Multinational packaging and paper company Mondi has launched Hug-IT, a more sustainable sleeve packaging created for Coca-Cola HBC in Austria.

The new paper packaging is designed to replace the existing plastic shrink used to wrap around 1.5l PET multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Mezzo Mix sparkling soft drink brands.

Hug-IT sleeve is made of Mondi’s Advantage SpringPack Plus, which is a 100% kraft paper developed from wood.

The development of the solution, starting from conception through to planning, trialling, and getting the product onto shelf, has taken three years.

Krones’ automated machinery has been used to engineer the sleeves, while expert teams from the company, Coca-Cola HBC and Krones worked together to ensure that the paper meets the required strength and stretchability.

Mondi said that Hug-IT sleeve offers high tensile strength and stretchability, which help it to tightly wrap and secure bottle bundles during transportation.

Coca-Cola HBC Austria supply chain director Felix Sprenger says: “The careful use of resources and recyclable materials is one of the most important pillars in our sustainability strategy and plays a central role in the design of the sustainable packaging mix for the Austrian market. 

“With the introduction of our new solution, which is unique in the world to date, we will be able to reduce material use by a further 200 tons of plastic per year in the future. It was a pleasure to work with Mondi and our other partners to jointly walk the talk contributing to a circular economy."

Last month, Mondi partnered with easy2cool to create an e-commerce paper packaging solution for shipping fresh and frozen food products.