Royal Mail adopts Movopack’s recyclable e-commerce packaging

The UK Royal Mail system is adopting Movopack's recyclable packaging solution – which it claims reduces CO2 emissions by 84% compared to single-use packaging – after securing £2 million (€2,402,070) in funding.

While standard e-commerce packaging is typically made from single-use cardboard containing 70% recycled content, Movopack's solution utilizes rPET from recycled plastic bottles and woven recycled polypropylene. Designed to withstand postal handling and up to 20 reuses by retailers, the packaging is said to reduce CO2 emissions by 84%, energy use by 80% and water consumption by 76% over its maximum lifespan, according to a life cycle assessment by Life  Cycle Engineering.

When it becomes available in the UK, consumers will be encouraged to drop off their reusable packaging at any of 115,000 post boxes across the country. This convenient and "seamless" process is expected to help retailers embrace Movopack's circular solution.

In turn, a wider transition to recyclable packaging is expected to reduce the approximately 1.7 billion pieces of plastic discarded in the UK each week and meet the expectations of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations that 10% of e-commerce packaging be reusable by 2030.

Movopack's packaging is highly cost-effective and can be customized to suit individual companies' brands.

The seed round was led by early investor 360 Capital, with participation from Greiner Innovations and Techstars in the final round.

Tomaso Torriani, CEO and co-founder of Movopack said: "This round of funding demonstrates the growing interest in Movopack's potential to transform the e-commerce industry through sustainable, circular packaging solutions. We are particularly excited about this investment as it enables us to launch in the UK. The demand for sustainable solutions has never been greater. Consumers and brands alike are looking for effective ways to contribute to social and economic prosperity without harming the environment, and we are here to meet that demand. At Movopack, we are working to make sustainability not just an option, but a standard in e-commerce."

Lucrezia Lucotti, Partner at 360 Capital, said: "Until now, sustainable packaging in e-commerce has attracted increasing attention, however, it is still characterized by fragmentation and, in particular, a lack of digital integration. By investing in Movopack's recyclable e-commerce packaging, we are making e-commerce more sustainable. With their launch in the UK, we believe Movopack is well-positioned to lead the change for brands to implement sustainable practices and we are delighted to support their mission."

Lukas, Senior Investment Manager at Greiner Innovations Seemann added: "Our investment in Movopack reflects our commitment to driving innovation in the packaging industry, especially in delivering sustainable approaches. By supporting Movopack, we are investing in a promising startup working on reusable packaging solutions, which aligns with our strategic focus on circular economy initiatives."

In another collaboration, Movopack recently partnered with children's clothing brand Brave Kid to deliver online orders in reusable packaging, with an estimated 75% reduction in CO2 emissions. The custom slogan is "Be a Brave Kid". The new solution hopes to encourage sustainable behavior among young consumers.

This year's Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has also committed up to £2 million in potential investments for startups' innovations. Potential recipients include reusable packaging suppliers Hipli and Re-Zip, which are expected to deliver nearly 100,000 orders in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria.