Irplast S.p.A., a leading global producer of simultaneously bi-oriented BOPP film, for manufacturing of printed adhesive tapes, wrap­around labels for the food, beverage, dairy, personal & home care markets and for multi-pack solutions, has selected certified circular and certified renewable Sabic PP polymers from Sabic’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio for its new S-BOPP film solutions.

This portfolio offers brand owners and packaging suppliers the ability to achieve more sustainable packaging material solutions, which are immediately implementable, without having to change packaging appearance or packaging machinery, eliminating any need for investment in machinery or processes.

“We firmly believe that sustainable growth must become a priority for businesses producing and converting plastic packaging materials. As a packaging producer, we are well aware of our responsibilities in making the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals a reality and we are very committed to the challenge,” said Naomi Lunadei, Sustainability Manager at Irplast. “We have undertaken a gradual but determined path, consistent with the development of new materials according to the guidelines of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directives. Therefore, we have brought out two new innovative product lines in collaboration with Sabic, one to reduce the carbon footprint of BOPP flexible packaging, while the other introduces the possibility of entering the circular economy, being progressively mandated by legislators worldwide.”  

The innovative and sustainable S-BOPP film portfolio from Irplast received ISCC certification at the end of 2019, guarantees the solidity of the chain of custody right through the life cycle, from raw material production to packaging supplies, as per the press release. The renewable BOPP film called NOPP (Natural BOPP) is made from certified renewable Sabic PP material from bio-based feedstock. The circular BOPP film branded as LOOPP is made from certified circular Sabic PP material that uses feedstock made from chemical recycling of mixed post-consumer plastics to deliver virgin-quality resins. The resulting S-BOPP films comply with rigorous food contact regulations, and are 100 percent recyclable in normal polyolefin waste separation streams.

“The materials from our TRUCIRCLE portfolio offer drop-in solutions and we are very happy to collaborate with Irplast and support them to deliver sustainable solutions to the packaging industry. With our certified circular and renewable polymers, we are aiming to create a value chain, where Sabic and key downstream customers like Irplast, collaborate to recycle mixed post- consumer plastic back to the original polymer for packaging or other applications, thereby enabling the circular reuse of the planet’s natural resources,” said Mark Vester, Circular Economy Leader at Sabic.