Recyclable tea envelope for high-speed lines

Švenčionių Vaistažolių Fabrikas (SVF), a leading herbal tea manufacturer, faced a dual commercial threat typical of the modern packaging landscape:

• The Tax Trap: Their standard packaging was classified as "Combined Packaging" (C/PAP). Even if theoretically recyclable, this category attracts the highest EPR tariffs (~990 €/t) due to processing complexity and high plastic content.
• Material Waste: The legacy 90 gsm laminate was over-engineered, inflating both transport costs and taxable tonnage.

The strategic goal was to escape this high-tax bracket and reduce material usage without slowing down competitive mass-market production lines.

We replaced the composite laminate with a High-Performance Barrier Paper. By using advanced water-based dispersion technology, we kept the non-fibre content (functional barrier + inks) strictly below 5%, officially qualifying the packaging as PAP 22 (Monolayer Paper). This engineered balance allowed us to maintain the necessary stiffness for high-speed lines while dramatically altering the material's tax classification.

Key results delivered:

• ~80% total cost reduction: Switched from the high "Composite" tariff (~990 €/t) to the low "Paper" tariff (~260 €/t). Combined with a 22% weight reduction (90gsm → 70gsm), this slashed total EPR tax liabilities by approx. 80%.
• "Safe zone" compliance (<5%): With a functional barrier and ink, the total non-fibre content is ~4.5%, ensuring permanent PAP 22 status.
• High-speed runnability: The thinner profile allows for 20% more meters per roll, reducing downtime for roll changes without jamming high-speed lines.