EPL Limited has sharply accelerated its shift towards sustainable packaging, with recyclable, recycled and bio-based tubes accounting for 43% of its global tube sales in the first half of FY2026-27 — an eightfold increase from 5% in FY2021-22.

 

The specialty packaging major, which operates 21 manufacturing facilities across 11 countries and produces more than 9 billion tubes annually, is now targeting 60% sustainable tube sales by 2030, as it works towards its long-term ambition of a 100% sustainable product portfolio.

 

More than 85% of EPL’s global installed capacity is now equipped to support high-volume commercial production of sustainable packaging formats, positioning the company to scale adoption across oral care, beauty and cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, food and nutrition, and home care.

 

"Reaching 43% sustainable tube sales is more than a milestone: it is a clear testament to how rapidly our industry is evolving toward circularity," said Hemant Bakshi, Managing Director & Global CEO, EPL Limited. 

 

"At EPL, we are not merely participating in this transition; we are actively leading it by bridging the gap between breakthrough materials science and high-volume, commercial-scale execution. By embedding recyclable, recycled, and bio-based packaging into our global manufacturing footprint across 11 countries, we empower the world’s leading brands to meet their ambitious sustainability targets without compromising on quality, aesthetics, or performance. As we accelerate toward our goal of 60% sustainable tube sales by 2030, our focus remains on defining the future of responsible packaging at global scale."

 

At the heart of EPL’s sustainable packaging strategy is its Platina product family, a fully recyclable tube laminate designed to be compatible with the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling stream.

 

Featuring optimised ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) barrier structures, Platina is designed to deliver oxygen and moisture protection while maintaining recyclability. The platform has received recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) in the US and RecyClass in Europe.

 

EPL is also expanding its use of recycled and renewable materials through a broader portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions.

 

Its Etain and r-Platina platforms incorporate up to 50% and 60% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, respectively, while retaining compatibility with the HDPE recycling stream. Its Organic GML offering uses renewable feedstocks, incorporating up to 50% biogenic carbon content in the tube sleeve.

 

The company is also increasing its consumption of recycled materials. Recycled input usage rose to 566 tonnes in FY2025-26, up from 113 tonnes in FY2021-22. Recycled inputs accounted for 1.12% of total production in FY2025-26.

 

Customer collaborations are playing a key role in bringing sustainable packaging solutions to market.

 

In India, EPL partnered with Colgate-Palmolive to transition its oral care portfolio from conventional Aluminium Barrier Laminates (ABL) to recyclable Plastic Barrier Laminates (PBL) using thin-gauge structures.

 

The initiative sought to balance product protection, flavour retention and material efficiency, earning the CII Sustainable Packaging Award 2025.

 

Meanwhile, investment in research and development is strengthening EPL’s innovation pipeline. In FY2025-26, the company filed 23 patent applications and secured 27 patents, taking its global portfolio of granted patents to 154.

 

Its current R&D priorities include next-generation mono-material structures, lightweighting, greater integration of post-consumer recycled content and new circular packaging formats.

 

EPL says its transition also depends on building workforce capabilities, strengthening inclusion and extending the benefits of circularity to local communities.

 

"Achieving ambitious circular packaging targets requires more than advanced materials science—it requires a future-ready, empowered workforce with purpose, ambition, clarity, transparency and inclusion" said Sonal Jain, Global CHRO, Transformation & Marketing at EPL Limited. 

 

"Through continuous learning and sustainability capability-building programs across our 11 operating countries, we are embedding responsible practices into every level of our operations. Fostering an inclusive culture where women represent 33% of our global team ensures our people remain the primary engine driving our sustainable growth."

 

Through its EPL IMPACKT initiative, the company reports that 1,37,000 beneficiaries have been positively impacted by its community programmes. These include local plastic-circularity initiatives that upcycle operational waste into durable school furniture, including benches for schools, alongside community-focused environmental, social and governance (ESG) programmes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

 

EPL’s sustainability strategy has also earned international recognition. The company has received the EcoVadis Platinum Rating, placing it among the top 1% of evaluated companies globally, and secured CDP Climate and Water A List status. It has also received the UN Global Compact Forward Faster Award for Sustainable Supply Chain Excellence.

 

Its climate roadmap includes science-based targets to cut Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 55% by 2030, reduce Scope 3 emissions by 42% and achieve net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2050. EPL’s operations maintain ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 50001 energy management certifications.

 

The company was also named joint winner in the Green Company of the Year – Large category at the PrintWeek Awards 2026, in recognition of its progress in emissions reduction, renewable energy adoption, circular packaging and sustainable supply chain practices.

 

With approximately 86% of its greenhouse gas emissions arising from its value chain, EPL has set SBTi-validated targets to reduce Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services by 42% by 2030, alongside its 55% reduction target for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

 

The PrintWeek recognition cited the company’s sustainable packaging efforts, although its reported figures differ across the announcement: the company said sustainable formats accounted for 43% of global tube sales in H1 FY2026-27, while a separate passage cited a sustainable tube portfolio representing 39% of its product portfolio.

 

As part of Sustainability Month, EPL is highlighting how continued investment in materials science, manufacturing capacity and customer partnerships is helping move circular packaging beyond innovation and into commercial-scale production.

 

With sustainable formats now accounting for a growing share of sales and manufacturing capacity increasingly geared towards their production, the company is seeking to turn its 2030 target into a decisive shift in how packaging is designed, manufactured and recycled.