Renewable
Material

Design for Sustainablity

Working Towards a Circular Economy

A circular economy is one crucial element to tackling the climate crisis and other global challenges like dwindling biodiversity. Collective action is vital to create a world that minimizes waste, conserves resources, and safeguards the environment. Changes in behavior and attitudes towards sustainability are crucial as consumer choices promote positive change across industries. We have reached a tipping point where traditional approaches are no longer sustainable, and change is needed.

Designing Paper & Board for Recyclability

Paper and corrugate are highly renewable and recyclable materials, making them ideal choices for sustainable packaging.

For these materials, recycling has a higher priority over composting in the Sustainability Pyramid and the Circular Economy because it allows their valuable fibers to be reclaimed for reuse.

However, the remaining components of packaging that is primarily fiber-based have an impact on recyclability. Plastic film—like polyester (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PET), or others—when laminated to paper, creates many recycling issues for paper mills.

Film decreases the capacity of a paper mill‘s pulper because it takes more time for the paper to repulp due to the plastic film protecting the fibers from water during the recycling process. Polymer coatings are now being used on paper to replace plastic film, providing functionality and improving recyclability with easier processing, less plastic waste, and less contamination.

Water-based Paper Coating Technology

Paper Coating, Drying, & Film Forming

Replacing rigid plastic films with water-based barrier coatings provides many advantages.

Easier to recycle.
Extremely thin so as not to appreciably alter the flexibility or weight of the base substrate.
Providing specific functionality, such as oil & grease resistance, oxygen and moisture barriers, heat seal, etc.
Easy to apply in paper production and conversion.