Sustainable packaging is a hot topic at the moment. It’s proving to be very important to consumers. As a result, businesses need to think carefully about what they are using. One thing in particular to look at is mono-materials. They offer significant advantages over multi-materials. Let’s have a closer look here, then you can trust us if you want to arrange foiling services.
What are they?
As you may be able to guess from the names, they refer to the number of different materials in products. Mono-materials are just one raw material. This can be paper, cardboard, wood, glass, metal, or plastic. Multi-materials on the other hand feature several raw materials, combining them to create packaging with the right properties.
Let’s look at an example. Imagine purchasing meat from a supermarket. It will likely be in a plastic tray with a film cover and a paper and plastic label. You can typically only recycle the tray; the films and labels often aren’t suitable for recycling. However, a mono-material such as a paper bag of sugar is 100% recyclable.
Advantages
There are some significant benefits if you choose mono-materials for packaging. As we just said, you can recycle them effectively. This is fantastic for the environment. It means there is no waste; all materials can go on to become something new. This is the case even if you choose foiling services. The right foils don’t stop recycling.
As well as the green benefits, choosing packaging that is easy to recycle is great for your brand image. Most consumers want to see this today. They would rather buy from brands who think about the environment and make it easy for them to recycle. So, the right choices here can actually translate to more business.
Finally, there can be cost advantages too. Simplifying packaging designs can result in big savings. It is important to consider this, especially considering how good some modern mono-materials are. There are options that can provide fantastic barrier properties, removing the need to use composites.
Challenges
While there are lots of advantages, it is also important to consider a few drawbacks. Most importantly, some multi-materials provide superior protection and longevity for different products. If it is goods that are more sensitive, such as medications and certain foods, it is best to continue using them.
In addition, some businesses can be put off by mono-materials due to technological barriers. It can take time to design suitable alternatives to multi-materials, especially if you need to provide similar properties. In some cases a business won’t want to spend the money on research and development, even if there are long term savings on the table.
Talk to us about foiling services
If you do want to choose mono-materials for packaging, remember in many cases you can still use foil to add decorative touches. There are some exceptional foils on the market. Crucially, they are thin and use very little material. As a result, it won’t cause problems for recycling.
You’re welcome to contact us if you want to talk about foiling services. We can explain the options, including hot and cold stamping for different applications. More importantly, we can give you details about foils, helping you to decide what to use if you value recyclability and sustainability.