Sustainable self-adhesive labels

The lengthy and complex value chain means that our members are challenged to interact at many levels and in many ways with the environmental agenda. The chain begins with raw materials such as paper, films, polymers and chemicals. It continues through energy efficient lamination and label converting and the recycling of processing waste; and concludes only with disposal with recycling-friendly consumer packaging.

There are many different disciplines introducing innovations in technology that also contribute to an improved environment. These include adhesives that address the problems of ‘stickies’ in the repulping of self-adhesive labels; the reduction of energy costs and on-press print substrate waste through a lean manufacturing mindset; ‘best practice’ in inks to avoid contamination of foods from their packaging; and linerless labels, effectively removing one of the industry’s biggest recycling challenges. Important, too, is a blueprint for good health and safety practices in the label press room; and the use of web-based, collaborative prepress and print management software to enable packaging printers to produce locally yet manage globally.

Mike Fairley, an expert on the labelling industry, draws attention to an area where he feels it a real need to issue a call to action. The label industry must, he says, ‘start being proactive, not reactive’ in the broader sustainability arena, because brand owners are increasingly committed to environmental initiatives. Global companies like Procter & Gamble and Unilever are now pressing for the establishment of global environmental and sustainability standards: national or regional schemes are no longer of interest.

The inauguration of the Global Packaging Project in 2010 unites the world’s biggest brands and packaging groups in a drive to end the long-running arguments about packaging’s environmental, social, and economic impact. Its starting point is the development of a common language of definitions. There is currently no representation from the self-adhesive label community in this trail-blazing initiative, but the leading industry trade organisations around the world are committed to obtaining admission and providing active representation.

Opportunities for environmental certification

As well as the Global Packaging Project, there are many other ways in which the self-adhesive label industry can engage with sustainability in the broader packaging community of which it is an important part. Environmental management systems such as ISO 14001, Lean Six Sigma, and the US-based Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute’s industry-specific ‘LIFE’ system (‘Label Initiative For the Environment’) offer opportunities for suppliers and converters to achieve environmental certification that is recognised by brand owners.

Label converters can also develop a measurable materials efficiency waste management strategy aligned to end users’ goals on carbon impact, and demonstrate a commitment to the use of recycled material content. At a commercial level, some brand owners are using their environmental agenda to drive a supplier rationalisation programme – with obvious negative prospects for label converters who do not espouse their values.

The self-adhesive label industry’s future very much depends on sustainable market growth, and there are channels through which this can be achieved. Innovation in label applications, including out-of-the-box promotional solutions and the versatility of self-adhesive labels in speciality segments, such as security labelling, are good examples. Persuading brand owners to change from an alternative product decoration technology to self-adhesive labels is an additional opportunity, and it can be made more attractive by current environmental initiatives such as substrate and liner downgauging and the use of ‘green’ – recycled or recyclable – materials.

While the self-adhesive label industry now has sustainability right at the top of its agenda, there is still plenty of room for action – action that must involve participants at every level of the value chain if the self-adhesive label is to retain its rightful place as the most versatile and flexible means of product decoration, offering brand owners the opportunity to choose proven sustainable solutions for labelling their products that also, genuinely, add value.