When it comes to packaging design, why is it so important that brands take care when choosing their labels and sleeves – and what impact can the wrong choice have? Victoria Hattersley spoke with representatives from CCL label and DTM Print to find out.
The demands of the upcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) have put sustainable packaging design squarely at the top of the agenda for all members of the value chain. Sleeves and labels are an important part of this equation, impacting everything from recyclability to reusability, safety and resource efficiency. This means the choice of label – whether that’s paper or plastic, shrink sleeve or self-adhesive – has a huge impact on a brand’s overall carbon footprint. And yet this importance can sometimes be overlooked amid wider conversations such as the material of the container itself.
“Although the label seems like a small part of the packaging it can make or break recycling,” agrees Marika Knorr, Head of Sustainability and Communication at CCL Label. “The label or sleeve is often seen as a ‘decoration’ but it goes far beyond that – the label is a functional part of the packaging and needs to be the right fit for the established sorting and recycling processes.”
Ensuring recyclability
So we can all agree that the choice of label or sleeve is vital to the overall sustainability of a package. But like any other part of the packaging value chain, there are a number of considerations or challenges when it comes to labels and sleeves – some of which we discuss here.
The first and perhaps most obvious thing to note is recyclability: the entire package and all its components, including labels, needs to be designed for recycling at the end of life.
“It is essential for labels to be as recyclable as the rest of the packaging,” says Lea König, Product Manager at DTM Print. “This is where mono-material packaging comes into play. By using only one type of material, the recycling process is simplified as the packaging does not need to be separated into different material types, improving the efficiency of waste management systems.”
Marika Knorr gives an example of this: “If you use a simple paper label with potential fibreloss on a PET bottle, the paper label will be detrimental in the recycling process because it most likely will get mixed in with the PET flakes and lower the quality of the PET. The mix of both materials should be avoided.”
Lack of recycled content
The next point is that there is still – despite the knowledge that demand for recyclate is certain to keep increasing – a significant dearth of recycled content, for some materials more than others.
“PET recycling has increased a lot so rPET is more widely available,” says Marika, “but when it comes to recycled polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) the availability is very low – especially looking at materials that are appropriate for food grade packaging. A lot of work is already being done there and we are partnering up with organizations like NEXTLOOPP or Plastic Recyclers Europe (PRE) to work on these topics along with the whole value chain.”
It is hoped that the availability of these less-recycled plastics is set to increase along with the growing demand. “If you look at polypropylene (PP) labels that are recommended for a wide variety of plastic packaging we see that both mechanical and chemical recycled options are in high demand,” says Marika. “That also is true for bio-based materials and recycled content that has a clear connection to sustainability – for example ocean-bound plastic that is reused in packaging components.”
There are also the inevitable cost considerations. For many reasons – not least the above-mentioned lack of the requisite recyclate – sustainable label solutions have so far been far more expensive than generic ones. According to a recent report by Planet Tracker, “in 2022, in Europe the recycled PET pellet is sold 51% higher than virgin (at a premium of €797 (USD 868) per tonne).”
Fortunately, as Lea König explains, this may not always be the case. “As the demand increases the availability does, too, and so the pricing decreases. For example, our DTM EcoTec Poly Clear Gloss R90 with 90% post-consumer recycled content is less expensive than its non-PCR counterpart ‘DTM Poly Clear Gloss’, while featuring the same clarity, mechanical properties and printing characteristics.”
It is also the case, she says, that the quality of printing output can vary depending on the material, and this can be an issue for the image-conscious brand. “Some recycled, natural label substrates might not work for products where a brilliant, high-quality print is requested. Nevertheless, I know from experience with our clients, those label substrates are thoroughly selected for applications where sustainable appearance and integrity weighs more than the prime printing of saturated and brilliant colours. For example, water- or chemical resistance can’t be achieved with some of the sustainable paper materials.”
Last but not least: there are the regulatory challenges that need to be addressed. Europe, as we all know, has a very fragmented recycling infrastructure and legislation. It is hoped that this situation will improve now that agreement has been reached on the PPWR, which will implement Europe-wide goals and standards for recycled content, recyclability, reuse, material reduction and more.
“This piece of legislation,” says Marika, “will create more clarity around design for recycling, the use of recycled content and also on-pack labelling that can educate consumers. Once infrastructure is in place it will lead to better sorting and ultimately more recycling and the transition from a linear to a circular economy for packaging.”
What must brands consider?
And of course, alongside the all-important question of sustainability, says Katrin Hoffman, PR Manager at DTM Print, “labels still need to look good, fit the brand and their message, and meet the requirements of the packaging such as being durable, UV-resistant, and have removability or security features. By considering these factors, companies can create sustainable packaging solutions that align with their brand values and meet specific demands. This could include needing a defined brand colour on the label, requiring a security label for product protection, or needing labels that are chemical-resistant.”
It’s clear, then, that for such a slight object the label has a lot of – apologies – heavy lifting to do. The choice of label also of course depends upon the packaging format the brand will be using. Here, Marika Knorr has some general advice to offer.
“As a rule of thumb we would advise to go floatable if you are looking to decorate a PET bottle or container – so use a label or sleeve that is made of low density polyolefin material that floats even when printed. Floatable sleeves for PET bottles and other containers are on the rise – we have seen so many brands change to that type of material that it is becoming the mainstream alternative to PET-G sleeves that are detrimental to recycling and are on the red list of the RecyClass Design for Recycling guidelines for example that many brands follow.
“If you are looking to use returnable and refillable glass or PET bottles, dedicated WashOff labels are the best choice. They have a built-in shrink that is invisible to the eye but the label gets activated when it comes in contact with the hot water on the washing lines and automatically shrinks and rolls itself up so it really helps pull itself off the bottle – resulting in a very clean bottle without any residue that can be refilled quickly. Also, we use a special printing technique that ensures that the printing ink remains on the label and does not bleed into the washing water – resulting in less need to exchange the water with all the ecological benefits that brings.”
One mistake brands can make is assuming that one material is inherently ‘better’ than another – easily done, perhaps when there are such negative perceptions of plastics coupled with a growing consumer demand for paper, which is sometimes seen as a more ‘natural’ or ‘eco-friendly’ option. The reality is, the ‘right’ material or solution is the one that fits the product – and brands also have to consider resource efficiency.
‘There’s the bad image of ‘plastic’ materials, even though there are great PCR substrates available,” says Katrin. “And generally speaking, not only the final packaging or label needs to be eco-friendly but also the production of those. And there are other considerations apart from the material of the label itself: are the printing machines used to produce the final labels sustainable in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emission and non-toxic inks?”
On a positive note, she tells us, “the actual label printers are being built with sturdier materials, increasing their longevity and efficiency while consuming less power and further reducing the environmental impact of the labelling process. Examples include the LED dry-toner printer CX86e by DTM Print and the inkjet printer LX610e by Primera.”
A smarter future
Finally, we were keen to know what other positive developments are on the horizon. One trend is increased used of functional adhesives that according to Marika can “enable lower washing temperatures at the washing lines and recyclers – turning down the temperatures to create energy savings.”
Intelligent solutions are also increasingly finding their way into the field of labelling and sleeves – as they are in all parts of the value chain. We can expect to see the integration of RFID and NFC tracing technology in labels and sleeves go mainstream in the coming years.
“Together with Artificial Intelligence (AI) sorting of waste,” says Marika, “these new technologies will be a game-changer when it comes to identifying packaging materials, sorting these into the right waste streams, distinguishing between non-food and food grade and essentially recycling more and better.”
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