Page 38 - Print21 November-December 2022

SPICERS RELEASES NEW 100% RECYCLED UNCOATED LABELS, AND NEAR 100% POLYPROPYLENE LABELS
Leading materials supplier Spicers is launching two new uncoated labelstock lines made from 100 per cent recycled material, and two new polypropylene lines with 85 per cent and 90 per cent recycled content in them.
The new uncoated labels are the Mantar R Sorollo H+O Recycled, and Mantar R Tintoretto Gesso H+O, both from the Fedrigoni mills in Italy and Spain. Typical applications would be for wine labels and other high-end products. Spicers is also releasing two new polypropylene labels; one a clear polypropylene, with 90 per cent post- consumer recycled content, and the other a white gloss polypropylene, which has 85 per cent recycled content in it. The
two labels have widespread applications, including food and beverage, pharma, health and beauty.
Napil Abdel, national sales manager
– Labels and Packaging Materials at Spicers, says, “There is a clear imperative for sustainable solutions. Until now most labels marked as recycled had between 20 and 30 per cent recycled content, these new lines are one of the first uncoated labels made from 100 per cent recycled product, and one of the first polypropylene with near 100 per cent. It is testimony to the ground-breaking work done by Fedrigoni in Europe, where the environmental concern is high.”
Abdel says the imperative for sustainable stock is only growing stronger, and says that while there have been some recycled labels in the market, the price differential has made them uneconomic. The new labels from Fedrigoni only have a small differential over virgin stock labels.
According to Spicers the performance of the new recycled labels on the press, and the colour fidelity and saturation characteristics, are at the same level
as labels from virgin stock. Abdel says, “The physical and visual performance of the recycled labels is virtually identical to the virgin labels. Label print businesses can go to their clients and offer them the recycled option, with
no detriment to the print quality, and knowing that the on-press performance will match virgin stock.”
Spicers is also providing certification
of the labels’ green credentials, and has itself tested all the labels extensively. Abdel notes, “Dealing with Spicers is totally different from buying stock from unknown web sources. We provide credible validation, and can be trusted that the products we supply are fit for purpose.” 21
The country’s two biggest printable materials suppliers, Ball & Doggett and Spicers, are working to ensure local label printers have sustainable options.
BSustainable labels
all & Doggett offers item to navigate, as some labels can varying options when potentially be recycled, as long as the it comes to sustainable label choice is the same as the item labelstock. Its national it’s affixed to, and is only a certain manager – Self Adhesives percentage of the overall package.
Chris Jackson says printers need to This then can be disposed of
position. These materials include cotton, stone, and in the case of
the US manufacturer Wausau with
its Aged Agave, made with Agave sisalane fibres from reclaimed burlap coffee bean bags.
Jackson says, “The process gives the face stock a smooth natural earthy toned appearance, and diverts used packaging from landfills.”
Wausau Aged Agave is manufactured with wet strength properties to increase performance in moist environments. The facestock is also top coated, and optimised for HP Indigo Presses, and its base sheet is manufactured Process Chlorine Free and is FSC Certified. Ball & Doggett in fact has a range of FSC Certified options.
Jackson says, “The call for sustainable choices continues to grow with corporates increasingly aware of their social and environmental responsibilities. Label print businesses can talk to Ball
& Doggett knowing that we are completely across the sustainable issues. They will have confidence
to go back to their clients with environmental choices.” 21
be aware of what exactly the green terms mean.
As the country's biggest supplier of printable materials, Ball & Doggett is at the forefront of the sustainable charge, and that certainly applies as far as labels is concerned.
Label print businesses that are tempted to go online and buy
the cheapest labelstock branded
as green, or sustainable, or environmentally friendly, need to be aware of what exactly is involved. Self-adhesive labels comprise of several elements, including the face sheet, adhesive and liner.
Jackson says, “Steering away from any risk of greenwashing is the responsibility of everyone.”
There is a distinct difference between which labels are recyclable and what options are available with recycled content. Recycling a self- adhesive label can be an interesting
through kerbside waste collection. As part of the education to consumers, it’s important to be aware each local municipality may have a different sorting system and the goods
may not be able to be recycled dependent upon council criteria.
Another option is using a wash away adhesive that allows the facesheet to be separated from the adhesive permitting the reaming facesheet to be repulped.
Ball & Doggett does supply labels from leading manufacturers including Wausau and MacTac that enables wash-away adhesive.
Facesheets for paper label stocks can come from either virgin pulp or from 100 per cent recycled, 100
per cent post-consumer waste, with varying percentages of both recycled and post-consumer waste content.
Facesheets can also be sourced from alternate materials to paper and boast a strong environmental
Alternative: Wausau Aged Agave labels made from reclaimed coffee bean bags
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