Eco-friendly banana box shows strength in real shipping conditions

EUROPE – A new lightweight banana box developed through collaboration between packaging experts and international fruit exporters has passed a real-world export test, showing that less material can still mean strong protection for fresh produce.

The project started when Mondi Containerboard’s technical team began looking into how the standard banana box could be made lighter and more resource-efficient without losing its durability.

The team worked with Europcell, Ecuadorian exporter Incarpalm, and a European importer to refine the design through several months of testing.

Banana boxes are central to international fruit trade. They must endure long journeys and humid conditions that can weaken packaging.

The project team tested different paper combinations, simulating pressure, moisture, and long transit times to find the best balance of strength and reduced weight.

The final design combines two paper grades: ProVantage SmartKraft Brown, a strong containerboard, and ProVantage Frescoflute, a semi-chemical fluting that improves stiffness in lighter materials.

This composition uses around 40 percent recycled fibre and is up to 10 percent lighter than traditional boxes. The reduced weight means lower transport emissions while still protecting the fruit during shipment.

Tested under real shipping conditions

A full-scale trial took place in Ecuador in mid-2024. Bananas were packed into the new boxes and shipped to Europe in two containers equipped with humidity and temperature sensors.

During the 33-day journey, humidity levels reached 96 to 100 percent, offering a real test of the box’s strength under export conditions.

According to Jorge Romero, Operations Manager at Incarpalm, the results were positive. “The reliability of the box is everything. Seeing the new box composition perform under the toughest conditions proves that innovation and practicality can go hand in hand,” he said.

The successful trial has already drawn interest from exporters and retailers seeking reliable, sustainable packaging. New European Union regulations set to take effect in 2026 will ban the use of plastic liners inside banana boxes.

This change is expected to increase demand for fibre-based alternatives that can handle long-distance transport while remaining environmentally responsible.

Gijs Huisman, Sales Director at Mondi Containerboard, said the project showed how cooperation can improve packaging design. “It’s about listening, co-creating, and delivering something that works for the entire value chain,” he said.

The partners plan to continue improving the design and assessing how it can be applied to other fruit exports.

With global supply chains under pressure to cut waste and emissions, the lightweight banana box could become a model for the next generation of sustainable packaging in the produce industry.

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