Tipa and Charter Next Generation create exclusive compostable film for North America amid US expansion

13 Sep 2023 --- Tipa and Charter Next Generation (CNG), a US specialty film manufacturer, have partnered to drive US production and adoption of compostable packaging by introducing two films.

To expand Tipa’s US presence, CNG will produce two films from Tipa’s proprietary compostable materials: Tipa’s newly launched Tipaclear 301 and its Tipaclear 319. Tipaclear 301 is exclusive to North America. 

“The compostable packaging market in the US is at an exciting stage in its growth as demand is rising in line with increasing consumer pressures. We see this reflected in bottom-up moves that progressively drive awareness and adoption,” Daphna Nissenbaum, CEO and co-founder at Tipa tells Packaging Insights.

“Growing consumer demand is evident in increasing brand adoption and the growing number of manufacturers, such as CNG, adding compostable packaging solutions to their portfolios of sustainable products.”

Compostable changes
CNG will manufacture Tipa’s new packaging films for food, consumer, healthcare and other end-use markets. The transparent home compostable films for food and consumer goods packaging are available in various thicknesses and applications.

“After exploring and dissecting marketing demand across the country, we have decided that these are the kind of films the Americans need. Both products were designed to align with the prevalent production methods in the US, thereby meeting the primary technical requirements for food and fashion packaging,” says Nissenbaum.

Tipa offers new compostable film for the US market.According to Tipa, brands and manufacturers face increasing demand for innovative, environmentally sustainable packaging solutions to reduce the world’s dependence on traditional plastics.

Tipa offers fully compostable substitutes for traditional plastic counterparts while bearing the same functionalities, such as transparency and durability. Tipa’s packaging is also seamlessly compatible with existing machinery throughout the entire supply chain of packaging production.

At the film’s end of their use, when placed in a compost bin, they disintegrate and biodegrade into nutrient-rich soil within months.

The Tipaclear 301 and Tipaclear 319 can be used for baked goods, fresh produce, dry food goods, toiletries, toys and apparel. Tipa’s applications include resealable bags, pillow bag packaging, open bags and compostable zipper bags.

US expansions
Through the partnership, Tipa aims to further solidify its foothold in the North American market for compostable films.

“The partnership is one of a few production collaborations between Tipa and large US manufacturers in recent months. Combined, they contribute significant momentum to the fast-growing compostable packaging market, projected to nearly double in revenue by the end of the decade,” asserts Nissenbaum.

By facilitating the local production of compostable packaging, the partnership reduces the world’s carbon footprint by eliminating the traditional need for brands to ship packaging from abroad.

To accelerate the mass-scale adoption of compostable packaging in the US, Nissenbaum states that “more government policies and regulations are needed to incentivize the use of composting and compostable materials as well as to provide added support to amplify organic waste management systems so more compostables are accepted and processed.”

Fashion packaging
Tipa creates compostable packaging solutions for food and fashion.

“Fashion packaging accounts for an estimated 40% of all plastic waste. We see significant growth potential in fashion packaging, particularly as younger generations who comprise key consumer demographics are increasingly eco-conscious,” explains Nissenbaum.

She concludes that US consumers and producers in the fashion space are willing to pay higher monetary prices for sustainable options that benefit the planet “as the environment faces the brink of irreversible harm if left unchanged.”

By Sabine Waldeck