What sustainable packaging means and what the role of ink is. Analyses and solutions from Sun Chemical, which in a comprehensive guide presents the state of the art of the technology.
In line with its overall approach to sustainability and as the company’s inks form an important and integral part of the finished packaging, Sun Chemical is committed to supporting the packaging industry to achieve its own sustainability goals by, for example, trying to increase the amount of raw materials obtained from biorenewable sources. One way in which this is done is by only using soybean oil that comes from already existing soybean crops in fields that have been certified as not replacing other pre-existing natural biodiversity.
One of the main reasons plastic packaging is so difficult to recycle is because it is made up of multiple materials. An area that Sun Chemical is making strides towards in the aim of a truly circular economy is the ongoing advances in mono-material developments. Eliminating packaging layers and reducing complexity make the recycling and, in some cases, composting process easier.
While there are some logistical concerns about the use of paper and its robustness, its lightweight qualities do mean it is an affordable material for packaging and it is also one of the most sustainable raw materials available.
Digital innovations The majority of packaging is still printed using analogue technology. Therefore the majority of the products Sun Chemical supplies to the industry are for use with analogue equipment. Nevertheless, in line with the general growth in the take-up of digital technology, Sun Chemical is increasingly focusing on providing products and solutions that are compatible with digital equipment to enable printers and converters to take full advantage of the benefits of the digital printing process.
Regarding products, Sun Chemical currently offers SunEvo,™ a broad range of digital coatings and a complementary range of SunJet inkjet inks. With the SunEvo range of digital primers, overprint varnishes and lamination adhesives, Sun Chemical can help customers in flexible packaging, labels, folding carton and corrugated unleash the full power of digital printing.
In doing so, Sun Chemical also offers customers a strong sustainable value proposition with SunEvo and SunJet, which utilise water-based solutions, have the ability to emit no VOCs, and were formulated using far fewer petrochemically originated products. And that combine environmental and economic sustainability, at the service of a technology that reduces waste and consumption.
Sustainability is specialization
A vast portfolio of technologies and products at the service of individual, specific needs of use in the world of packaging and communication stands as Sun Chemical’s most valuable contribution to sustainability. The guide, which you can use through this link, illustrates them punctually, opening new perspectives to the user.
