Packaging manufacturer Coveris has developed SleeveFlexR Stretch, a new solution for stretch sleeves made from up to 75 per cent recycled material. The innovation will be presented for the first time at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe in Amsterdam.
The new sleeve solution fulfils all the requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). It was made possible by the expertise and production capacity of ReCover, the recycling division of Coveris. Coveris and ReCover succeed for the first time with SleeveFlexR Stretch a real sleeve-to-sleeve cycle, because the recycled content of the new product is 35, 50 or even 75 per cent.
Printed stretch sleeves, also known as shrink sleeve labels, are collected via existing recycling streams and recycled. taken to a ReCover plant for reprocessing. Here, the printing inks are applied with a special deinking technology is removed from the material. This produces high-quality post-consumer recyclate (PCR).
With ReCover, Coveris is pursuing the goal of „No Waste“ in line with the company's own sustainability strategy, to keep plastics in the recycling loop in the long term. The PCR obtained is therefore in the production facility in Warburg, Germany used for the production of SleeveFlexR Stretch solutions - for example for beverages, dairy products, household and personal care products as well as speciality and agrochemicals. In this way, Coveris contributes to the circular economy with SleeveFlexR Stretch, while at the same time fulfilling EU recycling requirements and the requirements of the UK plastics tax regime.
The lightweight SleeveFlexR stretch solutions made of polyethylene (PE) from Coveris are elastic and fit snugly around bottles and containers without heat or glue. They provide an effective and robust packaging format for displaying important consumer information, while also ensuring an attractive presentation on the shelf. The stretch sleeves are designed to be easily separated from the primary packaging.
The introduction of Coveris‚ sleeve-to-sleeve PCR model offers an attractive addition for industries such as bottling that already have an established recycling infrastructure. Brand owners and retailers can improve the environmental performance of their packaging, as both bottles and their sleeves are recirculated.
Source: Coveris
Coveris at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) on 1 and 2 April 2025 at RAI Amsterdam: Stand G116
