Polypropylene (PP) has traditionally dominated the living-hinge dispensing closure market as it is easily processed and has good hinge durability characteristics. Additionally, it is widely available and historically had favorable economics relative to polyethylene when utilized to these ends. These attributes coupled with PP's overall balance of properties make it a frequent choice for living-hinge closure applications, as well as many molding applications.
However, the historically favorable economics of PP have been challenged in recent years by increasing costs attributable to industry and market dynamics. Increased price volatility and high costs have led to a reduction of PP capacity in North America, further challenging supply availability and putting increased commodity cost pressures on users of the material. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) offers favorable drop impact and cold temperature toughness to PP. These characteristics could enable further design flexibility and increased performance attributes of molded packaging, especially in the area of living-hinge dispensing closures. However, hinge durability when using known HDPE compositions has been less than acceptable relative to PP. In addition, a switch from PP to HDPE often introduces dimensional differences which can require expensive capital expenditures and tooling investment. The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.