Greg Hrinya, Editor04.22.22
Sustainability is one of the biggest trends in the label and package printing industry, and companies throughout all levels of the supply chain have responded to consumer demand. From suppliers to brands, companies have committed to lowering their carbon footprint.
According to Avery Dennison, converters and brands are showing increased ambition in regards to sustainability. More than 1,200 companies have established science-based targets to reduce their emissions and lower their carbon footprint. It’s important to note, though, that many companies will need to undergo a dramatic shift to reach these lofty goals.
Many large brands like Kraft Heinz, Nestle, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, J&J, P&G, Kimberly Clark, Unilever, among other household names have committed to some version of a 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging goal.
“For the companies that have these commitments, this will impact their entire value chain, from what they produce in their own processes, the energy used in their facilities, to the impact generated by their suppliers and end users,” states Michelle Yuan, project manager - sustainability and innovation, Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials. “This last category of impact generated by suppliers, end users and others is what is called Scope 3 Emissions. Most companies will have to undergo deep decarbonization of 90-95% to reach these ambitious goals.
“This is important because this is a shift in how we approach sustainability,” adds Yuan. “It is no longer about incremental improvements or just focusing on operational efficiency, it is shining the light on the entire value chain and expanding corporate responsibility further, all the way to suppliers.”
Sustainability is not just gaining steam at the company level. Consumers are becoming more aware of packaging sustainability, especially as e-commerce soared during the pandemic. Circularity is also becoming a mainstream topic for discussion, with many companies now hiring specifically for circular economy leads and positions.
“These factors have led to many companies setting more comprehensive and holistic sustainability goals and looking at sustainability from many different angles,” explains Yuan. “This includes sustainable packaging and looking at the entire value chain impact of their products from input materials, product design, to end of life.”
A recent Consumer Brands Association (CBA) survey said 93% agree that national standards would alleviate recycling confusion. The issue of sustainability and recycling is so big, in fact, that 77% of Americans surveyed believe tackling plastic and packaging waste should be the federal government’s next “moon shot.”
Yuan states that as these expectations evolve, regulations will play a bigger role in the environmental landscape. “Scope 3 Emissions is a big area of focus right now in sustainability and has been growing quickly over the past few years due to investor pressure,” she comments. “This may also become a regulated area with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) discussion on mandatory disclosures for emissions and climate risk. Another area of regulatory change is on Extended Producer Responsibility.”
To meet demand for sustainability, Avery Dennison has engineered multiple new products.
Specifically, the company has expanded its Heat Seal Reclosure portfolio. “As many national grocery chains have made significant commitments to reducing their use of plastic, our offering replaces the traditional hard-plastic clamshell lid with a film construction, heat-sealed packaging uses up to 30% less material – depending on film thickness,” says Yuan. “This makes packaging lighter, more compact, and overall, more sustainable. The film construction also allows for a larger landscape for graphics and copy, helping brands create greater shelf appeal.”
In January, Avery Dennison also expanded its sustainable wine and spirits facestock offerings with three new materials. Eclipse Black is a 30% PCW 60# paper facestock with a smooth texture that’s excellent for adding embossments. Meanwhile, White Hemp is a 60# facestock made with 25% hemp fiber and 75% PCW material. This new offering’s white color gives it even greater design versatility, while its high wet strength properties –s the product has passed Avery Dennison’s ice bucket test — mean it does even more to resist water and condensation.
Finally, Stoneface is an off-white facestock that features a slightly grainy texture. It’s made with a combination of 80% stone (calcium carbonate powder sourced from construction waste) and 20% recycled PE resin acting as a binder.
“Stoneface outperforms traditional paper in resistance to moisture and tearing,” remarks Yuan. “Converters already using it report it’s easy to use across multiple printing technologies. It’s a bold choice to boost the shelf appeal of either wine or spirits brands.
“We have also continued to work with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) to expand our portfolio of products recognized for recycling,” adds Yuan.
As of last year, Avery Dennison’s BOPP, Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) and Polyethylene (PE) films have been recognized to comply with the APR’s Critical Guidance for HDPE recycling. Plus, its BOPP and MDO films have been recognized to comply with APR Critical Guidance for Flexible PE recycling.
