In four years of operation, Cazoolo, Braskem's circular packaging design lab, has reduced the packaging development cycle from four years to two years in the projects it has conducted, considering the period between the initial briefing and product launch on store shelves. In the early stages, challenges that previously took between 12 and 18 months to move from concept definition to prototyping are now structured in approximately two weeks, with prototypes completed in about 45 days.

This result stems from a model that brings together design, engineering, marketing, manufacturing, converters, and brand professionals from the very beginning of each project. By combining different areas of expertise throughout the development journey, the laboratory aims to reduce rework, anticipate technical decisions, and shorten the path between a market need and an implementable solution.

"The main transformation brought by Cazoolo has been the clear and objective acceleration of circular packaging concept development. Instead of each link in the value chain working independently, we bring together the necessary expertise to understand the use challenge, define the best path forward, and turn an idea into something tangible," says Pier Pesce, Head of Cazoolo and Circular Economy Business Development Leader at Braskem.

Since its inauguration, Cazoolo has established itself as a collaborative innovation platform that integrates different stakeholders across the value chain to accelerate the development of circular packaging solutions. To date, it has connected more than 1,100 companies through innovation and training initiatives and has participated in the development of more than 70 solutions. Its activities support both large companies seeking complementary expertise in materials and prototyping, and smaller businesses that require assistance in evaluating technical alternatives and connecting with suppliers across the value chain.

One example is a project developed in partnership with Danone, Graham Packaging, and Amazu. During a five-day sprint, the objective was to redesign dairy beverage packaging with a focus on circular economy principles through biomimicry, a discipline inspired by solutions found in nature. The team developed an innovative packaging model featuring a hexagonal texture pattern inspired by honeycomb structures. This design increased the packaging's structural efficiency and enabled an 8% weight reduction while maintaining the performance requirements established for the project.

"This result demonstrates that design is a strategic tool for making packaging more circular by balancing efficiency and consumer experience," Pesce emphasizes.

Through the Circular Design Sprint, a Cazoolo program, companies can combine Design for Environment (DfE) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies. These tools help compare alternatives during the design phase by considering factors such as material usage, performance, logistics, user experience, and circularity opportunities.

When there is technical and commercial alignment, projects may also incorporate other solutions from Braskem's portfolio, including recycled-content resins and chemicals, biocircular solutions from the Wenew portfolio, and I'm greenT bio-based polyethylene. Each alternative is assessed according to the desired attribute, which may involve the use of post-consumer recycled content, helping give recovered waste a new purpose, or renewable feedstocks that contribute to reducing the material's carbon footprint.

Over the coming years, Cazoolo plans to expand its ability to support the value chain through testing and validation activities. Among the initiatives under evaluation is the evolution from low-fidelity prototyping, focused on visual and tactile validation, to high-fidelity models produced with materials and processes that more closely resemble the final packaging. The laboratory also aims to strengthen its role as a packaging recyclability assessment center.

"The market is increasingly demanding proof of recyclability and performance. Our next challenge is to preserve the agility we have built while expanding our ability to test solutions under conditions that closely resemble real production environments. In this way, Braskem continues moving forward alongside its customers and partners, helping drive the development of the entire value chain," concludes Pesce.