Swedish innovation company Blue Ocean Closures (BOC) has reached a new industrial milestone: its latest generation of fiber-based screw caps can now be produced at equal or lower material cost than fossil-based plastic, while also cutting energy consumption in production by up to 90 percent.
This breakthrough firmly establishes BOC as both a technology and cost leader in fiber forming — and as the world’s only company already offering commercially available fiber screw caps.
The development opens up an entirely new landscape for the packaging industry, particularly in liquid cartons and other high-volume segments, where billions of plastic caps are still used each year. By replacing these with renewable fiber components, the industry gains a direct path toward circular, cost-efficient solutions — without compromising on functionality or design.
– This is the moment when sustainability surpasses plastic — in both cost and performance, says Lars Sandberg, CEO of Blue Ocean Closures. We’re leading the way — not as a concept, but with products already on the market. The potential in liquid cartons and other large-scale packaging segments is enormous.
BOC’s proprietary forming technology enables high-volume production of three-dimensional fiber components directly from new or recycled paperboard. The process achieves cycle times under two seconds and requires only one-tenth of the energy used in plastic injection molding. The result is precise, strong, and fully recyclable products that integrate seamlessly into existing paper and board recycling systems.
Beyond sustainability and cost efficiency, fiber-based screw caps also open up new branding opportunities. Their natural surface, design flexibility, and potential for customization deliver strong shelf impact and high consumer appeal, allowing brands to combine environmental benefits with differentiation and design expression.
Today, BOC collaborates with several pioneering companies and international brands — including Great Earth and The Absolut Group — and is based in Karlstad, in the heart of Sweden’s forest technology region. The company has been recognized multiple times, earning a place on Ny Teknik’s prestigious 33 List of Sweden’s most promising tech companies (2023 and 2024) — a testament to both its rapid innovation and its potential to enable a plastic-free future.
– We’re proving that sustainability doesn’t have to cost more, Sandberg adds. Our technology shows that fiber can be cheaper than plastic — while creating value for brands, consumers, and the climate.
