Designed for recycling

Flexible packaging is a widely used form of packaging due to its minimal use of materials and excellent properties in terms of barrier protection and potential applications. These desirable properties are the result of the material’s composition, which (at present) often consists of multiple plastics.

Why different materials are used

The reason why different materials are used is because the different layers and materials add properties to the packaging and help it preserve the product while minimising the use of material. Two-thirds of the plastic packaging materials from supermarkets are not easily recyclable, according to a study by Nature & Environment, as reported by NOS (in Dutch). The drawback is that all those different layers also have different properties and therefore cannot be easily recycled as a whole.

The solution

The solution for making packaging more recyclable using mono-material for flexible packaging. Although there are plenty of challenges involved in using new materials for different applications, we believe in the future of mono-materials. This is why we are committed to developing new mono-material applications. For instance, we are already collaborating on successful mono-material packaging for a range of products and customers – with few if any compromises in terms of product protection and preservation. Resulting in functional and attractive packaging.

For most products, there are excellent solutions available for creating a packaging from mono-material. The developments and possibilities for processing mono-materials are moving very quickly. More and more manufacturers are replacing their film laminates with mono-materials.

In all sizes and colours and with extras such as spouts.

Mono-material is available as film in rolls and as pre-formed bags. It can be produced with a high oxygen barrier protection for cheese, coffee or nuts, for example. In addition, mono-material packaging can be supplied with a spout or cap. This makes a mono-material spouted pouch an alternative to rigid bottle packaging. Using a mono-spouted pouch to replace rigid packaging reduces the materials used by more than 50%.