Amcor Film Shatters Recycling Barrier, Wins Sustainability Award

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – March 19, 2026 – Global packaging giant Amcor has received a prestigious industry award for a product that marks a significant technical leap in sustainable logistics. The company was honored with a Silver Flexible Packaging Achievement Award in the Sustainability category for its Earth Sense® Pro Recycled Content Stretch Hand Film, a solution that successfully integrates high levels of recycled plastic into a high-performance application.

The award was presented during the Flexible Packaging Association's (FPA) 70th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, a premier event that celebrates innovation across the industry. Amcor's recognition among 360 submissions underscores the importance of its achievement in a market increasingly driven by environmental responsibility. The Earth Sense® Pro film is designed for manually wrapping pallets and boasts a composition of 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) and 5% post-industrial recycled (PIR) content, a feat that directly addresses the challenge of creating a circular economy for plastics.

"We are proud to be recognized by the FPA for innovations that help our customers reduce their environmental footprint," said Phil Stolz, President of Amcor Flexibles Converter & Distribution, in a statement. "This award reflects Amcor's commitment to advancing more sustainable packaging solutions across our portfolio."

The Breakthrough in a Thin Package

The true significance of Amcor's innovation lies in overcoming a long-standing technical barrier. For years, the packaging industry has struggled to incorporate high percentages of PCR content into thin-gauge stretch films. These films, critical for stabilizing pallet loads during transport, must withstand enormous stress and stretching without tearing. The inherent inconsistencies and potential contaminants in PCR material, which is derived from household plastic waste, have historically made it unsuitable for such demanding, high-performance applications. Any defects can compromise the film's strength and elasticity, leading to load instability and product damage.

Until recently, the use of PCR was largely confined to thicker, less-demanding plastic products. Amcor’s Earth Sense® Pro represents a paradigm shift. By successfully engineering a 28-gauge film with 30% PCR content, the company has proven that recycled materials can meet the stringent performance requirements of industrial-grade stretch wrap. This technical achievement expands the viability of using PCR in a much broader range of applications, opening new pathways for plastic waste to be repurposed into valuable products rather than ending up in landfills or oceans.

The film’s "downgaugeable" structure is a key part of its innovative design. According to the company, the 28-gauge film delivers performance that is comparable to, and often better than, conventional films that are twice as thick. This allows businesses to secure their loads effectively while using significantly less material.

Redefining Sustainable Logistics

Beyond the technical milestone, the practical impact of Earth Sense® Pro for businesses and the planet is substantial. The film’s high load-containment capability ensures that goods remain secure throughout the supply chain, minimizing breakage and loss. For logistics managers and warehouse operators, this means greater reliability and reduced costs associated with damaged products.

The lightweighting opportunity offered by the film provides a dual benefit. Firstly, it directly reduces the amount of plastic used per pallet, contributing to source reduction—a key principle of the waste hierarchy. This not only lowers a company's environmental footprint but can also lead to direct material cost savings. Secondly, the lighter rolls of film enhance operator comfort and ergonomics, a practical advantage in manual wrapping applications that can improve workplace safety and efficiency. The film’s damage-resistant design further helps to reduce waste generated from torn or unusable film during application.

This innovation arrives at a critical time. The global stretch film market, valued in the billions, is expanding rapidly, fueled by the explosive growth of e-commerce and global logistics. Simultaneously, regulatory pressure, such as the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and consumer demand are pushing brand owners to adopt more sustainable packaging solutions with verifiable recycled content and a lower carbon footprint. Products like Earth Sense® Pro provide a tangible solution for companies looking to meet these evolving market expectations without compromising on performance.

A Crowded Field of Green Innovation

Amcor's achievement does not exist in a vacuum. It is part of a powerful, industry-wide push toward more sustainable packaging solutions, with major players competing to develop the next generation of eco-friendly materials. This competitive landscape is accelerating innovation and providing businesses with a growing array of green choices.

For instance, Berry Global, another major packaging manufacturer, offers a stretch film with 30% PCR content and has invested in a dedicated circular innovation center. Meanwhile, a collaboration between ExxonMobil and Reifenhäuser has resulted in a high-performance stretch hood film capable of incorporating up to 35% PCR content, specifically tackling the challenge of using household-sourced plastics.

The innovation extends beyond simply adding recycled content. Competitors are exploring different pathways to sustainability. Sigma Stretch Film offers its VANISH™ product, an engineered film designed to bio-assimilate and avoid leaving microplastics behind. On another front, Mondi has introduced a paper-based stretch wrap, offering a completely plastic-free alternative that it claims reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 60% compared to virgin plastic wrap. This diversity of approaches—from enhanced recyclability and recycled content to biodegradable and paper-based alternatives—highlights a dynamic and multifaceted effort to solve the packaging industry's environmental challenges.

Bolstering a Corporate Green Strategy

For Amcor, the FPA award and the launch of Earth Sense® Pro are more than just a single product success; they are a clear validation of the company's comprehensive, long-term sustainability strategy. As a signatory to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business, Amcor has set ambitious public targets that guide its innovation pipeline.

The company has pledged to design all its packaging to be recyclable, reusable, or compostable and is aiming for 30% recycled content across its entire portfolio by 2030. Having already achieved its 2025 goal of 10% PCR use, the 35% recycled content (30% PCR and 5% PIR) in the new stretch film demonstrates a tangible step toward this more ambitious 2030 target. Furthermore, the company is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and has already reduced GHG emissions from its operations by 20% over the last four years.

This strategic alignment of product innovation with corporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals strengthens Amcor's position as a leader in the sustainable packaging market. In an era where sustainability is increasingly linked to brand reputation and investor confidence, innovations like Earth Sense® Pro serve as powerful proof points of the company's commitment, providing a competitive edge and demonstrating that environmental responsibility and high-performance functionality can successfully go hand-in-hand. The film not only helps Amcor’s customers meet their own sustainability goals but also reinforces the feasibility of a circular economy for plastics on an industrial scale.