Packaging enhancement and tape solution specialist Essentra Tapes will spotlight its brand-new Rippatape® Halo tear tape and guide guests along their ECO Range sustainability journey in a free one-hour webinar. Hosted by Paul Jenkins, Managing Director of ThePackHub, the session, titled E-commerce Packing Innovations, will take on January 31, at 3pm GMT and is a chance to catch up on the latest E-commerce packaging innovation trends, with a whistle-stop tour of the latest initiatives.

Ian Beresford, Head of Marketing & Development at Essentra Tapes, will explain the industry's requirement to keep sustainability in mind, especially as companies continue to make sizeable investments in their E-commerce capabilities.

"We must rethink how our businesses operate and behave to ensure our systems and foundations are resilient and fit for a sustainable future," he said. "And it is no surprise that through listening to key businesses and stakeholders, and after four years of painstaking work, the launch of Rippatape^® Halo has received a hugely positive response."

For those who see the opportunity for packaging to play a powerful role in the world around us, Rippatape^® Halo endeavours to help brands and converters around the world meet their environmental goals while providing customers with more circular curbside recyclable packaging options.

This brand-new solution is the first paper tape of its kind in the Essentra Tapes ECO Range. It is externally certified as recyclable with paper achieving an A+ level via the Italian National Recyclability Standard: UNI 11743 and MC 501: 2017 criteria.

With a tearing performance comparable to the market-leading Rippatape^® 60, Rippatape^® Halo does not compromise on the easy opening credentials of its plastic alternative. Crucially, Rippatape^® Halo is recyclable along with paper and board packs, is fully reclaimable, eliminates the plastic film used in standard tear tapes, and focuses on fibre recovery.

Beresford added: "As the E-commerce market matures, new and more innovative forms of packaging are creating opportunities to make the online retail experience more engaging, targeted and less wasteful.

"We see this as a never-ending process. Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. As changemakers, we feel it is only right to share our views and solutions to the greatest sustainability challenge the industry will likely face – packaging waste."

With E-commerce sales doubling in the past five years and markets expected to almost double again by 2026, companies are looking to cater for elevated expectations. Today, consumer consciousness towards the environment exerts a more substantial influence on how brands are perceived, making it imperative for businesses to embrace an effective Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy.

"The rising demand for online buying naturally means a greater need for packaging," said Jenkins. "At a time when sustainability is a huge trend, E-commerce businesses need to be mindful that their packaging is both practical and sustainable. Customers don't want to be frustrated by excessive or poor-quality packaging when they receive their products.

"I'm genuinely excited about unpacking this transformational work and covering many recent in-market and developmental examples to inspire you and keep you up to speed." ThePackHub is a packaging innovation consultancy specialising in delivering technical and innovative packaging solutions for brand owners, retailers and packaging suppliers.

From fresh consumer insight, idea generation, concept development, feasibility or implementation, ThePackHub can make packaging innovation happen at every stage. To secure your place at the free one-hour webinar, you can register your interest now by visiting Webinar Registration - Zoom