Companies constantly innovate and update their packaging to get better performance, improve marketability and enhance sustainability. Here’s a look at seven recent product launches or redesigns on Packaging Dive’s radar.

Clearly compostable

AmerCareRoyal introduced a new food service product: the PrimeWare compostable straw. The clear product is made from cellulosic material “derived from renewable resources,” according to the company. This product harnesses the durability and functionality of plastic straws — they don’t deteriorate like paper versions — with the sustainability of a paper one, AmerCareRoyal said in a news release.

The straw, available in four sizes, has received Biodegradable Products Institute Industrial Compostability Certification and TÜV OK Home Compostable Certification.

That’s so metal

Bogle Family Wine Collection launched a new wine brand, Element[AL] Wines, which uses aluminum bottles instead of glass. The company said in a news release it’s the first-to-market with aluminum wine bottle technology, which it spent three years developing. The aluminum bottles are made in the traditional wine bottle shape and will still hold 750 milliliters, but they’re slightly smaller due to having thinner walls and no punt on the bottom.

The switch is for environmental reasons. The metal containers are recyclable and 80% lighter than the average conventional glass wine bottles, according to the company. The smaller bottle size also allows for 43% more wine cases to be packed into a truck, it said. Element[AL] bottles will “answer the call-to-action from the wine industry to rethink glass bottles, the largest contributor to wine’s carbon footprint,” according to the release.

“We began by looking for ways to lightweight our existing glass bottles, and that led to a more radical approach that we feel consumers are ready to embrace,” Jody Bogle, vice president of consumer relations, said in the release.

Designs are printed directly onto the bottles instead of using labels, and the bottles are shatterproof. The company’s research indicates no taste difference is perceptible for wine in aluminum bottles instead of glass.

Element[AL] wines start rolling out this month, with a preview at the in-progress Sundance Film Festival, and more widespread distribution will begin in March.

Seeing red

Tomato product producer Pomì’s brand refresh resulted in an all-red packaging portfolio. While the design keeps the brand’s red and white color scheme, it swaps the dominant packaging color, which previously was white. The font and text design also underwent changes, including “transitioning to a sleek, flat design that resonates with modern branding trends,” according to a news release.

Pomì also introduced two new types of packaging that it says is more environmentally friendly: a full barrier option for SIG Combibloc cartons and a plant-based option for Tetra Pak options. “Both are designed with sustainability at their core, utilizing reduced polymer content and sugarcane-based materials,” said the press release.

The rollout to U.S. stores will occur early this year.

New year, new look, new PCR

Crown Therapeutics announced that Sarna anti-itch lotions also are getting a refresh, the brand’s first significant change since Crown acquired it in 2018. The two signature lotion formulas themselves also are being reformulated. In addition to the new look, the bottle has been updated to include 40% postconsumer recycled content and an easy-open pump, which the company says addresses two common suggestions from consumers and retail partners.

(Re)fill it up

Rion Aesthetics launched refillable cosmetics bottles for its Skin Science line of serums. The plastic components are made with 50% PCR, and most elements are “ready for recycling,” according to the company.

"The redesigned bottles embody simplicity and functionality, aiming to add consumer-friendly innovation while minimizing the environmental footprint traditionally associated with skincare purchases,” said CEO Alisa Lask in a news release.

Food service refresh

Food service packaging manufacturer Genpak launched a revamped and expanded line of Harvest Fiber products. This molded fiber packaging does not have any intentionally added PFAS. The hinged containers, trays and table ware are suitable for both cold and hot applications, and the company describes them as microwaveable.

The products are made with renewable fibers and are BPI Certified Commercially Compostable and USDA BioPreferred, Genpak said in a news release.

Filtering in sustainability

Coffee filter supplier Melitta is releasing new product packaging that reflects its two recently obtained certifications from BPI and the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC certification ensures that the filter paper is sourced from responsibly managed forests, and the BPI certification reflects that the filters are manufactured from materials that are compostable in commercial facilities that accept such products, according to a news release.

Plus, all cone filter boxes are made from 100% recycled paperboard. The updated packaging is being distributed to stores nationwide.