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According to packaging association in many countries, the packaging will have to meet reusable, recyclable or compostable in 2025.
Flexible packaging is the second largest packaging segment today, it accounts for about 30% of all packaging. So the sustainability of flexible packaging is very important. When reusable and compostable are not very possible for most of the flexible packaging, then recyclable is the final solution.
So here we have the question: Will 100% recyclable flexible packaging become a reality?
The answer is yes.
In this article, we will talk about why 100% recyclable flexible packaging will become a reality.
It’s an in-depth article that takes 15 minutes to read.
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It is no doubt that single layer flexible packaging contains only single material. We can see PE bag, OPP bag, CPP bag, PVC bag, etc.
Today single material can be recyclable. You don’t need to sort and this is the best source for recyclability.
Standard multi-layer flexible packaging means the barrier is standard, it is not high barrier.
The traditional standard multi-layer film structure normally as contains 2 or 3 layers.
BOPP/PE
BOPP/CPP
PET/PE
PET/CPP
BOPP/PET/PE
PET/PET/PE
As we can see, all traditional film structures are with 2 or more different materials. So it is not 100% recyclable. Especially when there is PET, then it is un-recyclable. While the other film material is recyclable, but not that good as the single material which is 100% recyclable. The only film that is 100% recyclable is BOPP/CPP, cause this is BB only, and this is single material 100% recyclable. But the weakness is that the thickness of BOPP/CPP is limited, so it can not pack heavy products. So normally it is widely using in chips.
Then we have new film structure: MONO-MATERIAL PE POUCH, this is single material 100% recyclable. The best for this material structure is besides 100% recyclable, the thickness is strong enough to pack heavy products up to 25 kgs.
Some of the products packed will need to block oxygen, water and light. Especially for food packaging. Then we will need high barrier packaging.
The traditional high barrier film structure will contain at least one layer that with high barrier function:
Foil
Vacuum metalized film (VMPET, VMCPP)
Coating: K film Alox film,
But all of these films are not single material, so it is not 100% recyclable. Actually it will need to separate each layer first before recycle, and then sort material by materials. But this is not efficient at all in recycling.
Then we have new film structure:
High barrier mono material PP pouch
High barrier mono material PE pouch
For high barrier mono-material PP pouch, we can do coating on PP layler, such as OPP/MCPP, and now it has high barrier function. But the problem is the limitation of the thickness, so it can only pack the low weight products such as chips.
For high barrier mono material PE pouch, we can do coating on PE or MDO-PE to reach high barrier function. This is the trend for all future high barrier multi-layer flexible packaging, cause this is high barrier, 100% recyclable; and it can pack whatever weight it needs to be. So it is the perfect solution.
As we can see from above, the mono-material PE pouch will have all the advantages below:
Single material
100% recyclable
High barrier
Heavy weight
But this high barrier mono-material PE pouch is a new product and only in the market for 1 year. So it will need time for all the packaging companies to adopt it. But eventually everybody will use this material.
Longdapac is the leading flexible packaging manufacturer from China. We focus on sustainability packaging as you can see below:
What is High Barrier Recyclable Pouches? Your Ultimate Guide
The High Barrier Recyclable Pouches can be used as Recyclable Custom Coffee Bags
Longdapac is the first high barrier MDO-PE film supplier in China.
Longdapac is the first Chinese factory who can make high barrier mono-material PE pouch.
Longdapac recyclable high barrier mono-material PE pouches can meet the recyclability of
Longdapac is a BRC and ISO certified factory with annual capacity of more than 25,000 tons.
Basically Longdapac can satisfy all your recyclable packaging needs, both standard and high barrier.
With our professional packaging team on artwork design, bag production, and recyclable material development, we are the first high barrier mono-material pouch manufacturer in China who can make
Recyclable Coffee Bag
Recyclable Tea Bag
Recyclable Dog Food Bag
Recyclable Cat Food Bag
Recyaclable Laminating Pouches