NBCo launches Fast Forward 50 to accelerate shift from single use plastic to fibre bottles

NBCo, an innovator in moulded fibre packaging, has launched Fast Forward 50, a progressive initiative designed to help brands take their first step in transitioning away from single use plastic bottles. As part of the company’s commitment to driving real change in packaging, it is offering 50 free fibre bottles to the first 50 brands that sign up, allowing them to test and trial the technology with their own products. 

The initiative removes barriers to adoption by providing brands with a viable, high performance alternative to plastic. With over 600 billion plastic bottles produced annually, NBCo’s regenerative, circular supply system offers a scalable solution to a growing environmental crisis. 

‘Fast Forward 50 is about action,’ said Alvin Lim, founder and CEO of NBCo. ‘We know brands want to move away from plastic, but transitioning supply chains can feel overwhelming. By offering these first 50 bottles for free, we are helping companies take that crucial first step – without risk, without delay.’

NBCo’s fibre bottles are currently made from bamboo and bagasse, rapidly renewable plant materials that offer high durability and strong barrier protection against moisture and oxygen. Samples have been tested and certified recyclable and biodegradable against brand requirements, providing a sustainable alternative to plastic. 

Each participating brand will receive a 200 ml bottle (122 x 60 mm) to test product compatibility. The bottles are suitable for both liquids and powders and are certified food contact safe. 

‘Fifty bottles are all it takes to start real change,’ added Kelvin Lin, vice president of strategic partnerships at NBCo. ‘Brands often hesitate to take the first step, but this initiative allows them to kickstart the preliminary barrier and compatibility tests and see first hand how our bottles could work within their existing product lines and help stakeholders realise the feasibility of an alternative.’

NBCo is inviting brands across beauty, personal care, food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods to sign up. Interested brands can register at info@nbco.world. 

Following testing, NBCo will collaborate with brands to customise and scale production, with a roadmap to market as fast as three months, depending on final design and product requirements. 

‘The plastic crisis is not a waste problem – it is a design problem and a production problem,’ said Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet and PlasticFree. ‘With regenerative, circular solutions like NBCo’s fibre bottles, brands now have a realistic and rapid way to move beyond plastic and into a future where their packaging works in harmony with nature, packaging that literally disappears without harm.’

NBCo believes the shift away from plastic should not be a solely consumer burden but an industry responsibility as well. Fast Forward 50 is part of a larger movement to rethink how packaging is designed, manufactured, and integrated into circular systems. 

‘The longer brands wait to transition away from plastic, the costlier it will be for the environment,’ said Kelvin. ‘We are providing the technical expertise to help make the switch easier including the infrastructure, supply chain, and even free products to trial. Now, we are calling on brands to take the next step with us.’