The focus on supporting the plight towards environmentally friendly business functions has never been so apparent, and consumers are expecting all companies to make changes to any negative processes that are contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, pollution to the environment and their environmental footprint. Toxic inks, harmful adhesives and single-use plastics are all contributors to these harmful effects, but there are now plenty of alternatives available on the market. But even this can be somewhat of a minefield as companies try to make the decision between eco-friendly and sustainable, compostable or biodegradable, recycled and recyclable and many other head-to-heads. Of course, there is no wrong answer, but there is a right answer for your specific brand and values. The increase in choice for alternative packaging is a good thing, but it can create a bit of a headache when trying to select the best option for your company. We’re going to break down each of these categories from labels to adhesives, and give you a good overview to set you on the right track to selecting the best environmentally friendly option for your company. Of course, we expand on each of these categories in much more detail on dedicated pages, so if it’s a deeper explanation you need, check those pages out via the links below.
Biodegradable Labels
Biodegradable materials are designed to break down when exposed to particular conditions over a specific timescale and eventually be absorbed into the natural elements. One of the most common conditions for the breakdown of these materials is temperature, humidity and water containing microorganisms. Biodegradable materials are eco-friendly as they help to reduce the number of landfills in the environment, something which materials single-use plastics contribute to. The sad fact is that the earth is running out of space to keep these materials which are hard to destroy without emitting harmful gasses into the atmosphere.
Companies are encouraged quite vigorously to remove single-use plastics from their packaging materials, and a ban on these plastics is likely to come in the next few years. Biodegradable packaging is a very good alternative that is proving to be popular, so to make recycling as easy as possible, the logical decision is to select labelling that is biodegradable too. This will encourage consumers to recycle more without any need to separate labels from the packaging which they are unlikely to do anyway. Check out our page on biodegradable labels for a more in-depth look at these materials.
Recycled Labels
The consumer recycling rate in the UK is 45% and is rising every year, but we’re still a way away from the heights of others in Europe, such as Germany who hit 67% each year. Now, recycled labels are more geared towards a sustainable solution as it strives to reduce the number of virgin feedstocks and raw materials that are consumed by trying to generate a circular economy in which materials are continuously used, recycled and reused infinitely. Now, an important thing to remember here is that recycled labels and recyclable labels are very different things. Recyclable labels simply mean that the label can be recycled, but it has been manufactured from a virgin material. Contrastingly, recycled labels have been created from an old product that has been through the recycling process, therefore posing no threat to any raw materials. Both recycled paper labels and recycled plastic labels are available to you and your business, with recycled plastic labels being created from Polypropylene (PP) or Polyethylene (PE). For more information about recycled labels, check out the dedicated page here.
Renewable and Sustainable Labels
The definition of ‘Sustainable’ is “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”. Packaging contributes to a lot of the depletion of natural resources, which is why there has been such a focus on solving that problem in recent years. The creation of truly sustainable labels requires a focus on not just the material used for the label, but for the adhesives and glues used in conjunction with it. As we’ve illustrated above with recycled and biodegradable labels, there are sustainable and renewable options available to businesses, and we can help find the right option for your brand based on its products and values. For a deeper look into renewability and sustainability check out the page here.
Compostable Labels
Compostable labels are often mistaken with biodegradable labels, but they are quite different. Compostable materials require special measures to break them down, which is usually temperature or humidity. From here they will be broken down into compost which can be used in farming. Compostable is considered kind to the planet and, much like biodegradable materials, help to reduce the amount of waste that we need to store and manage. Compostable materials are typically made from wood pulp that has been renewably and sustainably harvested from a forest that has the backing of one of the many forestry agencies. We delved into everything you need to know about compostable labels here.
Label Adhesive
The adhesive used on labels have just as much of an effect on the overall sustainability, eco-friendliness and environmental footprint as the actual labels themselves. Regardless of whether the label itself was recyclable, sustainable, biodegradable or compostable, if the adhesive doesn’t follow suit, it renders the label just as damaging as any other non-sustainable material. Now, label adhesives are crucial to the packaging, and traditionally adhesives were used that contained harmful chemicals and compounds that made them very effective at keeping labels attached to products. However, alternatives to these are now available on the market that provides the same characteristics without any of the harmful effects.
The two key eco-friendly adhesives are wash off adhesives and compostable adhesives. As we’ve discussed, compostable adhesives will suit compostable packaging to be broken down into a useable compost. Whereas wash off adhesives will dissolve in water, so during the washing stage of the recycling process, the label and the packaging will be separated without any residue or adhesive left on either. This enabled consumers to be able to recycle the product with the hassle of separating materials.
For more information about packaging adhesives and how they can affect the environment check out the dedicated page here.
Label Ink
Just like label adhesive, label ink must match the eco-friendliness of the label material, or it may render it unrecyclable or unsustainable. Traditional inks are made up of plastic or petroleum base which is combined with harmful chemicals or toxins that have a detrimental impact on the environment. These inks containing harmful compounds emit Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs, which are leaked into the atmosphere throughout the printing process and when the label ink is drying on the label at room temperature. These gasses contribute to global warming and are ultimately damaging in mass.
To combat this problem, new inks derived from natural elements do not contain any harmful toxic ingredients and are therefore eco-friendly. These alternative inks range from Vegetable Inks to Algae Inks, and for a detailed look into each of the inks available, head over to the Label Ink page here.
Choosing the Right Product
When making a decision on which label material suits your business, ask yourself two questions:
Where are our consumers likely to dispose of the packaging?
What does our brand promise by way of sustainability and eco-friendliness?
If you utilise compostable packing, opt for a compostable label. If your brand promises to reduce the number of raw materials consumed then choose a recycled label for your packaging. For more help on choosing the best label for your company, get in touch with a member of our team.