helping companies in the label industry share their news and tell their stories. Follow him on twitter @LabelSteve.