In its vision to develop sustainable packaging, the Carlsberg Group has advanced paper bottle technology with its Green Fibre Bottle.

The solution is what the company calls the world’s first ‘paper bottle’ for beer and unveiled two prototypes during the C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Made from sustainably sourced wood fibres, the company said it is both 100 per cent bio-based and fully recyclable.

Both prototypes also have an inner barrier to allow the bottles to contain beer. One prototype uses a thin recycled PET polymer film barrier, and the other a 100 per cent bio-based PEF polymer film barrier.

These prototypes will be used to test the barrier technology as Carlsberg seeks a solution to achieving its ultimate ambition of a 100 per cent bio-based bottle without polymers.

Carlsberg Group vice-president of group development Myriam Shingleton said, “We continue to innovate across all our packaging formats, and we are pleased with the progress we’ve made on the Green Fibre Bottle so far.

“While we are not completely there yet, the two prototypes are an important step towards realising our ultimate ambition of bringing this breakthrough to market.

“Innovation takes time and we will continue to collaborate with leading experts in order to overcome remaining technical challenges, just as we did with our plastic-reducing Snap Pack.”

Carlsberg started on the project in 2015 alongside EcoXpac, packaging company BillerudKorsnäs, and post-doctoral researchers from the Technical University of Denmark, supported by Innovation Fund Denmark.

The combined efforts resulted in the emergence of Paboco, the paper bottle company – a joint venture between BillerudKorsnäs and bottle manufacturing specialist, ALPLA.

The Carlsberg Group also announced that it has been joined by other global companies that are united in their vision to develop sustainable packaging through the advancement of paper bottle technology.

Carlsberg will now be joined by The Coca-Cola Company, The Absolut Company and L’Oréal in the paper bottle community.

“The work with our partners since 2015 on the Green Fibre Bottle illustrates that this kind of innovation can happen when we work together,” Shingleton said.

“We’re delighted that other like-minded companies have now joined us as part of Paboco’s paper bottle community. Partnerships such as these, ones that are united by a desire to create sustainable innovations, are the best way to bring about real change.”

Shingleton added that these developments are a continuation of Carlsberg’s sustainable packaging innovation journey and a key part of its sustainability programme, Together Towards ZERO.

“We’re driven by our constant pursuit of better, to create more sustainable packaging solutions that help people to live more sustainable lives. Sometimes that means completely rethinking how things are done – pushing the boundaries of existing technologies and overcoming technical challenges as they present themselves,” she said.