French Lactips and US SmartSolve unveiled PureNil™ 0 — the world's first 100% plastic-free, water-soluble packaging for the beauty sector.
French company Lactips and US-based SmartSolve Industries have announced a global strategic partnership, cementing their joint development of innovative packaging for the beauty sector. The core of the collaboration is PureNil™ 0 — billed as the world's first 100% plastic-free, dispersible, printable flexible packaging substrate.
The official announcement came on September 18, 2026 in Paris at a joint media event. The partners stressed this is the future of single-use packaging: the new material dissolves quickly in water and leaves no microplastic residues.
"Lactips gave us the one thing this industry has been missing: a truly plastic-free, water-soluble material that performs at commercial scale. What started as an R&D collaboration is now a long-term strategic partnership," said Jonathan Jakubowski, CEO & Co-Founder of SmartSolve.
The technology combines SmartSolve's functionalized bio-based paper PureNil™ 0 with Lactips' patented natural protein-based resin. The result is a flexible, printable material that fully disperses in water after use, eliminating the need for mechanical recycling of contaminated material.
Key project facts:
- The material is approved for direct food contact and has already reached commercial scale.
- Customers span beauty and personal care, beverage and FMCG brands.
- The product avoids the EU PPWR plastic tax thanks to its natural origin.
- The companies have worked together since 2024, advancing from early-stage development to commercial production in under two years.
Earlier, on June 17-18, ready commercial samples were already shown at Edition Spéciale by Luxe Pack in Paris. Lactips believes the luxury segment is most interested in circularity and is actively seeking innovation.
The solution targets dry personal care formats — powder soap, solid detergents and bath products — since the water-soluble material is not compatible with wet formulations.
"Signing this exclusive agreement with SmartSolve marks a significant milestone in Lactips' global expansion. Together we accelerate the shift toward zero-waste natural packaging solutions," said Alexis von Tschammer, CEO of Lactips.
Plans extend well beyond beauty: water-soluble labels and injection-moulded parts for agriculture and outdoor sports are in development. The joint innovation roadmap covers future generations of plastic-free biomaterials.
Lactips, founded in 2014 on research at the University of Saint-Étienne, moved to industrial production in 2022 and now employs 40 people. SmartSolve, headquartered in Bowling Green, Ohio, specializes in water-soluble paper, labels and pouches and holds a patent covering the paper and sealant as fully natural components.
Source: SmartSolve (press release)
