Choice of packaging substrates is inevitably among the first considerations when assessing recyclability of packaging. Aiming to facilitate the circular economy, Henkel's adhesives and coatings business has expanded its 'designed for recycling' RE range (introduced last year) with the Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE solution. This is a heat seal coating which is certified for its recyclablity with paper, and according to Henkel redefines how packaging can be designed.
“The design of packaging highly influences its recyclability. Our goal is to bring a new perspective into the process: we want to rethink how packaging is made from the very beginning,” explains Brian Stephenson, Product Development Coatings at Henkel. “Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE opens up new and sustainable design possibilities by enabling to replace PE with paper in a wide range of primary and secondary packaging applications for both food and nonfood.”
The coating heat seals to both paper and itself and, according to Henkel, sets new standards in terms of repulpability, food safety and flexibility of the paper. It also raises the bar in industrial processing: It maintains highest levels of sealability when being processed at high machine speeds, significantly increasing performance.
These characteristics make Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE a very versatile coating covering a large span of applications – from hygiene products and tea bags to industrial hardware pouches and chocolate overwrap. Having such a great flexibility in terms of applicational areas, the coating is able to support the transition from PE packages to paper-based ones.
“Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE makes completely new approaches in packaging design possible,” says Davide Coppola, Business Development Manager Coatings at Henkel. “Thanks to its proven recyclability and food safety certification, we can enable the use of paper packaging in a wide range of applications without compromising on performance and safety.”
The innovation is compatible with any type of ink and has a good flexibility to paper substrates, tested by independent institutes confirming its good fit for paper packaging. In the production the coating has a very good heat seal strength even under high machine speeds. Its sealability to itself and against paper is excellent by maintaining low seal temperature initiation. The solution not only suits the non-food industry, but can also be used in food applications.
