To the untrained eye, the cardboard "cluster-pack" that is wrapped around beer bottles has been the same for decades.
However the MeadWestvaco Beverage Grade Board, which was developed by MeadWestvaco and Amcor Cartonboard, is made chiefly of recycled paper.
And the high wet-strength paperboard with a unique non-tear design has just received the Packaging Council of Australia's gold award for sustainability.
"The biggest thing was that we moved from a board that was made chiefly of virgin pulp, with 5 or 10 per cent recycled content, to a board that was made up of 75 per cent recycled content," Mr Papasotiriou, MeadWestvaco's packaging designer, said.
"That was a huge achievement in our market."
Traditionally, packaging designers have steered away from recycled cardboard because it was not considered strong enough to hold heavy items, such as beer bottles; if the recycled cardboard got damp, the board fell apart, leaving consumers with a soggy pack of little use.
Until recently there had been little pressure to change the status quo, Mr Papasotiriou said. But beer drinkers were becoming increasingly environmentally aware and wanted products that reflected their values.
"Besides, the brewers were pushing us because they were getting a lot of pressure from the National Packaging Covenant to reduce waste," Mr Papasotiriou said. The National Packaging Covenant was introduced in 1999 and aims to minimise the environmental impact of packaging and promote recycling.
Mr Papasotiriou and his team used additives to strengthen the recycled board and modified the design to reduce tearing.
Then, after six months of trials, the MeadWestvaco Beverage Grade Board made its first appearance around Lion Nathan beers, such as Tooheys, and for Coopers Brewery. Foster's has since introduced the board, which has a similar cost to non-recycled board.
Mr Papasotiriou estimates there will be about 15,000 tonnes of the Australian-made board produced this year. But he continues to work on new applications for the product, such as 30-can packs and eight-can boxes.
In its assessment for Thursday night's packaging awards, the PCA found the new design provided a benchmark.
"The combination of a new material and packaging re-engineering has delivered a stronger and 'greener' pack," the results summary said.
