The British film manufacturer Futamura and the Dutch label material manufacturer Bio4life are jointly supplying the components for a compostable self-adhesive label for fruit and vegetables. It is designed to help retailers and packaging operations replace conventional plastic stickers on fresh fruit and vegetables and thereby meet the upcoming implementation of the PPWR regulations.
Futamura’s NatureFlex cellulose films form the home-compostable face material, while Bio4life’s technology contributes the required certified home-compostable adhesive. The result is a high-performance label made from renewable raw materials, which is food-safe and suitable for both industrial and home composting systems. It can be used for a wide variety of fresh produce such as apples, citrus fruit, avocados and kiwis.
Composting label solution
Conventional self-adhesive labels are made from fossil-based plastics and non-compostable adhesives. These materials pose a significant contamination risk to biowaste streams, as they are often disposed of together with fruit and vegetable peelings. The labels are generally too small to be separated effectively and do not decompose under anaerobic conditions, which can lead to contamination. The new label solution from Futamura and Bio4life promises to solve this problem.
The new compostable self-adhesive label, developed using both technologies, meets the growing demand for environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Bio4Life supplies certified label material that is suitable for both home and industrial composting without compromising on performance, printability or processing efficiency. NatureFlex films offer a renewable cellulose-based face material made from responsibly sourced wood pulp. The films are available in transparent, white or metallised versions to suit all customer requirements.
High stiffness, low weight
Due to their mechanical properties, the new labels are ideally suited for die-cutting and label dispensing. Because they are stiffer than other bio-based and compostable alternatives, they can be used with a lower grammage without impairing their excellent processability. They feature outstanding printability, which enables an appealing appearance and excellent ink adhesion. Cellulose films are naturally antistatic, which facilitates the handling of the film during conversion. In addition, NatureFlex cellulose films offer a high barrier effect against oils and chemicals; this prevents substances from penetrating the label and permanently preserves its quality.
„Our home-compostable adhesive technology, BioTak, is designed to work hand in hand with renewable, home-compostable substrates like NatureFlex. This partnership illustrates how collaboration can accelerate the shift towards packaging that supports a circular economy. We are proud to bring this innovation to market together with Futamura.“
Marcel de Oude, co-owner of Bio4life
The countdown to the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) on 12 February 2028 adds urgency to the transition to mandatory compostable fruit and vegetable labels, leaving the fresh produce industry with only a single harvest cycle to complete the necessary trials and testing. This tight timeframe underlines the need for close collaboration across the entire supply chain to ensure that fully compliant solutions are trialled, tested and ready for use in good time before the PPWR provisions take effect.
Source: Futamura
