October 17, 2025 14:23
Paper-based disposable plates and cups no longer need a plastic lining. Instead, a silica-based coating now seals the cellulose's porosity, creating a liquid barrier without altering the material’s nature—making it fully recyclable and compostable, even in home composting settings.
The solution, previously trialed by Starbucks (see article), has now been adopted by Italian packaging manufacturer FLO Group for its new Alpha line of disposable tableware, targeting the HoReCa sector and large-scale retail in Italy and across Europe.
The innovative coating was developed by Qwarzo, an Italian company with which FLO signed a multi-year partnership, the result of four years spent jointly optimizing and testing this mineral barrier. Invisible, odorless, and tasteless, the Qwarzo coating is applied to paper cups, plates, and cutlery in the Alpha range, forming a barrier against water, grease, oxygen, and heat.
“We’ve been working with Qwarzo for several years,” said Daniele Simonazzi, CEO of FLO Group. “And we’re proud to have created a product line that is unprecedented in the food packaging sector.” He added, “We have always applied a material-neutral approach, because experience shows that there is no one-size-fits-all material—each product needs the most suitable solution. Being able to offer the national and European markets paper-based tableware functionalised with Qwarzo is a real step forward, especially considering that many so-called ‘paper’ products still contain plastic films that limit recyclability. Alpha is plastic-free and the result of a successful synergy between two Italian innovators.”
The new Alpha range is manufactured at two of FLO’s Italian plants, in Fontanellato and Verona, the latter operated by its subsidiary ISAP Packaging. Prior to its commercial launch, the Alpha line was tested in vending channels across Italy and Europe.
“Our alliance with a leading group like FLO,” commented Luca Panzeri, founder and CTO of Qwarzo, “fits perfectly into our growth path, which has already seen significant milestones. It confirms that our technology is a valid alternative to plastic, fully aligned with the SUP Directive and scalable at industrial level. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far together with FLO—it’s a true Italian success story spanning Brescia, Parma, and Verona, and it continues with a shared goal.”
Founded in 1973 by Antonio Simonazzi, FLO is a multinational group headquartered in Fontanellato (Parma) and specialising in single-use packaging. It operates five plants across Europe and employs nearly 750 people. The company manufactures packaging in a variety of materials—from traditional plastics to bioplastics and paper-based alternatives—through its companies ISAP Packaging (Italy), F Bender (UK), and FLO Europe (France). In 2024, FLO reported revenues of €190 million and invested €30 million over the past five years in efficiency, R&D, and sustainable innovation.
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