Jul 27, 2023 - 3-5 minutes
Four Sustainable Label Misconceptions You Need to Know
Decipher the truth amongst common misconceptions surrounding labels and their adhesives, and how you can help brand owners address their needs with evolving sustainability messages.
Sustainability is a trending topic across the entire label industry. As brand owners feel the pressure to show consumers they are serious about improving environmental footprint and using sustainable packaging, converters like you are challenged to support those needs with your label materials and manufacturing processes. However, given the amount of evolving information on sustainability, there are a number of misconceptions surrounding labels and their adhesives. Find out what these misconceptions are, what the truth is and how this information can help you address brand owners’ needs.
Misconception #1: Paper labels are always the more sustainable choice.
Because paper is derived from wood, which is a natural material, it’s a commonly held belief that paper labels are more sustainable than other options, and therefore can be readily used in recyclable applications regardless of the packaging on which they are adhered.
Truth:
In order for a label to be deemed recyclable, all of its components must include the right capabilities to enter the recycling stream. Paper as a single substrate, like cardboard or office paper, can be easily recycled. When paper labels are adhered to paper-based packaging, like corrugate, they work well to reduce environmental impact.
When paired with plastic packaging, however, paper labels cannot be skimmed off and properly removed, resulting in a decrease of the plastic’s overall quality. Plus, if paper labels are used on plastic packaging, less PET packaging is able to enter the recycling stream for second or third generational usage. This increases paper labels’ impact on the environment and does not properly aid in sustainability efforts.
Rather, when the type of packaging is plastic, then filmic labels, such as BOPP or PET, are the more sustainable option to enable plastic packaging sustainability. This is because filmic labels are plastic-based.
Further, when a filmic label is designed with a wash-off label adhesive, it will directly adhere to BOPP facestock, allowing it to be easily skimmed off and removed during the recycling process. This functionality provides the clean separation that allows the PET packaging to enter the recycling stream for another generational use.
Therefore, to manufacture a more sustainable label, it’s important to always consider the type of packaging to which the label will be adhered.
Truth:
In order for a label to be deemed recyclable, all of its components must include the right capabilities to enter the recycling stream. Paper as a single substrate, like cardboard or office paper, can be easily recycled. When paper labels are adhered to paper-based packaging, like corrugate, they work well to reduce environmental impact.
When paired with plastic packaging, however, paper labels cannot be skimmed off and properly removed, resulting in a decrease of the plastic’s overall quality. Plus, if paper labels are used on plastic packaging, less PET packaging is able to enter the recycling stream for second or third generational usage. This increases paper labels’ impact on the environment and does not properly aid in sustainability efforts.
Rather, when the type of packaging is plastic, then filmic labels, such as BOPP or PET, are the more sustainable option to enable plastic packaging sustainability. This is because filmic labels are plastic-based.
Further, when a filmic label is designed with a wash-off label adhesive, it will directly adhere to BOPP facestock, allowing it to be easily skimmed off and removed during the recycling process. This functionality provides the clean separation that allows the PET packaging to enter the recycling stream for another generational use.
Therefore, to manufacture a more sustainable label, it’s important to always consider the type of packaging to which the label will be adhered.
Misconception #2: A label doesn’t matter in the packaging’s overall recycling.
A label is usually smaller in size compared to the bigger package, which may lead someone to think it has a very small impact on the environment.
Truth:
Labels make a significant impact on sustainability as a package component or a single product. Just because a label can come off a plastic package doesn’t necessarily mean it will enable a package to be properly recycled. The label must be designed to wash-off the plastic during the recycling process, allowing the package to move through the recycling stream; otherwise, the entire stream will be contaminated, and the packaging’s recyclability level will be impacted. To avoid this, you must choose a wash-off label adhesive to ensure the label leaves behind no residue.
Further, it is important to consider how labels used with plastic packaging in different temperature environments can impact recycling. Historically, wash-off label adhesives on PET packaging materials only had a temperature range of 40°F (4.4°C) or higher. This meant that certain applications, such as cold fill or freezer-grade, could not utilize wash-off labels.
It’s important to consider how an all-temperature, wash-off label adhesive can fulfill this unmet need and provide good tack and quick grab capabilities for packaging in temperatures down to 0° F (-17° C). This option can allow you to offer more wash-off options in your packaging applications to enhance overall recycling.
