Turning Recyclable Packaging Concepts into Industrial Reality with Dow

Sustainability remains one of the main innovations in flexible packaging. However, developing a recyclable structure is only the first step. The real challenge is ensuring that it can also deliver the performance, shelf life, and production efficiency required in commercial operations.

One of the most common concerns among packaging producers is whether sustainable materials can deliver the same performance as traditional structures. Will production speed be affected? Will package appearance change? Will shelf-life requirements still be met?

These are the exact questions Mespack and Dow have been addressing through their years of joint development. Together, we have created and validated recyclable packaging solutions across multiple formats, including stand-up pouches, sachets, and stick packs. Our goal has remained unchanged: to assist customers in achieving their sustainability targets without sacrificing productivity, package quality, or consumer experience. The real challenge is not designing a recyclable package; the challenge is proving that it will run successfully on a production line.

Two Innovation Centers, One Objective

A unique advantage of this collaboration is the access customers have to both Dow’s and Mespack’s dedicated packaging innovation centers. At the Mespack Innovation Centre (MIC) in Barcelona, Spain, customers can work directly with Mespack specialists to evaluate new materials, optimize machine settings, test packaging formats, and validate performance under real production conditions. The MIC was specifically created to support collaborative packaging development and accelerate innovation alongside customers and stellar partners.

Additionally, customers can also leverage Dow Pack Studios Studios global network including sites in Tarragona, Spain and in Freeport, Texas (USA), which features an installed Mespack H180FE machine available for testing recyclable packaging structures. Pack Studios brings together advanced materials, testing facilities, prototyping capabilities, and expert guidance to help companies accelerate packaging projects from concept to commercialization with more efficiency.

Together, these two centers provide customers with a unique opportunity to validate new packaging concepts before committing to commercial production, which significantly reduces development risks and accelerates time-to-market. Whether developing a recyclable stand-up pouch, sachet, or stick pack, customers benefit from direct access to both materials experts and packaging machinery specialists.

Test Before You Invest

One of the most valuable benefits of the Mespack-Dow partnership is the ability to test and validate packaging concepts before bringing them to market. In place of relying solely on theoretical performance or laboratory data, customers can evaluate how sustainable materials behave on real packaging equipment, verify production speeds, optimize machine parameters, assess seal integrity, and confirm overall package performance. This collaborative validation process significantly reduces development risks while helping accelerate commercialization timelines. Furthermore, it enables packaging teams to make decisions based on real production results rather than assumptions.

The Most Recent Example: Designed for Recycling, Built for Performance

The latest result of this collaborative approach will be showcased at Pack Expo on Mespack’s new HKE platform. Developed together with strategic industry partners, this innovative all-PE pouch has been designed for recyclability while incorporating more than 35% mechanically recycled resin from post-consumer household waste. The structure combines advanced Dow resin technologies with expertise in extrusion, printing, lamination, and pouch making to create a packaging solution that supports circularity without compromising performance. Of the utmost importance, the structure has demonstrated industrial-level machinability, by operating successfully on Mespack equipment at speeds of up to 220 pouches per minute, proving that recyclable packaging and high productivity can seamlessly coexist. The packaging sample also highlights the use of Dow REVOLOOP™ PCR resins, INNATE™ and AFFINITY™ technologies, combined with high-performance converting processes developed alongside industry partners. (Information visible in the packaging sample provided by the user.)

Accelerating Your Sustainability Journey

At Mespack, we believe that the future of packaging will be built through collaboration across the entire value chain. Our partnership with Dow demonstrates how material innovation, packaging expertise, and real-world validation can be combined to help customers rapidly and confidently advance toward their sustainability goals.

If you are evaluating recyclable packaging structures, considering a transition to mono-material solutions, or looking to validate new packaging formats, our teams at the Mespack Innovation Centre in Barcelona and the Dow Pack Studios in Texas are prepared to offer support. Before making investments in new materials or packaging formats, take advantage of the expertise, equipment, and testing capabilities available at the Mespack Innovation Centre and Dow Pack Studios. The most effective method for accelerating innovation is to validate your packaging solution under live production conditions.

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