Unilever is one of the most forward-thinking brands when it comes to sustainability, so Weener Plastics was excited to be lead development partner in the development and engineering of Unilever's Cif ecorefill. As innovation partner, Weener Plastics supports Unilever to reach their sustainable development goals.

Cif has been a trusted household name for many years. When the brand was launched in 1969, it revolutionized home cleaning. That hasn't changed. Last year Unilever launched a new at-home technology that allows consumers to refill existing Cif spray bottles; a highly sustainable, mess-free solution. There's no need to throw away used Cif bottles, which can now be reused.

Weener Plastics provided the technical development and engineering of the injection molded Cif ecorefill components. This includes the puncture mechanism, which seamlessly releases the liquid into the bottle. This twist-and-click refill system simply attaches to existing Cif Power & Shine bottles, which can be refilled with water at home. Key requirements for the development were product functionality and user convenience. Criteria on which Weener Plastics delivered included an audible click upon opening, a pleasant activation force and a mess-free user experience. The Child Resistant feature offers enhanced safety. The Cif ecorefill has been ISTA6-Amazon tested and approved, ensuring that the packaging is fully suitable for e-commerce.

Advanced sustainability

This revolutionary product is sustainable in many ways. It is lightweight, made with 75% less plastic, and 100% recyclable once the plastic sleeve is removed. The ecorefill contains a 10x concentrated formula that offers Cif's familiar superior cleaning power. Diluting the product at home requires 97% less water to be transported, fewer trucks on the road and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. What's more, Unilever's ambition is for all Cif ecorefills and spray bottles to be made from 100% recycled plastic by the end of 2020. As an innovation partner, Weener Plastics is supporting Unilever's ambitious commitment of ensuring all their plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

12 Mar 2020