The science of tubes: UFlex blends science, sustainability and shelf appeal

For the modern beauty brand, the packaging tube is the first line of communication, a silent salesman that must juggle the often-conflicting demands of luxury and eco-consciousness. At Cosmoprof India, this delicate equilibrium is the focal point for Subrata Bose, senior vice president–tubes, flexible packaging business, UFlex.

Bose suggests that the modern tube is no longer just a vessel but a canvas. In the beauty sector, the focus is on blending protective features with desire. This has led to the deployment of reverse rotogravure printing technology, specifically their DecoSeam capability, which allows for 360-degree printing. By printing in reverse, the artwork is buried beneath a layer of polymer, ensuring that visuals retain their luster and are immune to fading. For new market entrants, this fidelity is a survival mechanism. Bose points out that, unlike giants with massive media budgets, emerging brands rely on the tube to be their primary advertisement. The "true-to-life" picture quality acts as a shelf-side commercial, allowing the product to stand out purely on visual merit.

This visual evolution is matched by a structural shift. Bose notes a distinct migration from traditional round tubes to oval formats, a trend championed by industry giants like L'Oreal and Unilever. The oval geometry offers a wider frontal face, effectively increasing the billboard area for the brand on a crowded retail shelf. UFlex has responded by standardising oval packaging as an off-the-shelf stock item, democratising this premium format for brands that may not have the colossal advertising budgets of the market leaders.

However, the glossy exterior must conceal a sustainable heart. UFlex has developed a specific vocabulary for this transition, categorising its solutions under Earthika, Greenika, Kraftika, Remika, and more sustainable ranges. Bose provides a nuanced perspective on the "paper tube" trend, clarified under their Kraftika range. He posits that while paper tubes reduce virgin polymer consumption by nearly half, they are fundamentally a reduction strategy rather than a recycling one.

Yet, the company is also looking at the grim reality of waste that slips through the recycling net. For tubes destined for the dump rather than the depot, UFlex has engineered a technological intervention for the landfill scenario. By embedding specific additives into the polymer matrix, the company creates a chemical signal that local microorganisms can recognise. These additives effectively act as a biological trigger, inviting bacteria to colonise and consume the plastic structure, accelerating biodegradation in a landfill environment where conventional polymers would typically remain inert for centuries.

For true recyclability, the company looks toward monomaterial solutions and the integration of post-consumer recyclate (PCR). With government mandates pushing for PCR content to rise from 30% to potentially 50%, UFlex is stripping away the reliance on imports. Bose highlights a strategic investment in a greenfield site in Greater Noida dedicated to manufacturing USFDA-certified, food-grade PCR. Crucially, the facility’s output won’t be limited to the tube body; it will also supply PCR for caps and shoulders, offering customers a one-stop, fully recycled package that solves the complexity of sourcing sustainable components from multiple vendors.

The company is also leveraging its roots in polymer science to solve the barrier challenge. As brands move away from aluminium laminates to improve recyclability, they risk exposing sensitive formulations like hair colours and sunscreens to oxidation. UFlex is engineering barriers using Acylate, Uflex's enzyme-based biodegradable packaging, under its proprietary Flexzyme technology. This innovation provides an aluminium-equivalent barrier for aggressive products without using actual aluminium, preserving the tactile bounce-back flexibility of a plastic tube that consumers prefer.

Even the fight against duplication has been given a cosmetic makeover. The holographic features and Fresnel lenses, originally developed as anti-counterfeit shields for pharma products, are now being deployed as aesthetic enhancers. These light-catching patterns offer a metallic finish that elevates the product’s perceived value while discreetly making it difficult for "me-too" copiers to replicate. Bose asserts that the technical difficulty of replicating UFlex’s holography is backed by an ethical responsibility at the converter level to refuse artworks that blatantly mimic heritage brands.

As the industry gathers at forums like Cosmoprof, Bose observes a broader structural change. The market is witnessing a gradual exodus from rigid jars to flexible tubes, driven by consumer demand for better hygiene and convenience. From the tactile assurance of a monomaterial tube to the visual depth of holographic printing, UFlex is positioning itself not just as a manufacturer, but as a polymer alchemist ready for the next phase of beauty packaging.