Packaging is one of the most visible signs of the environmental crisis. Sadly, we are all far too accustomed to the sight of discarded plastic in our daily lives – from litter we pass on our commutes to images of remote islands ruined by washed up plastics. The problem is virtually everywhere and there’s a concerted effort from many businesses to address their direct impact.
 
For many years, Löfbergs have been looking for an alternative to fossil-based plastic for their packaging. Indeed, back in 2018 they set themselves the ambitious target that all their packaging would consist of renewable or recycled material by 2030.
 
The first step on this journey was reducing the amount of material they used in their packaging and ensuring that as much of the material that was used could be recycled or reused. The best way to achieve that was to find an alternative to fossil-based plastic. In 2017, they carried out the first tests on a mix of plastic derived from sugar cane. This resulted in Löfbergs’ ‘Climate Smart’ Green PE packaging which offered a 34% reduction in the carbon footprint of its production compared to industry-standard aluminium-based packaging. And now, 73% of all packaging material purchased by Löfbergs is plant-based or from recycled material.
 
In 2021, Löfbergs have made a further significant step towards their 2030 target. They have developed a monomaterial that is designed for the circular community. Made from a fully recyclable low-density polyethylene (LDPE), it contains 0 per cent aluminium but still provides the necessary protection, 540-day shelf life and capacity for coffee.
 
Currently this material is being trialled in Sweden but visitors to the London Coffee Festival will be the first in the UK to have the opportunity to see examples of this potentially game-changing material for themselves.