Truth:
Labels make a significant impact on sustainability as a package component or a single product. Just because a label can come off a plastic package doesn’t necessarily mean it will enable a package to be properly recycled. The label must be designed to wash-off the plastic during the recycling process, allowing the package to move through the recycling stream; otherwise, the entire stream will be contaminated, and the packaging’s recyclability level will be impacted. To avoid this, you must choose a wash-off label adhesive to ensure the label leaves behind no residue.
Further, it is important to consider how labels used with plastic packaging in different temperature environments can impact recycling. Historically, wash-off label adhesives on PET packaging materials only had a temperature range of 40°F (4.4°C) or higher. This meant that certain applications, such as cold fill or freezer-grade, could not utilize wash-off labels.
It’s important to consider how an all-temperature, wash-off label adhesive can fulfill this unmet need and provide good tack and quick grab capabilities for packaging in temperatures down to 0° F (-17° C). This option can allow you to offer more wash-off options in your packaging applications to enhance overall recycling.
Misconception #3: All states have the same sustainability laws.
Since the White House launched the Federal Sustainability Plan, which outlines goals for the U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, there is a nationwide push to improve sustainability. This may lead brand owners to believe that each state has the same set of sustainability laws that must be followed with packaging.
Truth:
Not all states have enacted sustainability laws yet. Additionally, sustainability laws can differ amongst states where there is legislation. With rules varying across the U.S., it’s important to consider how the components in your end-use label may impact the lifespan of packaging across states. By designing labels that meet the laws enacted in states that already have legislation in place, you can ensure brand owners that the label can be used in any state where their packaging is sold.
Truth:
Not all states have enacted sustainability laws yet. Additionally, sustainability laws can differ amongst states where there is legislation. With rules varying across the U.S., it’s important to consider how the components in your end-use label may impact the lifespan of packaging across states. By designing labels that meet the laws enacted in states that already have legislation in place, you can ensure brand owners that the label can be used in any state where their packaging is sold.
How Bostik Helps You Provide Sustainable Solutions
By putting sustainability at the forefront of everything we do at Bostik, we are committed to ensuring our label adhesives help reduce carbon footprint and promote the circular economy so you can easily meet your sustainable goals.
Our wash-off label adhesive is the market’s first all-temperature solution designed to enable clean separation of recyclable labels from PET packaging and increase overall circularity. It also meets APR’s critical guidance criteria and will help you manufacture a wash-off label faster than if you have to qualify it yourself.
With our linerless label adhesives, you can easily manufacture linerless labels that reduce waste and carbon emissions by eliminating the need for a release liner, which enables more labels per roll. Designed for quick-grab, high tack and variable temperature application needs, our linerless label adhesives possess excellent self-adhesion properties so the label can print properly without a separate liner required.
We also offer bio-based, hot melt label adhesives in various percentages of bio-based molecules. Certified by the testing method ASTM D6866-22, these adhesives yield less carbon emissions than fossil-based, hot melt adhesives while providing the same bond strength at low coat weights. In addition, they allow for streamlined production with minimal changeouts.
Are you looking for more clarification on label sustainability to overcome misconceptions and enhance your label manufacturing? Contact a Bostik expert to find the best sustainable solutions for your processes.
Our wash-off label adhesive is the market’s first all-temperature solution designed to enable clean separation of recyclable labels from PET packaging and increase overall circularity. It also meets APR’s critical guidance criteria and will help you manufacture a wash-off label faster than if you have to qualify it yourself.
With our linerless label adhesives, you can easily manufacture linerless labels that reduce waste and carbon emissions by eliminating the need for a release liner, which enables more labels per roll. Designed for quick-grab, high tack and variable temperature application needs, our linerless label adhesives possess excellent self-adhesion properties so the label can print properly without a separate liner required.
We also offer bio-based, hot melt label adhesives in various percentages of bio-based molecules. Certified by the testing method ASTM D6866-22, these adhesives yield less carbon emissions than fossil-based, hot melt adhesives while providing the same bond strength at low coat weights. In addition, they allow for streamlined production with minimal changeouts.
Are you looking for more clarification on label sustainability to overcome misconceptions and enhance your label manufacturing? Contact a Bostik expert to find the best sustainable solutions for your processes.
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All information contained herein is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication, is provided “as-is” and is subject to change without notice. To review our full U.S. Legal Disclaimer, visit: https://bostik.com/us/en_US/privacy-policy/legal-disclaimer
All information contained herein is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication, is provided “as-is” and is subject to change without notice. To review our full U.S. Legal Disclaimer, visit: https://bostik.com/us/en_US/privacy-policy/legal-disclaimer