Choose Packaging, which was founded in 2018, is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. James Longcroft, founder and managing director of Choose Packaging, explained: “As a plastic-free packaging development company, we’ve successfully created technology that can provide a viable alternative to plastic bottles to help eliminate single-use PET packaging.”
HP has acquired Choose Packaging, which has developed sustainable packaging including a paper bottle that doesn’t use any plastic, as part of its stated intention to disrupt the plastic packaging market with fibre-based packaging that’s completely free of plastic.
Choose Packaging has developed paper-based bottles that are completely free of plastic.
The outer casing of these bottles is made from recycled newspapers and is compliant with compostability certification. The inner lining is made from sustainably sourced plant-based waterproof PET-free liner. The bottles can hold a variety of different types of liquids with the lining adapted for each product to ensure compatibility. There’s a plastic-free anti-tamper seal made from cellulose and the labels are made from paper and printed with bio-inks. The bottles range in size from 30ml up to 500ml and are said to be a viable alternative to most types of PET bottles and some glass bottles.
Choose Packaging works with a number of different retailers and can custom design the bottles according to its customer’s needs. The company uses 3D printers to create prototypes and will help customers produce their own bottles once they move to production.
This is where HP comes in. HP will integrate Choose Packaging into its Personalization & 3D Printing business. Last September this division introduced its Molded Fibre Tooling Solution. Moulded fibre, also known as moulded pulp, is a way of using recycled paperboard materials or newsprint to make protective packaging elements for shipping products such as electronics and vehicle parts, as well as for single use bowls and plates. It’s recyclable, biodegradable and can be composted or incinerated. The main drawback has been the tooling needed to make the moulds. HP’s solution is to use 3D printing to produce the tooling. The Molded Fiber Tooling Solution is a service rather than a product, with HP producing the tooling to customer’s designs.
This approach puts HP in prime position to help scale up the production for the Choose bottles and to disrupt the market for single use plastic bottles. Longcroft noted: “HP’s world-class capabilities and expertise can help scale our impact at a global level. We are thrilled to join the HP team and couldn’t have chosen a better match in terms of our shared goals for business, technology, sustainability, and a values-oriented culture.”
Savi Baveja, chief strategy and incubation officer for HP Inc, explained: “This acquisition is a great example of how we continue to strengthen our capabilities in attractive verticals like sustainable packaging while also driving progress against HP’s broader sustainability goals.”