Mono-Materials: The Future of Sustainable Packaging

Navigating printing and coding solutions for next-generation flexible packaging

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Flexible packaging plays a vital role in today's supply chain, but its multi-material structure often makes it difficult, if not impossible, to recycle. As a result, many industries are shifting toward mono-material solutions that maintain packaging performance while improving recyclability.

Traditionally, films used for flexible packaging are made from several layers of material laminated together. Each layer consists of different materials chosen for their specific attributes, such as barrier properties, printability, and heat-sealing ability. While this lamination of different materials can perform exceptionally well in packaging applications, it can make recycling difficult. There is often no economical way to separate the materials in the mechanical recycling process, so a lot of flexible packaging ends up in landfills.

As a result, brands are looking for options that will match the performance of traditional packaging materials while improving recyclability.

What are mono-materials?

Replacing traditional — multi-material laminated packaging with alternatives that offer enhanced potential for recyclability, such as mono-materials, is a growing solution for brands. As the name suggests, a mono-material film replaces the mix of multiple components used in flexible packaging with just one type of material. The typical requirement to be considered mono-material is 90% of the same material by weight. Paper, aluminum, and plastics like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are examples of mono-materials that can help with recycling. However, this is not without some challenges.

Performance challenges