Greenbutts
An Eco-Friendly Substitute for Plastic Cigarette Filters

The pervasive issue of plastic pollution has reached a critical point with cigarette filters—the most littered plastic item worldwide. Made of non-biodegradable plastic cellulose acetate, these filters are a major threat to the environment, including our beaches, oceans, fish and other wildlife.

In a bold move, many nations are stepping up to curb this environmental menace. The EU, U.S., Canadian, and Australian governments are spearheading legislative actions to banish single-use plastics. This shift has prompted tobacco companies to seek alternatives to the traditional cigarette filter.

Enter Greenbutts, a company that has dedicated the past 13 years to developing a viable, eco-friendly replacement for the conventional cigarette filter.
“Our mission is not only to innovate but alleviate the environmental burden that has for too long been an overlooked consequence of smoking. With these developments, there is a glimmer of hope that we can mitigate the environmental impact of smoking and protect our planet’s ecosystems for future generations,” says Tadas Lisauskas, co-founder and CEO.

In doing so, Greenbutts is at the forefront of addressing a significant challenge tobacco companies face—maintaining the functionality and sensory properties of traditional cigarette filters.

Consumers often exhibit strong brand allegiance, gravitating toward particular brands that provide a distinct smoking experience. Modifying this experience comes with considerable risks.

Any changes to the cigarette’s taste or feel could alter their preferences, leading to shifts in brand loyalty—a concern tobacco companies cannot afford to overlook.

Greenbutts’ efforts over years of R&D have culminated in creating a filter that uses natural materials that are neutral in taste, ensuring they do not detract from the smoking experience while replicating the filtration properties of conventional filters.

The challenge in this innovation stems from the interaction between plastic and the chemical compounds in tobacco smoke that natural materials cannot easily replicate. Standard paper filters, for instance, which are comprised of wood pulp and have been in use even before plastic filters, have been known to compromise the smoking experience. They impart a non-tobacco and unpleasant cellulosic sensory notes, and absorb moisture from the tobacco, leading to a drier, more harsh smoke that strays from what consumers have come to expect.

In contrast, Greenbutts’ patented nonwoven filter material uses a proprietary blend of four natural fibers. Developed through a process akin to papermaking, each fiber is selected for specific attributes, including manufacturing resilience, neutral sensory, and filtration qualities. This formulation—which has undergone extensive sensory testing—is the closest biodegradable alternative to cellulose acetate available in the industry.

The patented filter substrate is produced in a large format roll-stock which is then cut into smaller width bobbins that are sold to cigarette companies who then convert these bobbins into Greenbutts filters using their own filter making machinery for subsequent cigarette production. Alternatively, Greenbutts has its own filter converting capabilities for those customers want pre-made filters for cigarette production and/or filter tips and tubes for the roll-your-own (RYO) and make-your-own (MYO) market.

Greenbutts has been working with many of the major tobacco industry machine manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure that their machinery is qualified to produce Greenbutts filters on a massive scale required to meet the demand from the tobacco industry, which, in total, produces around 6 trillion cigarettes per year worldwide.

As innovation is at the heart of Greenbutts’ mission, they have filed 4 new patents in the past year with regard to processability, targeted smoke chemistry and improved sensory to remain at the forefront of biodegradable filter technology. These new IPs and their recently obtained certificate of biodegradation are what distinguish Greenbutts as the leader and new ‘gold standard’ in cigarette filtration.

Collaboration is ongoing with multinational tobacco companies to expedite the replacement of cellulose acetate filters. The goal is to introduce a market-ready, consumer-accepted alternative within the next year, aligning with the anticipated legislative changes on single-use plastics, making it a win-win-win for consumers, the environment and the industry.