By Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials

The European Commission and companies across Europe have ambitious plans to fight climate change. Brands are increasingly focused on enabling the recyclability of their packaging, to both meet their own sustainability goals and fulfill the requirements of legislation like the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

At Avery Dennison, we’re not only working to ensure that our products contribute to positive environmental change, but also doing what we can to enable our partners to contribute as well. We therefore take the challenges faced by our customers into account and strive to develop more sustainable solutions that are as easy as possible for them to adopt.

Two of our partners who’ve taken big steps to make their packaging more sustainable are our customer, label printer All4Labels, and Kao, a leading Japanese manufacturer of household, beauty, and personal care products whose portfolio includes brands like Bioré, John Frieda, and Curél. One way they’re doing this is with AD CleanFlake, our award-winning label materials that enable recycling of PET and HDPE packaging while delivering uncompromised performance.

The challenge

Incorporating sustainable solutions is the norm at All4Labels. “We always prioritize sustainability in our operations and in our solutions so that we can make a real contribution to collective progress,” says Gabriela Neves Ferri, All4Labels’ VP Global R&D and Sustainability.

Sustainability is also a daily topic at Kao. “Sustainable packaging is a core pillar of our strategy and design for recycling plays a key role in how we support the circular economy and enable our consumers to attain zero waste lifestyles,” says Nicola Bäuerle, director, Sustainability, AEMEA, Kao. “We are continuously working to improve the technical recyclability of our packages to meet our ambitious goals and comply with ever-evolving regulations.”

One of Kao’s packaging teams’ focus areas is PET bottle packaging, as used for Bioré cleanser products. To improve the recyclability of these bottles and address various technical requirements from the European PET Bottle Platform, the Association of Plastics Recyclers, and RecyClass, Kao decided to use a flip top closure and a label that would wash off during the recycling process.

The solution

While searching for a suitable label technology, they enlisted the help of All4Labels. “We design our products to enable a clear recycling journey,” Frank Alexander, All4Labels’ SVP of Global Sales, explains. “We support our customers, for example, personal care brands like Kao, to convert the technical specifications of their labels to better meet sustainability standards and facilitate recycling.”

During their search, they came across AD CleanFlake. “It caught our attention because it was one of the first label solutions to enable the label wash-off process for PET recycling,” says Daniel Nebe, senior manager of Packaging Development, Consumer Care, AEMEA at Kao.

AD CleanFlake also met their quality and performance standards. “We were very happy with the results of the tests we ran,” Nebe says. “We have been using AD CleanFlake since the first generation and have now switched to the latest version, since it offers good performance on the production line, as well as on the product and enhanced recyclability.”

Using AD CleanFlake means more than just enhanced recyclability for their Bioré packaging. “Enabling recyclability for both PET and HDPE also means we can enjoy reduced specifications, better performance on production lines due to fewer material changes, and more efficient processing in the supply chain,” Nebe says. “Our next step is to develop monomaterial solutions for our polyolefin packages. Avery Dennison supports us throughout the process with detailed technical know-how and customer-focused solutions.”

The results

Developing more sustainable packaging is just one way Kao approaches sustainability. “Sustainability is at the heart of our business strategy and everyday work,” Bäuerle says. “We have ambitious goals to reduce our environmental footprint, focused on areas such as decarbonization, waste reduction, and sustainable product innovation.”

“Reducing fossil-based plastic and supporting a circular economy play an integral role in our zero waste strategy,” she continues. “Improving our packaging and designing it in a way that supports technical recyclability helps us achieve our ambitious goals.”