Using renewable polymers from Borealis, Tapì Group has created more sustainable synthetic closures without needing to change its production process or compromise on look, feel, or performance.
Tapì Group designs and manufactures premium and super premium closures for the global beverage, food, and beauty markets.
This includes synthetic caps made from foamed polymers—an increasingly popular choice, especially among producers who want to avoid the inconsistencies and supply challenges of natural cork.
This is particularly relevant in the white spirits segment, and interest is growing in brown spirits as well. These closures offer dependable performance and aesthetic appeal. As beverage producers increasingly look for packaging solutions that combine high performance with lower environmental impact, Tapì Group began exploring ways to make its synthetic closures more sustainable.
The aim was to offer a closure solution with a lower carbon footprint, without compromising on appearance, functionality, or quality.
Tapì Group needed to find a material that met strict requirements for food contact and offered comparable taste and odor neutrality, softness, and processability to fossil-based polymers—but with a lower carbon footprint.
These requirements couldn’t be met using mechanically recycled polymers, as they are not typically suitable for food contact applications, and don’t offer the softness needed for synthetic closures. Tapì Group therefore needed an alternative: a material that would reduce the environmental footprint of its closures while maintaining performance and integrating easily into existing production processes.
Tapì Group partnered with Borealis to explore material options which could help them reach the new targets.
The answer was found in the Bornewables™ portfolio: a range of bio-based polyolefins made using bio-based feedstocks such as used cooking oil.
These materials are certified ISCC PLUS using a mass balance chain of custody model and are chemically identical to their fossil-based equivalents—meaning they deliver exactly the same performance, but with a lower carbon footprint.
Tapì Group chose to use the Bornewables versions of Borealis EVA resins and Queo™ plastomers. Queo is Borealis’ range of high-performance plastomers and elastomers that combine the physical properties of rubber with the processing advantages of a thermoplastic material.
Because both materials behave like their fossil-based counterparts, they can be used as drop-in alternatives with no need for costly and time-consuming adjustments or re-qualifications, and no impact on the properties or safety of the final product.
“We wanted to offer our customers a closure option that supports their sustainability goals without compromising on quality or aesthetics. Borealis’ Bornewables™ portfolio gave us exactly that—a certified renewable solution that works with our existing processing setup and delivers the outstanding performance needed for premium spirit closures.”
Domenico Liberati , Tapì Group Chief Product Development Officer
The new closures—currently at pre-commercial stage—offer the same look, feel, and performance as established synthetic closures, with the added benefit of a significantly lower carbon footprint. They are also fully recyclable.
For spirit producers looking to develop more sustainable packaging, this solution offers a practical and competitive path forward—without compromising aesthetics, quality, or consumer experience.
“We’re proud that Tapì Group selected the Bornewables™ portfolio to help reduce the carbon footprint of its polymer-based corks. It’s a great example of how we’re putting our We4Customers strategy into practice—working closely with customers and value chain partners to deliver sustainable solutions that don’t require trade-offs.”
Paulo Cavacas, Borealis Head of Marketing Advanced Products
Don’t miss out! Join us at Hall 6, Stand A43 to experience how we are enabling a more circular, sustainable, and high-performing plastics future. From seeing the materials in action to enjoying a conversation over coffee - this is where innovation meets real-world application. Let’s shape what’s next - together. See you in Düsseldorf and book a meeting here!
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