Dow, Macchi and ITP Present Mono-Polyethylene Pouch Prototype with Over 50% Chemically Recycled Content at K 2025
An innovative collaboration for circular, high-performance flexible packaging
Three key players in the packaging supply chain – Dow, Macchi and ITP (Industria Termoplastica Pavese) – have joined forces to develop a circular solution for flexible packaging: a mono-PE pouch designed for recyclability, containing over 50% plastic from advanced (chemical) recycling using a mass balance approach.
The pouch prototype is compatible with industry recyclability guidelines and suitable for food packaging thanks to its high barrier properties against gas and moisture. The pouch, created for snack packaging, contains over 50% recycled raw material from advanced (chemical) recycling, supporting packaging circularity without compromising performance or food safety.
Compliance with Future EU Requirements
The pouch proactively responds to future recycled content quotas set by the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which mandates specific recycled content targets for all plastic packaging by 2030, including 10% for food contact applications.
The integration of chemically recycled content enables increased use of recycled material in technically complex applications subject to stringent regulations, such as food packaging, which are not currently feasible on a large scale with conventional mechanical recycling, thus reducing dependence on virgin resources. The use of advanced recycling content also ensures that packaging materials are safe for direct food contact, offering consumers peace of mind regarding food safety and protection against gas and moisture.
A Three-Way Collaboration to Drive Innovation
The project was developed through close collaboration along the value chain:
ITP - Industria Termoplastica Pavese, producer of high-quality, sustainable PE films for food and industrial packaging, handled film selection, digital printing, lamination and pouch formation. The Italian company, with over 50 years of experience in flexible packaging, specialises in polyethylene film extrusion using advanced single and triple-bubble extrusion technology.
Macchi, a leader in blown film extrusion line production, provided high-performance multilayer extrusion technology. The advanced barrier film production lines offer maximum flexibility in film structure design and enable significant thickness reduction, ensuring both material savings and greater efficiency in production costs.
Dow, a multinational leader in materials science, contributed advanced PE resins – including INNATE, ELITE, AFFINITY and BYNEL – combining excellent processability with high-level functional performance.
Preview at K 2025
The new pouches will be officially presented at the forthcoming K 2025 trade fair, the world's leading event for plastics and packaging technologies, in Düsseldorf from 8 to 15 October 2025. Samples will be available at the Dow and Macchi stands, where visitors will have the opportunity to see the results of this collaboration first-hand and discover the technologies behind the project.
