Avery Dennison releases industry-first rPE facestock

The labelling industry’s first facestock made from rPE has been introduced by Avery Dennison.

Successful print and dispensing trials are now complete, demonstrating the company’s commitment to finding more sustainable solutions for the labelling industry.

With growing demand for recycled materials among consumers, the new material is an important step towards meeting brand owners’ sustainability goals and complying with emerging regulations.

Jenny Wassenaar, Avery Dennison Label and Graphic Materials Sustainability Director for the EU, said: “Polyethylene labels are a very widely used component of packaging, so improving sustainability is important.”

“The technical challenges we faced when developing this rPE product were significant in terms of matching technical performance, and development work is ongoing. Our expectation is that films with recycling content will improve further still as we pursue new lines of research.”

Rob Groen in ‘t Wout, Senior Marketing Manager for Films, said: “There is a big appetite for making a personal contribution to sustainability, and brands are actively looking for more sustainable material options. An rPE label will make a contribution towards that goal.”