Award-winning design for the circular economy: Steinbeis Papier wins the German Federal Ecodesign Award 2025

Great success for Steinbeis Papier: the "Closed Loop Recycling Labels" project has won the Federal Ecodesign Award 2025 in the "Product" category. This is a great honour, as the prize is awarded by the highest authorities for the environment and design in Germany - the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV), the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the International Design Centre Berlin (IDZ). The submission was selected by the interdisciplinary jury from around 150 projects admitted to the jury meeting. For the company, this prestigious award is a wonderful confirmation of the way in which it consistently thinks sustainability and innovation through to the end.

What is the "Recycling labels in a closed loop" all about?

Wet and alkali-resistant labels, such as those found on drinks bottles or food jars, previously presented paper recycling with an impossible task. Due to their special properties, which make them resistant to water and alkalis, they could not be dissolved in conventional processes. Their life cycle therefore usually ended in thermal utilisation - they were incinerated. This is precisely where Steinbeis Papier's award-winning project comes in, presenting a double innovation: in parallel to the development of a new wet and alkali-resistant label paper made from 100% waste paper (Steinbeis Label Wet), a completely new processing technology was realised. This innovative pulping line makes it possible for the first time on an industrial scale to recycle used wet-strength labels and other types of paper that are difficult to pulp (such as to-go cups or banknotes) for graphic paper. Instead of being incinerated, they become a valuable raw material for new recycled labels. This creates a genuine closed loop that conserves resources and avoids waste.

The ecological added value of this innovation is enormous. According to calculations by the renowned ifeu Institute (Heidelberg), the use of Steinbeis recycled paper saves an impressive amount of resources compared to virgin fibre paper: 100% wood, 79% water and 73% energy. The closed cycle is therefore not only a technical masterpiece, but also an effective contribution to climate and resource protection.

More than just a product: a commitment to eco-design

For Steinbeis Papier, the award is more than just recognition for a single product. It is a confirmation of the corporate philosophy that the company has lived by for decades. But what exactly is behind the term ecodesign, which gives the award its name?
Ecodesign is a systematic and comprehensive design approach. It considers the entire life cycle of a product - from the extraction of raw materials, through production and use, to disposal and recycling. Not only ecological, but also technical, economic and social aspects are considered from the outset. The aim is to act with foresight and minimise negative effects on the environment before they even arise.

Steinbeis Papier has always followed this principle with its recycled papers made from 100% waste paper. The closed-loop recycling label project is the next logical step: it not only delivers a more sustainable product, but also closes the loop by providing a technology that makes it possible to recover the raw material for new labels from old, previously non-recyclable labels. This is the essence of a true closed-loop solution.