GreenDot and Duo Plast AG have received the German Packaging Award 2026 in the "Logistics and Material Flow" category for their jointly developed stretch film DUO EARTH YELLOW BACK. The film is presented as a step forward in the use of post-consumer recyclates (PCR) in technically demanding packaging applications. According to the companies, for the first time a stretch film contains up to 10 percent GreenDot PCR derived from household packaging waste collected via the Yellow Bag/Yellow Bin system. With a total PCR content of 35 percent, the film combines the performance required in logistics applications with a contribution to the circular economy.
Stretch films are used to secure pallets and loads during transportation and storage. They must meet high requirements in terms of stretchability, recovery force and load stability. Until now, the use of recyclates from household waste collection systems in this type of application was considered difficult to achieve. With DUO EARTH YELLOW BACK, the companies state that it has been possible to incorporate high-quality recyclate from household packaging waste into a stretch film while maintaining the performance and processing characteristics required in logistics.
Collaboration across recycling and film production
The development of DUO EARTH YELLOW BACK is the result of cooperation between GreenDot and Duo Plast, combining expertise in waste sorting, recycling, recyclate production and high-performance stretch film manufacturing.
"DUO EARTH YELLOW BACK shows how circular economy solutions can be brought to market through close cooperation across the value chain. GreenDot's unique position, spanning EPR, sorting, recycling and recyclate production, helps enable innovations such as this one. Our ambition is to provide solutions that are both environmentally and economically attractive, helping to make the circular economy for plastics more competitive and scalable," says Denis Völler, Managing Director of Der Grüne Punkt, the German subsidiary of GreenDot.
The film is designed to deliver the same high level of product performance as conventional stretch films and can be used both as a hand stretch film and as a machine stretch film. It also allows companies to continue using existing packaging processes and machinery without modification. In addition to its functional properties, the stretch film is intended to help reduce carbon emissions. According to the source information, every kilogram of recycled material used to replace virgin plastic has been shown to reduce the product carbon footprint and conserve primary energy resources.
Preparation for recycled content requirements
The solution is also positioned as a way for companies to prepare at an early stage for the requirements of the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will introduce mandatory minimum recycled content targets for plastic packaging. It can also provide economic benefits for brand owners and producers by supporting eligibility for eco-modulation schemes in countries where such mechanisms already exist or are being introduced, including Germany.
"This award confirms that innovation and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. Together with GreenDot, we have succeeded in developing a stretch film that meets the highest standards in logistics and enables the use of recycled material from the yellow bag. It is also a powerful example of what is possible when partners pool their expertise and work together to develop sustainable packaging solutions that set new standards," says Tobias Helm, Head of Sales at Duo Plast AG.
With the German Packaging Award, the jury recognizes an innovation that combines technical performance with a tangible contribution to the circular economy. DUO EARTH YELLOW BACK demonstrates that recyclates from household packaging waste can also be used in demanding packaging applications and represents a step towards a more sustainable packaging future.
The award ceremony will take place on November 19, 2026, in Berlin, Germany.