5 Adhesives to Help Enhance Sustainability 

As the global adhesives market continues to grow, manufacturers like you are looking for more sustainable bonding options to address increasing governmental regulations as well as brand owner and consumer environmental concerns. For example, they may be looking for adhesives that are formulated to help reduce carbon emissions or mitigate recycling stream contamination. However, you may be concerned these adhesives won’t maintain the performance and processing efficiencies desired. Fortunately, there are five types of sustainable solutions that prove it’s possible, helping alleviate concerns throughout the value chain while meeting governmental regulations.  

Derived from renewable materials, such as castor oil or other renewable biomass, bio-based hot melt adhesives have no petroleum derivatives in their formulations and include more bio-based carbon molecules than fossil-based. Compared to traditional, fossil-based adhesives’ raw materials, such as gas oils, bio-based adhesives yield less carbon emissions and have reduced environmental impact. Unlike compostable or recyclable adhesives, bio-based adhesives do not need to meet a specific set of guidelines to reach the full potential of sustainable solution offerings; they can simply enhance the end-use product’s environmental footprint through what it offers within its formulation compared to fossil-based solutions. 
 

Where Bostik’s Bio-Based Adhesives Are Used 

Packaging 

Hot melt, bio-based label adhesives: Like fossil-based adhesives commonly used in ecommerce, weigh scale, health, cosmetics, food and beverage applications, our bio-based label adhesives offer adjustable tack levels that adhere to plastic and corrugate packaging substrates. They are also compatible with the same equipment used for fossil-based hot melt solutions, allowing you to use what you already own to reduce equipment investment. 

Assembly 

• Bio-based specialty hot melt adhesives: Based on copolyester and copolyamide resins, our thermoplastic, specialty hot melt are available as pellets, powders, webs and films to easily adapt to your equipment needs to enable efficient production. They also well for electronics, footwear, filter media, automotive interior and technical textile applications and quickly set to offer a strong bond. 
• Monolithic breathable membrane: Designed to provide breathability to outdoor apparel, footwear and technical textile applications, our membrane offers an alternative solution to traditional membranes while maintaining durable, environmental protection. Partially bio-based out of castor oil, it is produced without fluorinated additives. As a result, it reduces environmental impact while still providing waterproof protection and high breathability for increased comfort. Further, this membrane can be applied via gravure lamination, allowing use of your current equipment.  

Removing solvents from manufacturing materials and processes is a key way to improve your environmental footprint. Adhesives that are comprised of 100% solids or entirely solvent-free can help: 

• Decrease carbon footprint: 100% solid and solvent-free adhesives reduce VOC emissions, leading to improved air quality. In manufacturing, using a 100% solid or solvent-free adhesive solution means you do not have to burn off solvents during production that would otherwise contribute to increased carbon emissions. Further, the same amount of 100% solid and solvent-free adhesive supply is lighter in weight compared solvent-based adhesives, making it easier to transport with less fuel consumption. 
• Reduce energy usage: You do not need drying ovens, thermal oxidizers or specialized ventilation methods for 100% solid or solvent-free adhesives, which leads to less overall facility energy usage. This also simplifies your production steps, allowing you to process end-use products at a faster rate and complete more in one pass compared to using solvent-based adhesives.  
• Improve safety: Eliminating solvents in your production by using 100% solid or solvent-free adhesives means specialized ventilation or storage procedures are not required to protect workers. Flammability risks also decrease to further protect workers and the facility.  

Where Bostik’s 100% Solid and Solvent-Free Adhesives Are Used 

Packaging: 

• UV hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives (UV HMPSAs): Providing an alternative to solvent-based PSAs, our UV HMPSAs are comprised of 100% solids with similar durability levels for tape, graphic and specialty film applications. When compared to solvent-based PSAs, they enable a 48,000-lb annual reduction in solvent consumption according to internal testing**. They also offer fast line speeds that can move up to 5x faster even at high coat weights* compared to solvent-based PSAs since there are no solvents to evaporate. 
• Solvent-free laminating adhesives: Used in packaging applications for outdoor, food and personal care items, our solvent-free laminating adhesives are two-component systems based on 100% solids, aromatic urethane chemistry. They offer chemical and UV resistance to increase packaging longevity when stored outside, as well as adhesion to low surface energy substrates such as PSA and cellophane. For food applications, these adhesives have ultra-low aromatic-amine migration with levels less than 0.6 parts per billion in two days* to increase safety. Further, they can be formulated with bio-based raw materials to further enhance sustainability.  
• Solvent-free reseal adhesives: Based on water-based technology for flexible packaging applications, our solvent-free reseal adhesives have increased solids percentage compared to other technology, which increases drying efficiencies and reduces energy usage. They also offer adjustable coat weights that enable customization, including the ability to provide narrow peel strength performance. Further, solvent-free reseal adhesives are compatible with pattern application to reduce overall material waste. 

Mobility: 

• Water-based adhesives: Designed for automotive spraying applications, our one-component solutions are primarily used for bonding to unprimed polyolefin, ABS, ABS/PC blends and fiber board. They are also isocyanate-free to further enhance its sustainability and safety for workers.  
• Solvent-free adhesives: Specifically designed for steel-to-steel and lightweight material bonding, our solvent-free adhesives are formulated for body-in-white automotive applications. They also are compatible with lightweight materials such as thin sheet metal to further reduce fuel consumption in the end-use product.