06.04.20
Since sustainability is becoming an increasingly important topic in today’s packaging world, Multi-Color is striving to find ways to make labels as environmentally friendly as possible for its customers. Knowing that Coca-Cola has interest in reducing its environmental impact, Multi-Color approached Dasani with a new design that would allow its labels to be thinner yet still allow the bottle to be recycled.
The design features a monolayer label that detaches cleanly from the PET bottle in the recycling process. Dasani’s previous label technology sported issues with the ink coming off the label and staining the recycling wash water. This in turn caused the PET flakes to be stained and discolored, therefore degrading the quality of the recycled PET flake.
Multi-Color has produced and qualified these new monolayer labels, which do not stain the PET flakes and allow the flakes to be reused for subsequent moldings. The monolayer labels also offer several other benefits compared to standard 2 ply roll fed constructions. These benefits include increased sustainability, enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings opportunities.
The monolayer film is more sustainable because it uses less overall material than laminated labels, Multi-Color says. In addition, it still meets the strict requirements for PET bottle recycling. Meanwhile, operational efficiency is enhanced because the thinner film allows for more labels per roll. This creates fewer roll changes on application equipment and more labels per pallet. Storage space is also optimized because less space is required to store a larger number of labels, creating more storage space for other items the brand could utilize. Since more labels can fit on one pallet, freight costs are driven down, allowing for further cost savings opportunities.
The Dasani labels are printed in a gravure format, which provides excellent print quality and consistent label length repeats for application. Moving to monolayer labels from laminated labels also offers brand teams the ability to surface print embellishments, such as tactile and matte/gloss, which adds to the consumer’s brand experience.
Overall, the Coca-Cola team was very pleased with the final result of the Dasani monolayer labels. They were able to make several new improvements, all with one new label construction.
“The transition to monolayer labels allowed Dasani to advance its sustainability agenda as part of a World Without Waste while also presenting a cost savings opportunity to our business,” explains Zen Kramer, associate brand manager at Dasani. “Working with MCC allowed for a seamless transition to the new label technology and helped continue a partnership focused on innovation and efficiency.”
This project proved to be successful through great collaboration between Coca-Cola and Multi-Color Corporation. According to Multi-Color, the company is satisfied to help Coca-Cola meet its goals and make a positive impact on the environment.
Multi-Color is a prominent label converter, providing labeling solutions to a number of the world’s most prominent brands. The company’s breadth of end uses includes home and personal care, wine and spirits, food and beverage, health care and specialty consumer products, and more.
The design features a monolayer label that detaches cleanly from the PET bottle in the recycling process. Dasani’s previous label technology sported issues with the ink coming off the label and staining the recycling wash water. This in turn caused the PET flakes to be stained and discolored, therefore degrading the quality of the recycled PET flake.
Multi-Color has produced and qualified these new monolayer labels, which do not stain the PET flakes and allow the flakes to be reused for subsequent moldings. The monolayer labels also offer several other benefits compared to standard 2 ply roll fed constructions. These benefits include increased sustainability, enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings opportunities.
The monolayer film is more sustainable because it uses less overall material than laminated labels, Multi-Color says. In addition, it still meets the strict requirements for PET bottle recycling. Meanwhile, operational efficiency is enhanced because the thinner film allows for more labels per roll. This creates fewer roll changes on application equipment and more labels per pallet. Storage space is also optimized because less space is required to store a larger number of labels, creating more storage space for other items the brand could utilize. Since more labels can fit on one pallet, freight costs are driven down, allowing for further cost savings opportunities.
The Dasani labels are printed in a gravure format, which provides excellent print quality and consistent label length repeats for application. Moving to monolayer labels from laminated labels also offers brand teams the ability to surface print embellishments, such as tactile and matte/gloss, which adds to the consumer’s brand experience.
Overall, the Coca-Cola team was very pleased with the final result of the Dasani monolayer labels. They were able to make several new improvements, all with one new label construction.
“The transition to monolayer labels allowed Dasani to advance its sustainability agenda as part of a World Without Waste while also presenting a cost savings opportunity to our business,” explains Zen Kramer, associate brand manager at Dasani. “Working with MCC allowed for a seamless transition to the new label technology and helped continue a partnership focused on innovation and efficiency.”
This project proved to be successful through great collaboration between Coca-Cola and Multi-Color Corporation. According to Multi-Color, the company is satisfied to help Coca-Cola meet its goals and make a positive impact on the environment.
Multi-Color is a prominent label converter, providing labeling solutions to a number of the world’s most prominent brands. The company’s breadth of end uses includes home and personal care, wine and spirits, food and beverage, health care and specialty consumer products, and more.