Paint'R develops sustainable packaging solution for the paint industry
Paint packaging is typically characterised by large amounts of plastic in each paint bucket, which potentially also ends up in hazardous waste if paint residues are left. Therefore, the paint industry is one of the industries expected to be hit by high taxes on packaging when the producer responsibility comes into force.
The upcoming producer responsibility for packaging is currently causing many companies to look towards new innovative design solutions for packaging. Paint'R, which is a start-up company established by former DTU students, has also developed a new sustainable packaging for professional painters in collaboration with the paint industry. Instead of the traditional paint bucket, the paint is delivered directly in specially designed bags, from which the painter can take the paint directly from. The bags are easy to open and fit into the roller buckets used by professional painters.
"The producer responsibility is a good opportunity to rethink the possibilities of implementing more innovative and sustainable packaging. It has been a challenge to introduce a new packaging on the market in relatively small quantities, but because there is an opportunity to achieve significantly lower taxes with more sustainable packaging in connection with the producer responsibility, there is now momentum, because it makes good sense – also fiancially – to switch to the innovative packaging solution", says Sofie Winge-Petersen, CEO of Paint'R.
Easy to disassemble
The specially designed bags from Paint'R are packed directly in a cardboard box, which at the same time ensures stability during transport and storage. The new design ensures that the cardboard box can be recycled, whilst at the same time improving the price, since the tax on cardboard is lower than plastic, when the producer responsibility comes into force.
Get a price estimate for waste management from 2025 with the VANA calculator here.
"Our focus in the design of the packaging has been to ensure that the packaging could be disassembled, so that we end up with relatively clean waste fractions, and that as small an amount of waste as possible is in contact with the paint, and thereby potentially would have to pay a higher fee if it qualifies as hazardous waste. We expect to be able to reduce the producer responsibility costs by around 80%, because recyclability increases and the amount of waste contaminated by the paint is significantly reduced compared to traditional solutions," explains Sofie Winge-Petersen.
User usability as a parameter
In addition to sustainability, Paint'R's focus is also on promoting user usability. Therefore, the packaging not only functions a packaging, but at the same time as a tool that makes the work easier for the painter.
In the Paint'R solution, the bag is used directly by the painter to roll from. In this way, the paint bag is no longer just a means of transport, but the specially designed bag is a tool that provides a better painting experience, replacing the traditional roller bags a painter would otherwise use to pour paint into and roll from.
Read more about Paint'R's packaging solution and the team behind it here.
In the picture you see the team behind Paint'R: Johan C.S. Vangstrup, Sofie Winge-Petersen and Victoria S. Søgaard.