We dream of sandcastles instead of rubbish heaps. We dream of birds soaring in the sky instead of plastic bags blown by the wind. We want to celebrate every step towards a more ecological lifestyle in today’s modern world. 30,000 tonnes of plastic netting are used every year in Europe and we wanted to give this netting a run for its money – if not replace it completely! This was the beginning of our Packnatur® Cellulose Tube Netting made from a beechwood-based material. Shortly after Helmut Meininger founded VPZ as a food packaging company in Graz, Austria, in 1982, he and his daughter Susanne Meininger turned the focus of product development towards the environment. They weren’t driven by profitability, but rather a strong belief that they could do things differently – and better. For mankind and the environment. The fruits of their creative labours, as well as their desire to play an active role in shaping the future, came in the form of innovative biogenic packaging concepts. The breakthrough came after 25 years of research. Compostable net packaging, better known today as the Packnatur® Cellulose Tube Netting, was the product that finally turned their convictions into reality – an ingenious packaging solution that left its forerunners standing and was incapable of harming the environment. Meanwhile, Packnatur® Tube Netting is used in all leading European supermarket chains for potatoes, onions, citrus fruits, etc. and is currently taking over the international market, including the USA, South Africa and New Zealand. For the Swiss Coop we developed a reusable, cellulose-based bag for loose fruit and vegetables, which was launched under the name of ‘Multi-bag’ in their stores in November 2017. 2019 was the year in which we took another step into the future. The new Packnatur® Entwicklungs- und Produktions GmbH company was founded with headquarters in Neudau, Styria. With a past steeped in the textile industry, Neudau’s history is now being continued here with our beechwood-based Packnatur® net packaging. Besides creating new jobs, we have also opened up new prospects for the local textile industry. The four stages of expansion, involving more machines and additional production halls, were co-financed with funds from the European Regional Development Fund. More information can be found at www.efre.gv.at. On 01.07.2024, VPZ Verpackungszentrum GmbH and Packnatur Entwicklungs- und Produktions GmbH were merged to form Packnatur GmbH. AWARDS : 2024 Packnatur® Partner Jac.Vandenberg wins PAC Global Award in the category “Sustainable Packaging Design/Circularity” 2023 Packnatur® Partner Jac.Vandenberg wins US Plastics Pact Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award with wooden nets 2023 Austria’s Leading Companies, 13th in Styria (Austria) 2022 Honorary Primus Business Award by Kleine Zeitung 2022 Susanne Meininger is “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” 2022 Innovation Award Styria for Packnatur Neudau 2021 ranked as „World´s 18th Best Designer in 2021, category Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design“ at the international A´ Design Award 2019 Sustainable Food Awards / Sustainable Packaging category / Runner-Up 2019 Rushlight Awards Commended 2018/19 2018 Austrian State Prize for Smart Packaging in the B2C category 2018 Worldstar Packaging Award for the Packnatur® Cellulose Tube Netting and Organic Wineglass Labels in the Food Packaing category, Sustainable Award (Silver), Presidential Award (Bronze), Lifetime Achievement Award for company founder Helmut Meininger 2018 Energy Globe Styria Award in the Global category 2017 Green Packaging Star Award 2017 European CEO Entrepreneur of the Year Award / Western Europe / Packaging Industry 2016 National Champion at the European Business Awards 2016/17 2016 Green Product Award 2016 6th place in the world ranking of all A´ Design Award entrants from the last 8 years in the Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design category 2015 Among the top 3 in the International Green Tec Awards in the Manufacturing category 2014 Green Packaging Star Award 2014 International A´ Design Award (Silver) in the Sustainable Products and Projects category / Green Design Award 2013 Ögut Environmental Award 2013 International Materialica Design + Technology Award in the CO2 Efficiency category 2013 Fast Forward Award (a business and innovation award from the Austrian state of Styria) 2013 Fibre Plus (award from the Austrian paper industry for innovations using cellulose) 2013 Energy Globe Award Styria 2012 Commendation for the cellulose tube netting as an ‘Exemplary packaging solution’ at the Austrian State Prize for Packaging 2012 Daphne Environmental Technology Award (Bronze) for the Cellulose Tube Netting