RDM Group and Dow have introduced a circular food packaging development that addresses one of the most difficult challenges in fibre-based formats: combining recycled cartonboard with effective barrier protection for food applications. The collaboration brings together RDM Group’s expertise in recycled cartonboard and Dow’s materials science capabilities to create a structure based on recycled fibres with a barrier coating made from post-consumer recycled plastic.

The development is important because food packaging must do more than reduce environmental impact. It must protect the product, preserve quality, support shelf life and comply with strict food safety requirements. Historically, this has limited the use of recycled fibres in direct or sensitive food-contact applications, as packaging often required virgin plastic or aluminium layers to deliver the necessary barrier performance.

The new solution aims to change that equation. RDM Group supplies cartonboard made exclusively from recycled fibres, while Dow contributes a protective coating derived from recycled plastic using its REVOLOOP technology. By combining these two recycling streams, the partners are positioning the pack as a circular alternative for food and drink manufacturers seeking to reduce reliance on virgin materials without sacrificing functionality.

Circular food packaging will only scale when recycled materials can meet real industrial requirements for safety, performance, machinability and recyclability.

For brands, the appeal is not only environmental. The material has been designed as a drop-in solution for existing packaging lines, meaning manufacturers may be able to improve the sustainability profile of their packs without major investment in new machinery. This is a critical factor for adoption, especially in high-volume food categories where downtime, line modification and validation costs can slow the transition to new materials.

The timing is also significant. Food and drink companies are preparing for more demanding regulatory conditions, including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and national measures such as plastic packaging taxes. Solutions that incorporate recycled content, reduce virgin material use and support recyclability are becoming more attractive as compliance, cost and brand reputation become increasingly connected.

Barrier performance remains the central technical issue. Fibre-based packaging is widely valued for its renewable origin, recyclability and consumer acceptance, but it often needs additional protection against grease, moisture, oxygen or migration. The challenge is to add that performance without creating a structure that is difficult to recycle or dependent on virgin fossil-based materials.

• Recycled cartonboard reduces demand for virgin fibre and supports circular material use.
• PCR-based barrier coating helps replace virgin plastic in the protective layer.
• Drop-in compatibility can accelerate adoption on existing food packaging lines.
• Regulatory alignment supports brands facing PPWR and recycled-content expectations.

The RDM and Dow partnership also highlights an important shift in packaging innovation. While monomaterial design remains a key route for recyclability, not every food application can be solved with a single material. Some products require hybrid structures to achieve the necessary level of protection. The question is whether those hybrid structures can be designed with circularity from the start.

By using recycled content in both the fibre substrate and the coating, the solution challenges the idea that high-performance food packaging must rely mainly on virgin inputs. It also gives converters and brands a potential route to maintain product protection while responding to consumer demand for packaging with credible recycled-content claims.

For the packaging value chain, this development could encourage further collaboration between cartonboard producers, polymer specialists, converters and food manufacturers. No single company can solve circular packaging alone. Material innovation must be matched by coating performance, converting know-how, regulatory validation, sorting compatibility and end-market demand for recovered materials.

The broader message is clear: circular food packaging is moving from concept to industrial practice. As pressure grows to reduce virgin plastic and improve the recyclability of food packs, solutions that combine recycled fibre with recycled-content barrier technology may become increasingly relevant. The success of this approach will depend on scale, cost, real-world recycling outcomes and the ability to meet the demanding performance standards of the food industry.