A Sustainable Partnership

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is steadily raising the bar for recycled content in packaging – and time to act is running short. PolyCycle Innovation and PackSys Global have now qualified a joint solution that gives tube manufacturers and brand owners in the cosmetics, personal care, and oral care markets a path to meeting the PPWR – without sacrificing tube performance or colour consistency. A PCR resin that performs reliably even on tubes with demanding closure designs, without compromising on colour, feel, or process stability.

For brand owners, that means a path to PPWR compliance is a possibility. Many major food, beverage, and consumer goods companies had already set their own targets for recycled and renewable packaging materials – regulation is simply catching up to a shift the industry had already started. That this is achievable was demonstrated by PackSys Global in May 2026 at Interpack in Düsseldorf, with a noSho tube built with more than 50% PCR content.

Two specialists, one shared goal

PolyCycle Innovation LLC produces certified, food-grade PCR resins for the packaging industry. An independent Life Cycle Analysis backs the sustainability case with measurable reductions in Global Warming Potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin material. The company holds GreenCircle certification and is an activator in the U.S. Plastics Pact.

PackSys Global serves customers in more than 90 countries with tube machines, complete production lines, and packing equipment – with a focus on cosmetics, oral care, medical technology, and food and beverage. The company developed noSho, a tube design that compression-molds an HDPE cap and eliminates the tube's shoulder entirely.

PolyCycle's PCR HDPE resin has been tested and successfully processed on PackSys Global's compression molding equipment for both noSho and conventional tubes – a meaningful step for a segment in which high recycled content has so far been seen as a tradeoff.

These successful tests are especially telling for noSho: the design requires a resin that produces a consistent, reliable hinge, holds colour evenly, and stays consistent batch to batch – no small feat. Both companies are continuing the joint development – these tests are a starting point, not a finish line.

Why the pairing works

On the equipment side, PackSys Global reports more production cycles with PolyCycle's resin than with other PCR materials it has tested, with a dependable hinge and strong colour consistency. That strengthens PackSys Global's position as a leading provider in the processing of sustainable materials and opens the door to new customers specifically seeking PCR-capable tube equipment.

On the material side, PolyCycle brings compliance for food-grade applications, GreenCircle certification, and comprehensive quality control. Its resin is sourced through a controlled North American supply chain, ensuring consistent quality and good traceability. At the same time, its high colour-matching accuracy lets brand owners maintain the shelf appearance they want without compromise.

For manufacturers of standard tubes, the entry point is low-friction: since PolyCycle's resin processes impeccably and is designed for injection-moulded shoulders, switching does not require a wholesale retooling of existing lines. Given the PPWR's rising thresholds, the time to act is now – brands in cosmetics, personal care, and oral care are likely to feel the pressure first. A PCR option doesn't make the deadline less real, but it makes meeting it considerably more straightforward.