Sleever’s LDPET rewarded for its full body sleeve compatible with clear PET bottle recycling
Each year,the AWA International Sleeve Label Awards recognise the world’s most innovative sleeve products (heat-shrink labels). The award for environmental contribution was recently given to Sleever for its LDPET product, a full-body sleeve to enable enhanced recyclability of PET bottles.
Developed exclusively by Sleever, LDPET has assisted brands with their ecological transition since 2014. Because of its technical characteristics, it is stated to be the only full-body sleeve on the market enabling closed-loop recycling of PET bottles thus increasing rPET feedstock.
“The recyclability of a clear PET bottle is dependent on the properties of its associated components: caps and closures, labels and sleeves. Separation of these components is necessary to give recycling compatibility”, explains Sofiane Mameri, Sustainability Director at Sleever.
LDPET is approved and recommended since 2014 by the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) in North America.
Each project is accompanied by a certificate from Sleever in line with test methods published by these organisations. The LDPET certificate confirms that the brand’s product conforms with all the stages of material sorting and reprocessing. The sleeve’s composition and density enable the bottle to be correctly identified during optical sorting and then easily separated from the clear PET flakes by floatation in a water bath. The inks used on the sleeves are non-washable and non-bleeding, therefore, during the washing stage inks remain on the sleeve and do not pollute either the wash water or the recycled material .
No compromise for brands’ creative ambitions
With the Sleeve Label Award for Environmental Contribution, the AWA jury has recognised LDPET’s sustainable character coupled with its ability to maintain a brand’s identity with premium decoration. A sleeve label follows the contours of even the most complex container like a second skin, making it a highly adaptable solution and allowing great creative freedom.
Amongst others, Evian, Volvic and Nestlé have already chosen LDPET to enhance their bottle design.
Take a look at the Award ceremony here.
