Global Top Intelligent Tube Packaging Manufacturer

The "100% Eco" Myth: Why Sugarcane Tube Bodies Are Green, But Caps Are Often Only 50%

The physics of PE vs. PP: Why we can't just "print" a 100% plant-based cap yet.

2026-01-10

The "100%" Expectation

It’s the dream of every sustainable beauty brand: A cosmetic tube that is 100% plant-based, 0% fossil fuel, and fully recyclable.

You come to us and say: "I want a 100% Sugarcane Tube." We say: "No problem for the tube body. But for the cap... it's complicated."

Often, you will see specifications listing the tube body as 100% Bioplastic (Green PE), but the cap is listed as Standard PP or only 30%-50% Bio-based. Why the discrepancy?

1. The Body: Why 100% Green PE is Easy

The soft, squeezable body of a tube is made from Polyethylene (PE). Luckily, the ethanol extracted from sugarcane can be chemically converted into ethylene, which then becomes Polyethylene.

This "Green PE" (from Braskem) is chemically identical to fossil-based PE. It has the same flexibility, bounce-back, and printing surface.

Thinking of switching? You can browse our full range of [Sugarcane Tubes & Eco-Packaging] to see the different sizes available. It is a perfect 1:1 replacement for standard tubes.

2. The Cap: The "Hardness" Problem (PE vs. PP)

The cap is different. It cannot be soft. It needs to be rigid. It needs tough threads that won't strip when you tighten them.

To achieve this, caps are almost always made of Polypropylene (PP). While Green PE is mature, Green PP (Bio-PP) is much newer and scarcer. Producing rigid PP from sugarcane is chemically more complex, which creates a supply chain gap for 100% renewable caps.

The 100% Eco Myth: Why Sugarcane Tube Bodies Are Green, But Caps Are Often Only 50% 1

3. Why Only 50%? (The Blending Reality)

If we use 100% Green PE to make a cap, it will be too soft. The threads will deform, and the flip-top hinge will feel "gummy."

To fix this, manufacturers use a Blend. We mix bio-based material with traditional fossil-based PP to add strength. Currently, pushing that bio-content past 50% often compromises the structural integrity of the cap.

4. The Solution: How to get closer to 100%?

If your brand strictness demands a higher eco-percentage, there is one workaround: Switch to a Mono-Material Tube (All PE).

Instead of a traditional PP cap, we can manufacture a cap using HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) derived from sugarcane.

Pros: The entire package (Body + Cap) is 100% Sugarcane.
Cons: HDPE caps are more matte/waxy and less "sharp" than PP caps.

SampoX Verdict

Don't feel cheated if the cap isn't 100% sugarcane. It’s an engineering limitation, not a cost-cutting trick.

Tube Body: Go 100% Green PE.
The Cap: Accept a standard PP cap for performance, or ask us about HDPE Caps if you want a fully mono-material story.