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A Paper Alternative to Plastic and Aluminum: Protego, Hansol Paper’s New Eco-Friendly Packaging Paper
▲ Protego, an eco-friendly packaging material that can replace plastic and aluminum
Hansol Paper’s Protego, originally a Latin word that means “to protect,” is an alternative eco-friendly packaging material developed as a replacement for traditional flexible packaging materials (e.g., plastic film and aluminum foil). Protego is mainly used for individual packaging of snacks & cookies, dry foods, and medications. Unlike multi-layered packaging materials, where two or three layers of plastic films, aluminum foil, or other materials are glued together for the preservation of quality and particularly for insulation from oxygen and moisture, Protego utilizes a single material, which greatly reduces production costs and streamlines the lamination process.
▲ Aroma diffuser packaging made of Protego for insulation from moisture and oxygen
Furthermore, Protego-based packaging can be disposed of separately as recyclable paper waste and then recycled. More than 90 percent of Protego is also biodegradable, so it can reduce CO2 emissions by some 45 percent, thereby helping to solve one of the most serious global environmental issues. In this respect, Protego’s strength is its eco-friendliness. Amid the government’s more stringent environmental policies and the so-called “Green Survival” trend in which consumers are keen on using eco-friendly products, interest in and inquiries about Protego have been steadily increasing. Against this backdrop, Hansol Paper has applied for Protego-related patents in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
▲ [USO X Taegeukdang X Hansol Paper Pop-Up Store] Taegeukdang’s Monaka Ice Cream packaging made of Protego
▲ Protego-based packaging of Seoul Boree barley tea product sold via URBANBOOKS
▲ Soap, solid toothpaste, drip coffee, cosmetics, and dust mask packaging made of Protego
By combining special treatment and coating technologies, which had been difficult to apply on paper materials, experts at Hansol Paper were able to create a barrier coating layer on Protego to ensure insulation from oxygen and moisture. This barrier technology was awarded FDA certification in the U.S. and globally recognized UL safety certification, in addition to a Korean patent.
In recognition of such outstanding qualities, Protego was awarded the MOTIE Minister’s Award at the 14th Korea Star Awards 2020, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE).