NextCycle IML packaging JOZO's salt shakers have upgraded from standard IML to NextCycle IML™ decorated PP containers. NextCycle IML™ is a revolutionary in mold labeling (IML) technology developed to maximize the value of recycled PP (rPP). Engineered for mechanical recycling, NextCycle IML™ will help resolve the current rPP bottleneck by enabling recyclers to provide large quantities of high purity, potentially even food-grade, rPP to meet the growing demand.
The process:
(1) NextCycle IML™ labels are uniquely designed to separate from the container during the grinding stage of the mechanical recycling process.
(2) The grinding stage leads to a mixture of heavy fraction (container) flakes and light fraction (label) flakes that goes into the washing and drying phase.
(3) Following is the air elutriation phase, which removes the light PP label flakes from the mixture, ready for advanced recycling.
(4) The clear PP container flakes thus enter the extrusion phase without the label flakes.
(5) The result: white NextCycle IML™ decorated containers will be recycled into white rPP. Same for transparant containers, resulting in transparant rPP. This opens doors to the future availability of food-grade rPP. There are no additional investments needed from recycler nor packaging converter.
The benefits of NextCycle IML™ packaging are largely comparable to regular IML, topped off with next-level recyclability aspects: high quality printing, strong and hygienic, quick design changeovers, single step production, mono-material.