Thanks to a proprietary process developed with Clairefontaine, Fedrigoni Self Adhesives has created premium label papers based on recycled glassine.
With Re-Play, the Self Adhesives branch of Italian papermaker Fedrigoni has launched a range of label paper thanks to the recovery of glassine. “Until now, glassine – the backing film that comes off the label when it is glued to a substrate – ended up in landfill or was occasionally recycled to make thermal insulation," explains Aurore Gustin, Fedrigoni Self Adhesives Business Development Manager for France and Benelux. “We upcycle the material so that it can be reused in the label manufacturing circuit.”
Glassine is composed of natural fibers and silicone, which makes it complex to recycle as the two components need to be separated before the transformation and recovery process. With the help of its partner Clairefontaine, the Italian supplier developed an exclusive process that allows it upcycle it keeping the silicone part. Inspired by low temperature pulping in biomasse, the technique avoid the energy-intensive process needed to separate the silicone layer from the paper. Some 15 to 20% of the glassine are then used to produce a new medium made up of recycled fibers from the manufacturing process and therefore not printed.
The Re-Play range includes four types of FSC-certified recycled premium paper, each with a different finish: Nature White, Hammered, Retro, Pearl. “Winegrowers are particularly interested in joining the collection and recycling chain and using the labels as they are subject to taxes for the waste they generate with glassine,” notes Gustin.
Beyond the high-end drinks sector, the label range is also suited to fragrance and beauty applications.
Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives is a member of the CELAB-Europe, a consortium of 30 companies in the self-adhesives industry looking to implement reuse and recycling initiatives for label matrix and liners.
