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BARCODING, LABELLING & PACKAGING A
new study with board directors and senior executives who work for fashion brands and retailers in the UK, US and Australia, by Aquapak Polymers, which specialises in polymer-based
material technologies that can deliver both performance and environmental responsibility at scale, reveals 12 per cent expect their business to be fully circular within one to two years, 34 per cent within two to three years and 31 per cent within three to four years. One fifth expect to reach this goal in four to five years. Almost one third rated their strategy for making their business fully circular as excellent, over half said it was good and 14 per cent described it as average, suggesting there is room for improvement. When it comes to sustainability leadership,
over half described their business as a market leader and innovator, 39 per cent said that their business was average and ‘following the leaders’ and seven per cent describe their business as a laggard and ‘playing catchup’. The findings also show that while 49 per cent
said sustainability is regarded as highly important to the success of their business, just 21 per cent described the quality of effectiveness of their sustainability strategy and programme as excellent. Over one third said that reducing the use of
polyethylene plastic in packaging is a highly important part of their sustainability strategy, and a further 63 per cent said it was quite important. To help reduce plastic packaging pollution Aquapak has developed Hydropol, a unique new polymer which is soluble and non-toxic to marine life. Hydropol can be used as an alternative to conventional plastic in a wide variety of applications as it provides the same functionality and performance but without the associated environmental problems. It is currently used to make products such as garment bags, offering all the necessary features of traditional polybags: strength and puncture resistance; clarity of film; and protection from leakages and dirt. Crucially, Hydropol garment bags present
zero end-of-life issues for consumers and brands. They can be disposed of in existing domestic waste streams without contaminating other recyclable products or they can be dissolved immediately in hot water at home without producing dangerous micro-plastics. They are also compostable, and degrade harmlessly on land or in the ocean. Mark Lapping, CEO of Aquapak, comments:
“Our study shows that the circular economy and sustainability are priorities for boards and senior executives in the fashion industry, although only half think that their business is at the vanguard of change when it comes to innovation and market-leadership. There has been an acceleration in new technologies in the sector, so the opportunity for brands to step up and lead the industry is there for the taking. “Aquapak is already working with several
NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THE FASHION INDUSTRY’S COMMITMENT TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
early-adopter fashion companies who are determined to drive a significant change in the industry by embracing upstream innovation in packaging. These businesses are proof that new materials work and can make the difference that consumers are now demanding to see from fashion brands.”
ACCELERATING THE TRANSITION TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY Who is using Hydropol? Consumers and businesses are increasingly concerned about plastic pollution and environmental sustainability. Packaging producers need solutions. Aquapak has partnered with a growing base of clients in apparel, fashion, hospitality, healthcare, food packaging, logistics packaging, industrial, nonwovens, and other packaging.
What is Hydropol made from? The base plastic is currently used for dishwasher tablets, ingestible pill casings and soluble stitches. Hydropol‘s resistance to low temperature solubility and high barrier to elements adds functionality, providing a wider range of uses. It can be recycled, re-pulped, composted and is distinctively compatible with
anaerobic digestion. Furthermore, if unintentionally released into the natural environment, Hydropol – which is non-toxic and marine safe - will dissolve and subsequently biodegrade, leaving no trace.
What is Hydropol being used for? Extrusion coatings and laminates for paper/board applications are commercially available and in customer production trial stages, including a number of home delivery and ecommerce applications, packaging for dried pet food, snacks, cooked meat and convenience food applications. Blown film products commercially available and made from Hydropol include garment bags, ESD bags, organic waste disposal bags and laundry bags for infection control. These can be disposed of at home by the consumer in hot water or added to the recycling where they dissolve during the recycling wash processes. Other applications under development with
customers and development partners include injection moulded parts such as golf tees, nonwoven fibre for applications such as flushable wet wipes and cellulose combinations for thermoformed trays.
Aquapak Polymers
www.aquapakpolymers.com
22 FEBRUARY 2024 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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