Borouge International and Amylum develop a monomaterial noodle bowl that can take the heat

Instant noodles are all about convenience: add boiling water, heat, and eat straight from the bowl. But behind the simplicity sits packaging that has been carefully designed to make the process easy and safe. Increasingly, this packaging is also expected to be more sustainable and fully recyclable.

Photo: A hot, tasty, convenient meal, made possible by packaging designed to withstand heat. © Jungwoo Technics Inc.

Borouge International worked with Amylum Systems Korea Inc. to develop a new insulated polypropylene (PP) foam bowl for this demanding application. The solution needed to meet strict performance requirements and support compliance with stringent Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

Moving toward mono-material packaging

Traditionally, instant noodle bowls have been made from plastic-coated paper or polystyrene, both of which are hard to recycle. South Korea’s EPR framework places strong emphasis on packaging recyclability, establishing a grading system that favors materials that can be easily sorted and recycled. Amylum therefore set out to develop a monomaterial, lightweight packaging solution for instant noodle applications. Monomaterial designs maximize recyclability by avoiding the separation challenges associated with multi-material structures. This means they achieve a higher recyclability classification within the South Korean EPR framework, and also align with global sustainability targets and circular economy principles.

A bowl that can handle the heat

The project presented several technical challenges. The container needed to withstand boiling water and microwave heating without losing its shape or generating odors. In addition, it had to provide enough insulation for the bowl to remain comfortable to hold while eating.

Photo: An insulated monomaterial PP foam bowl that combines convenience, safety, and recyclability in one solution. © Amylum Systems Korea Inc

The solution also needed to work reliably in production. The foam sheet used to produce the bowls needed a stable structure and uniform thickness so it could be thermoformed consistently, and it needed to run smoothly on existing thermoforming equipment. Ensuring stable, efficient processing is essential for delivering a scalable and sustainable packaging solution.

A noodle bowl designed with recyclability in mind

Amylum worked with Borouge International to tackle this challenge. Together, we selected Daploy™ WB140HMS, a High-Melt-Strength (HMS) PP designed for foaming applications. Its properties allow the formation of a controlled microcellular foam structure, enabling the production of an advanced fine-cell PP foam sheet that meets all of the requirements of microwave-heated noodle bowls.

Photo: A bowl designed for convenience, so consumers can safely prepare and enjoy their noodles, then easily recycle the packaging. © Jungwoo Technics Inc.

The solution offers several performance advantages:

• Low thermal conductivity, ensuring effective insulation
• High heat resistance and dimensional stability during microwave use
• Reduced material use through the lightweight foam structure
• Reliable processing on conventional thermoforming lines
• Full recyclability as a monomaterial PP structure

Supporting customers in designing packaging for recycling

The new bowl provides food container manufacturers with a practical way to introduce monomaterial solutions, helping them reduce compliance costs under South Korea’s EPR framework.

“Packaging applications like microwave noodle bowls place demanding requirements on materials,” says Peter Voortmans, Borealis Polymers N.V. Vice President Marketing Consumer Products. “Guided by our We4Customers strategy, we work closely with partners across the value chain to understand their needs and develop material solutions that support performance in use and enable design for recycling.”

“Our goal was to develop a monomaterial solution that could meet the demanding performance requirements of microwavable noodle bowls while improving recyclability,” says Andrew Kim, Amylum Systems Korea Inc. Chief Executive Officer. “By working closely with Borouge International, we were able to identify the right material and successfully bring this solution to market.”