SIG has launched Signature EVO, the world’s first aluminum-free full barrier packaging materials for aseptic carton packs. Signature EVO extends SIG’s lower-carbon aluminum-free packaging materials – already available for plain white milk – for wider use with oxygen-sensitive products such as fruit juices, nectars, flavored milk or plant-based beverages.

“By extending our Signature portfolio with Signature EVO – the world’s first aluminum-free packaging materials for aseptic cartons with full barrier protection – we are taking the next step in our aluminum-free journey and underlining our position as an industry leader in sustainable innovations,” said Ali Kaylan, SVP innovation at SIG. “We are delighted to give our customers additional opportunities to bring low-impact packaging solutions to more categories and more consumers around the world. Sustainable innovations like this are central to SIG’s commitment to partner with customers and go way beyond good for people and the planet.”

Sustainable innovation

SIG led the industry with the first-ever aluminum-free solutions for aseptic cartons. By eliminating the need for an aluminum foil barrier layer, combibloc Ecoplus cut the carbon footprint of SIG’s standard packaging material by 27% when launched in 2010. Signature 100 cut this further in 2017, offering a 58% lower carbon footprint than SIG’s standard packaging material by linking the polymers to 100% renewable forest-based materials via a certified mass-balance system.

With more than 1.9 billion packs now sold with these aluminum-free long-life packaging solutions for liquid dairy products, SIG has built on this success to create the first full barrier aluminum-free solutions for aseptic cartons.

Signature EVO packaging materials are expected to offer a similar carbon footprint reduction to combibloc Ecoplus, to be confirmed through an independent, critically-reviewed life-cycle assessment. Like all SIG packs, Signature EVO is fully recyclable in existing recycling streams, the company claims.

Extending aluminum-free solutions to more products

With barrier properties comparable to standard aseptic cartons that include an aluminum foil barrier layer, Signature EVO packaging materials ensure that even oxygen-sensitive products are protected over long periods of time without the need for refrigeration. This enables customers to bring environmental benefits to many more food and beverage categories.

Signature EVO will initially be launched in the combiblocMini portion-sized format before being extended to other formats. It is suitable for both oxygen-insensitive products like plain white UHT milk and oxygen-sensitive products like fruit juices, nectars, flavored milk or plant-based beverages.

In the future, it will also be available in more options such as Signature EVO 100 – SIG’s full barrier solution for aseptic carton packs linked to 100% renewable forest-based materials.