Carbios and French labeler partner for home-compostable shrink sleeve labels
23 Sep 2024 --- Circular plastics company Carbios is partnering with Sleever, a French shrink sleeve label technology company, to develop home-compostable, biodegradable, mono-oriented transverse shrink films.
The partnership includes a “master supply agreement” of Carbios Active, the enzymatic solution developed by Carbios for PLA biodegradation. Carbios Active is integrated directly into the transformation process to make these PLA-rich films home-compostable.
Carbios Active can be integrated directly into the film manufacturing phase, enabling PLA-rich packaging to be composted at room temperature, thereby improving its life cycle.
Emmanuel Ladent, CEO at Carbios, says: “Our partnership with Sleever to bring compostable sleeves to market opens up new commercial opportunities for Carbios, particularly in the wine and spirits sector where Sleever is a leader. Thanks to the inclusion of Carbios Active in the formula, these types of packaging become compostable at room temperature, contributing to a more sustainable packaging industry.”
Biopolymer-based innovations
The films will enable sleeves to be used in applications such as labeling, wrapping and securing packaging for the luxury goods and mass retail markets, offering an eco-designed solution for packaging with no dedicated value chain.
The encapsulated enzyme, Carbios Active, “enables the creation of a new generation of products made from biopolymers” that can be composted at ambient temperature, whatever the soil conditions, while offering compostability and being free from toxins and microplastics, according to the company.
A production line has been installed at Carbios’ headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France, capable of producing 2,500 tons annually of Carbios Active (needed to produce the equivalent of 50,000 tons/year of enzymed PLA).
Sleever has over 500 patents and multi-disciplinary R&D. It offers products and services along the value chain, such as film formulation, printing, manufacturing and provision of services.
Eric Fresnel, president at Sleever Group, says: “Our commitment for over 15 years to developing eco-designed packaging solutions to meet the needs of brands naturally brought us closer to Carbios.”
“Today, after four years of development, we are proud to have entered into this partnership. This innovation completes our offer to markets keen to strengthen their impact on the circular economy and opens up real prospects on international markets.”
