Masterpress, a European provider of high-quality label and packaging solutions, is strengthening its role in the transition to fully recyclable packaging by actively participating in BeFORE – Barrier for Recycling, an EU-funded research initiative under the 37th CORNET programme.
The BeFORE consortium brings together partners from Belgium, Germany and Poland, including industrial companies, research institutions and organisations along the packaging value chain. Masterpress is involved in the project through Natureef, a Polish association that brings together companies from the packaging, food production and recycling sectors in joint research projects.
“The BeFORE project is a logical continuation of our long-term commitment to supporting brands in their transition to truly circular packaging solutions,” says Gabriel Magdaleno, Strategic Product Development & Marketing Director at Masterpress. “In the context of the EU PPWR, BeFORE enables us to support brands in the implementation phase of the regulation by ensuring that flexible high-barrier packaging is recyclable while providing reliable product protection.”
A European challenge: high-barrier packaging
Plastic and paper packaging with high barrier properties play a crucial role in protecting sensitive products – such as food, cosmetics and personal care items – from oxygen, moisture, fats, oils and other environmental influences. Traditionally, many of these structures are based on complex multi-material combinations that cannot be recycled in today’s widely used mechanical recycling systems.
With the shift towards mono-material packaging designs, these recyclable structures must still deliver high barrier performance. BeFORE addresses this by investigating the real-world performance of innovative materials and thin functional barrier layers that can be particularly vulnerable to damage during filling, sealing, folding, thermoforming and handling.
“Flexible high-barrier packaging has historically been difficult to recycle. However, this project shows how collaborative R&D, bringing together science, industry and legislation, can accelerate real change,” says Jakub Pędziński, Pouches Business Development Leader at Masterpress. “By contributing our single-layer pouch to this international consortium, we are contributing to innovations that keep materials in circulation and support Europe’s transition to sustainable packaging.”
Tests of Masterpress’s single-layer PE stand-up pouch
As part of BeFORE’s work on high-barrier stand-up pouches made of co-extruded polyethylene (PE), Masterpress is providing one of the project’s key plastic case studies: the single-layer, non-laminated stand-up pouch for liquid soap.
Unlike conventional laminated bags, which use several different materials and cannot be recycled in standard PE recycling streams, the Masterpress bag consists of a single monomaterial PE/EVOH structure. It is designed to be correctly identified in sorting plants and integrated into existing PE recycling systems.
As part of the BeFORE project, the bag is being tested in several key disciplines, including:
• Barrier performance to ensure that the contents remain protected
• Strength and behaviour over the storage period, especially for liquid soap formulations
• Safety and migration tests in accordance with regulatory requirements
• Performance on automated filling and packaging lines,
• Recyclability, assessed according to international recyclability guidelines.
The results of the project will be incorporated into further industry guidelines, including the creation of a comprehensive white paper, best practice recommendations for ‘design for recycling’ and case studies across multiple material categories (paper, plastics and hybrid structures).
Focus on PPWR compliance
BeFORE is also investigating compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The scientific assessments within the project, covering functional performance, sortability, recyclability and safety, are intended to support the industry in preparing for upcoming mandatory requirements. High-barrier materials for food, cosmetics and personal care products are the focus, as functional performance must be balanced with recyclability and compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
Masterpress’s participation provides practical insights into how innovative PE structures can meet ‘recycling by design’ expectations while ensuring reliable performance for sensitive products.
The project will run from 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2027 and is co-financed by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development. The total budget is PLN 1,560,693.79, including PLN 1,469,385.38 in co-financing.