According to Avery Dennison, converters and brands are showing increased ambition in regards to sustainability. More than 1,200 companies have established science-based targets to reduce their emissions and lower their carbon footprint. It’s important to note, though, that many companies will need to undergo a dramatic shift to reach these lofty goals.
Many large brands like Kraft Heinz, Nestle, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, J&J, P&G, Kimberly Clark, Unilever, among other household names have committed to some version of a 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging goal.
“For the companies that have these commitments, this will impact their entire value chain, from what they produce in their own processes, the energy used in their facilities, to the impact generated by their suppliers and end users,” states Michelle Yuan, project manager - sustainability and innovation, Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials. “This last category of impact generated by suppliers, end users and others is what is called Scope 3 Emissions. Most companies will have to undergo deep decarbonization of 90-95% to reach these ambitious goals.
“This is important because this is a shift in how we approach sustainability,” adds Yuan. “It is no longer about incremental improvements or just focusing on operational efficiency, it is shining the light on the entire value chain and expanding corporate responsibility further, all the way to suppliers.”
Sustainability is not just gaining steam at the company level. Consumers are becoming more aware of packaging sustainability, especially as e-commerce soared during the pandemic. Circularity is also becoming a mainstream topic for discussion, with many companies now hiring specifically for circular economy leads and positions.
“These factors have led to many companies setting more comprehensive and holistic sustainability goals and looking at sustainability from many different angles,” explains Yuan. “This includes sustainable packaging and looking at the entire value chain impact of their products from input materials, product design, to end of life.”
A recent Consumer Brands Association (CBA) survey said 93% agree that national standards would alleviate recycling confusion. The issue of sustainability and recycling is so big, in fact, that 77% of Americans surveyed believe tackling plastic and packaging waste should be the federal government’s next “moon shot.”
Yuan states that as these expectations evolve, regulations will play a bigger role in the environmental landscape. “Scope 3 Emissions is a big area of focus right now in sustainability and has been growing quickly over the past few years due to investor pressure,” she comments. “This may also become a regulated area with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) discussion on mandatory disclosures for emissions and climate risk. Another area of regulatory change is on Extended Producer Responsibility.”
To meet demand for sustainability, Avery Dennison has engineered multiple new products.
Specifically, the company has expanded its Heat Seal Reclosure portfolio. “As many national grocery chains have made significant commitments to reducing their use of plastic, our offering replaces the traditional hard-plastic clamshell lid with a film construction, heat-sealed packaging uses up to 30% less material – depending on film thickness,” says Yuan. “This makes packaging lighter, more compact, and overall, more sustainable. The film construction also allows for a larger landscape for graphics and copy, helping brands create greater shelf appeal.”
In January, Avery Dennison also expanded its sustainable wine and spirits facestock offerings with three new materials. Eclipse Black is a 30% PCW 60# paper facestock with a smooth texture that’s excellent for adding embossments. Meanwhile, White Hemp is a 60# facestock made with 25% hemp fiber and 75% PCW material. This new offering’s white color gives it even greater design versatility, while its high wet strength properties –s the product has passed Avery Dennison’s ice bucket test — mean it does even more to resist water and condensation.
Finally, Stoneface is an off-white facestock that features a slightly grainy texture. It’s made with a combination of 80% stone (calcium carbonate powder sourced from construction waste) and 20% recycled PE resin acting as a binder.
“Stoneface outperforms traditional paper in resistance to moisture and tearing,” remarks Yuan. “Converters already using it report it’s easy to use across multiple printing technologies. It’s a bold choice to boost the shelf appeal of either wine or spirits brands.
“We have also continued to work with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) to expand our portfolio of products recognized for recycling,” adds Yuan.
As of last year, Avery Dennison’s BOPP, Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) and Polyethylene (PE) films have been recognized to comply with the APR’s Critical Guidance for HDPE recycling. Plus, its BOPP and MDO films have been recognized to comply with APR Critical Guidance for Flexible PE recycling.