The flexible packaging industry is moving towards a circular economy, shifting attention from individual materials to how the complete pack performs through its lifecycle.
For brand owners and converters, this means balancing product protection, shelf appeal, print quality and supply chain performance with recyclability, sustainability objectives and changing regulatory expectations. Ink selection should therefore be considered in a broader context: not just as a print-performance decision, but as part of the overall packaging specification.
The next phase of sustainability for flexible packaging will not be defined by substrate choice alone, but by how effectively converters manage the interaction between each component of the pack.
Looking beyond the substrate
The development of recyclable and mono-material PE and PP structures shows why substrate selection cannot be assessed in isolation. While the polymer is central to recyclability, other components, including the ink, also influence collection, sorting and reprocessing.
Although ink represents a relatively small proportion of the finished pack, its formulation can affect recyclability.
In 2025, RecyClass published results from a test campaign aligned with its Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for PE films, showing differences between conventional NC-based inks and alternative chemistries on PE and PP flexible packaging. The PU- and PVB-based inks tested were found to be fully compatible with these recycling streams, and RecyClass subsequently updated its Design for Recycling Guidelines for coloured PE and PP flexibles to reflect the latest findings on printing inks and binder systems.
Regulatory scrutiny of substances of concern is also intensifying. For example, Article 5 of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) limits the sum of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium in all packaging to 100 mg/kg. From 12 August 2026, it also restricts PFAS in food-contact packaging through specified concentration limits.
Ink chemistry must therefore be assessed alongside substrates, adhesives, coatings and other elements within the final pack. Recyclability ultimately depends on the finished pack and the recycling infrastructure available. The UK's Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) assesses household packaging based on its material composition and the effect of individual components across collection, sortation, reprocessing and application. Its recyclability rating is then used to modulate Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) fees, linking recyclability to packaging costs. This means that decisions about individual components, including inks, can affect both the pack's recycling pathway and any associated fees.
Performance still comes first
Improving recyclability cannot compromise the fundamental purpose of flexible packaging. Changes in materials or technology must still deliver the properties needed to protect the product throughout the supply chain.
Water-based ink technology illustrates how ink chemistry can contribute to this balance. PU- and acrylate-based systems provide the adhesion, flexibility, print quality and durability required for demanding flexible film applications across different substrates and production processes.
Sustainability also extends into production, where accurate halftone reproduction and reliable ink transfer can reduce avoidable waste. Water-based systems can also reduce VOC emissions and energy use, offering potential CO₂ savings.
From specification to production
A PE or PP-based structure may offer improved recycling potential, but must also deliver the required barrier, mechanical and aesthetic properties and remain commercially viable to manufacture. Ink system choice must therefore be part of the wider specification, with its impact considered alongside the substrate and production process.
More than 40 years of water-based ink development have shown us that successful packaging solutions rarely depend on chemistry alone. They rely on how these elements work together on press. An ink may perform well in controlled testing yet behave differently when applied to a specific substrate or press at production speed. Understanding these interactions is essential to achieving the required print quality and pack performance.
A lifecycle approach
A circular economy requires materials, inks, adhesives, coatings and other elements to work together throughout the pack's lifecycle, supporting performance in use and viable recycling routes. Considering these factors early can help build sustainability objectives into the complete pack design.
For brand owners, converters and ink manufacturers, this means bringing ink selection into the packaging development process earlier. Assessing chemistry alongside the substrate, structure, production process and intended recycling pathway can help turn circularity objectives into packaging that performs in use and remains compatible with its next stage of the lifecycle.
For more information, visit Follmann.