Research and development

We want to provide consumers with the opportunity to choose more environmentally friendly products and we invest in research to find new methods and raw material solutions. Orthex is involved in three significant research projects. The goals of the projects are to increase the use of recycled and renewable plastics, and to promote circular economy. In line with Orthex’s sustainability strategy, the projects support our 2030 carbon neutrality target and the target to increase the use of sustainable raw materials. 

Food-safe recycled plastic

Orthex launched a significant research project for the development of future recycled plastic products in September 2022. The project will be carried out in cooperation with partners and will last until the end of 2025. The goals of the project are to build an ecosystem aimed at increasing the use of recycled plastic and to generate new information about the use of recycled plastic in different applications, especially in products suitable for food contact. The results of the product development and tests have been encouraging and indicated that recycled plastic is, at least in principle, suitable for food contact. More information on the results of the research project is available here.

Reusify project

Orthex is also involved in the Reusify project that started in 2024 and aims to reduce single-use packaging. The project includes several different stakeholders, as cooperation across the entire value chain is a prerequisite for a circular economy. The goal of the project is to increase the reuse of packaging by generating new knowledge and expertise on how reuse could be implemented and what kind of system it would require. More information on the Reusify project is available here.

Both of the above-mentioned projects are part of the extensive and pioneering Borealis SPIRIT (Sustainable Plastics Industry Transformation) program supported by Business Finland, which aims to transform the plastics industry towards a more sustainable future. More information on the SPIRIT program is available on SPIRIT website.

PlastLIFE SIP-EU

Since January 2023, Orthex also participates in a large cooperation project of seven years to promote the circular economy of plastics. The PlastLIFE SIP-EU project piloted by the Ministry of the Environment and the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is part of the EU’s LIFE program. 

For more information please visit PlastLIFE website. 

As part of the PlastLIFE SIP-EU project, the goal of Orthex’s work package is to find new potential renewable plastic raw materials, test raw materials in production and as finished products, and then bring products from renewable plastic to the market. Examples of novelties launched by Orthex as results of this work are the SmartStore Bedroller and SmartStore Stack-it sorting solution, which are manufactured using new recycled plastic raw materials.