Kneipp chooses Sonoco GreenCan for limited-edition bath crystals
The collaboration demonstrates that moisture exposure can be managed through container architecture and material selection without reverting to plastic, as long as the barrier strategy is designed alongside the format.
GERMANY – Kneipp has adopted Sonoco’s GreenCan packaging for its limited-edition Lieblingsmensch bath crystals, replacing conventional plastic with a paper-based container engineered to withstand humid bathroom conditions.
Bath salts absorb atmospheric moisture readily, causing crystals to clump and fragrance compounds to degrade.
Packing such products outside plastic has historically been considered impractical for this reason.
Sonoco’s solution combines a paper body, paper end and paper plug-in lid within the GreenCan architecture, allowing the format to maintain product integrity while cutting reliance on fossil fuel-based material.
Francesco Giannolo, vice president and general manager of Sonoco Consumer Packaging for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said developing a highly paper-based solution capable of protecting bath salts and their complex composition in humid bathroom environments was among the biggest technical challenges.
He added that the result significantly reduced fossil fuel-based material use, noting Kneipp was helping redefine packaging norms in categories traditionally dominated by plastic.
Gift Aesthetics Retained Through Paper Finish
Beyond material substitution, the can preserves the premium visuals expected in wellness gifting.
A paper touch finish combines with colourful graphics and gift-oriented presentation, supporting the emotional positioning of Lieblingsmensch, which translates to favourite person.
Shelf presence and tactile quality carry commercial weight in gift-driven wellness segments, where packaging appearance influences purchasing decisions alongside formulation and fragrance.
Format Extends Beyond Food and Beverage
Sonoco’s GreenCan has appeared in a string of food and beverage collaborations over the past year, and this application moves the format into personal care and wellness.
That shift matters for converters and brand owners watching whether paper-based containers can satisfy barrier requirements in moisture-exposed categories, since bathroom storage represents harsher conditions than many dry goods applications.
Leadership Frames Sustainability and Premium Appeal
Jessica Raich, packaging engineer at Kneipp, said that with the limited edition, the company wanted to demonstrate that sustainability, innovation and premium wellness could operate together.
The collaboration illustrates how container architecture and material selection can address moisture exposure without reverting to plastic, provided the barrier strategy is designed alongside the format rather than added afterwards.
For Sonoco, the launch broadens its GreenCan customer base into a new segment, strengthening the case for paper-based packaging across categories where plastic has held a long-standing technical advantage.
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