
Unette Group has launched the new Tear n Tuck re-closable sachet as a direct competitor to the traditional screw cap/flip-top tube. Made with 80% less plastic than the screw cap tube, it is lighter and costs less. The specialist contract packing company aims to take brand holder's bulk product and pack it into its alternative packaging format.
The pack has a unique closure mechanism that allows more than one use. This innovative tube is proving popular for topical creams, lubricants, sun cream, household, and DIY markets. It is very easy to open and to re-seal, providing a lightweight tube with no leaks or spillages even when strong pressure is applied.
The concept was designed and developed for "responsible brand holders" that are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. With a net weight of 2.8 grams per tube, the lightweight Tear n Tuck format can provide savings in plastic compared to more rigid alternatives. Typically, the equivalent capacity screw cap tube will weigh around 16g, meaning a plastic reduction in excess of 80%.
Additionally, the material to make the Tear n Tuck tubes arrives at Unette in a flat roll format from a local supplier, and a single pallet can produce 400,000 Tear n Tuck tubes. This compares most favorably to a single pallet of empty, rigid screw cap tubes traveling from Belgium that would only hold a mere 4,000 tubes. With a 99% reduction in pallet space, this equates to lower transport costs, lower storage costs, and what's more, lower CO2 emissions. The company has carried out market research, and the consumer feedback on the proposition (lightweight, less plastic alternative to screw cap tubes). This innovation scored highly in terms of intention to purchase, particularly with the more environmentally-conscious younger consumers.
The Tear n Tuck will not completely replace the traditional screw cap tube, but it will have its place in specific applications, particularly topical creams, and with brand holders that are at the forefront of the environmental agenda.