Launched under the Ecocaps brand, the fully compostable and biodegradable caps were developed by Prodigi after the firm realised there was no plastic-free alternative to traditional plastic end-caps available on the market.
On a mission to remove all plastic from its own packaging materials – beginning with clingfilm in 2022 – the printing firm developed its own moulded fibre caps as the last piece in the plastic-free puzzle, and has eliminated more than two million individual pieces of plastic from its supply chain by adopting its own product.
Steve Levin, co-founder and chief production officer at Prodigi, said: “Ecocaps isn’t just a first in the print on demand space, but also across the wider packaging industry. Until now, this product simply didn’t exist. Swapping the plastic end caps on our shipping tubes for Ecocaps has already eliminated over two million pieces of plastic from our operations – and we're just one business.
“If more companies follow suit, the combined impact would be transformative. We're already witnessing significant demand for this product, and we’re excited to announce that Ecocaps are now available for resale to businesses and suppliers looking to enhance their sustainability efforts.”
By replacing traditional endcaps, manufacturers can save about 10g of plastic per tube; Ecocaps likewise weigh less at a combined 6g per tube, and take up less space when stacked.
“This in-house development underscores our commitment to lead by example when it comes to innovation and sustainability,” added James Old, founder and CEO of Prodigi.
“In addition to supplying this product to the wider packaging industry, we’re also working on an initiative to encourage other print on demand providers, including our competitors, to adopt our Ecocaps.
“Protecting the planet requires all of us to pursue innovative, creative solutions to continuously reduce our environmental footprint. Together, we can collectively make a substantial contribution to minimising global plastic consumption.”
Prodigi prints largely in-house from three facilities in the UK, US, and mainland Europe, allowing third parties to set up online stores, before Prodigi prints and fulfils orders; it also has more than 70 print partners in 10 countries for orders further afield.
