Rethinking detergent packaging: EcoBox

Detergent packaging has traditionally depended on complex, multi-material designs. Plastic handles, metal rivets and separate dosing cups provide functionality, but they can also make packs more difficult to recycle and increasingly costly under evolving Extended Producer Responsibility requirements.
At MM Packaging, we believe performance and recyclability should not be competing priorities. This thinking led us to develop EcoBox, a high-performance, recyclable fibre-based solution designed specifically for powder detergent products.

A fibre-based alternative built for performance

EcoBox is made from 95.4% fibre-based materials, replacing many of the components typically found in conventional detergent packs.
Its integrated fibre-based handle can safely carry loads of up to 7 kg, providing the strength required for heavier detergent products without the need for a separate plastic handle or metal rivets.
The dosing solution has also been reimagined. Instead of adding a separate plastic measuring cup, the spoon is incorporated directly into the front of the carton. Consumers can simply detach the pre-cut section and mould it into a functional dosing spoon.
This creates a convenient dispensing solution while eliminating another component that may be difficult to recover through conventional recycling systems.

Designed around the consumer

For packaging to offer a credible alternative, sustainability cannot come at the expense of convenience. EcoBox features a hinged opening that gives consumers easy access to the detergent inside. A small plastic tear strip provides a built-in reclose function, helping to keep the product protected between uses.
Together, the integrated handle, detachable dosing spoon and accessible opening create an intuitive pack that is practical to carry, use and recycle.

Responding to changing consumer expectations

Packaging is increasingly influencing how consumers perceive and choose brands. According to Pro Carton’s 2026 European Consumer Packaging Perceptions Survey, 64% of more than 5,000 consumers surveyed identified ease of recycling as their most important packaging requirement. The research also found that 84% prefer cartonboard and cardboard packaging to plastic, while 66% say sustainable packaging increases their trust in a brand.
For detergent brands, this represents an important opportunity. Packaging that combines recognisable functionality with improved recyclability can help brands respond to changing expectations without asking consumers to compromise on performance

Designing out difficult-to-recycle components

Simply reducing plastic is not always enough. Small items such as caps, lids and closure mechanisms may not be captured effectively by Material Recovery Facilities. Plastic handles and metal rivets can also be difficult for sorting systems to separate from the carton.
EcoBox addresses these challenges at the design stage. By removing the conventional plastic handle, metal rivets and separate dosing cup, the solution simplifies the packaging structure and increases its overall fibre content. This approach helps create a pack that is better aligned with the direction of European packaging regulation and the growing focus on recyclability, material efficiency and recycled content.

Ready for the changing regulatory landscape

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is introducing more demanding requirements for packaging in the European market, including minimum recycled-content targets for plastic packaging from 1 January 2030.
National legislation is also accelerating the transition towards packaging formats with higher recyclable fibre content. In Spain, for example, a conventional detergent carton containing metal rivets, a plastic handle and a dosing cup can reach approximately 79.8% fibre content. While this sits above the current minimum carton threshold of 75%, it would fall below the expected 90% threshold by 2030.
With 95.4% fibre-based content, EcoBox has been designed to go beyond these targets. Its simplified material composition can also result in significantly lower EPR costs compared with a traditional detergent box.

A scalable solution for detergent brands

Innovation must be commercially practical if it is to create meaningful change.
EcoBox can be produced on existing packaging lines with minimal upfront investment, helping brands transition towards more recyclable detergent packaging without requiring a complete transformation of their production infrastructure.
For MM Packaging, this scalability is central to the solution. EcoBox is not simply a concept or a future-facing prototype. It is designed to give detergent brands a realistic path towards packaging that meets consumer, regulatory and commercial expectations.

Packaging progress into every box

EcoBox demonstrates what is possible when the entire packaging format is reconsidered, rather than individual components being replaced in isolation.
By bringing together a strong integrated handle, a fibre-based dosing spoon, a convenient reclose function and more than 95% fibre-based content, MM Packaging has created a solution that supports recyclability while maintaining the performance consumers and brands expect.