Unilever’s new environmentally responsible packaging technology will first roll out in Dove body wash bottles.

A new breakthrough in packaging technology could lead to a significant move toward environmentally responsible packaging in the personal care industry.

Unilever PLC has announced that it is adopting technology that will cut the amount of plastic it needs to use in each bottle by 15%. The technology, developed with Zotefoams PLC of Britain, injects tiny gas pockets into bottle walls, reducing the weight and amount of plastic used, without sacrificing robustness.

Unilever is reportedly introducing the technique first in its Dove body wash bottles, which—with the 33 million sold in Europe in 2013—would mean a savings of 275 tons of plastic.

The multinational company then plans to expand the technique to other product lines. It will then also relinquish patent rights by 2015 so other companies that wish to employ the technology can do so.