Enhancing Sustainability in Flexible Packaging through Latex Binders
- Published: March 09, 2025
By Daniele Vinci, Business Development Manager, CASE EMEA, Trinseo
Evolving government regulations and consumer demands continue to drive interest in sustainable packaging materials. As a result, industry professionals are turning to flexible packaging to help meet sustainability standards by incorporating sustainably advantaged materials into their offerings. In fact, interest in flexible packaging continues to grow, comprising about 21 percent of the $108.3 billion U.S. packaging market, which makes it the second-largest packaging segment.1
This transition is partly driven by the fact that flexible packaging uses less material and is generally lighter than other forms of packaging, such as metal or rigid plastics. Flexible packaging can also be designed with functional attributes that make it extremely convenient for consumers and retailers. Flexible packaging also creates an ideal structure for display appeal, product branding and messaging.
However, traditional flexible packaging often consists of multilayer structures that are difficult to recycle. To improve sustainability, the packaging industry is increasingly focused on replacing these multilayer designs with recyclable paper or mono-material solutions, as well as looking at new recycling technologies that can accommodate multilayer structures.
Latex binders play a critical role within flexible packaging as they support the longevity of the application by delivering key performance properties such as mechanical strength, durability and adhesion. Additionally, the right latex binder can be designed to meet specific sustainability goals, as they have the potential to enhance repulpability and recyclability. By investing in latex binders, packaging manufacturers can design products that meet their performance needs while enhancing their sustainable attributes.
The Role of Latex Binders
Latex binders are not just vital; they are indispensable in achieving a durable, flexible packaging application. These polymer dispersions enable high shear and bond strength, significantly reducing the risk of layer separation and ensuring the quality and durability of the packaging.
Furthermore, latex binders are crucial in safeguarding the packaging application against mechanical stressors such as rough handling, excessive bending or improper storage. The emulsions can also impart barrier properties onto the packaging materials, such as moisture resistance and water vapor barrier, ensuring the safety and integrity of the packaged contents.
Moreover, by adjusting the monomer composition, latex binders can be designed for various substrates and laminations. In doing so, manufacturers enable strong compatibility with specific substrates and can choose a material that meets their unique needs. Additionally, manufacturers can introduce additives to latex binders, such as adhesion promoters, or leverage cross-linking designs to improve the performance of the packaging materials, empowering them with customization options.
The right latex binder is not just a component but a crucial factor in creating flexible packaging that meets the industry's stringent performance requirements. Its versatility and ability to enhance sustainability make it an indispensable packaging component.
Enhancing Sustainability
With its lightweight material composition, flexible packaging often requires less energy and resources during production and transportation than traditional packaging solutions, making it an attractive option for manufacturers looking to meet sustainability goals.
However, the ability to customize latex binders can take the sustainability of this application one step further. Manufacturers can turn to latex binders produced using the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification's (ISCC) mass balance approach to make their flexible packaging more sustainably advantaged. This chain of custody model is designed to trace the input and output of materials throughout the value chain, allowing companies to verify the sustainable content of their products.
Packaging manufacturers can also leverage water-based latex binders, which help reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by a product. Water-based latex binders contain minimal or no organic solvents, which are often the primary source of VOCs in many adhesives. By formulating binders primarily with water as the solvent, manufacturers can substantially reduce overall VOC content and align with stringent air quality standards while achieving effective bonding properties within packaging applications.
Another way to enhance the application's sustainability is incorporating recyclate into the latex binder design. Derived from recycled monomers, this latex emulsion reduces the need for virgin materials while providing performance properties similar to those of its fossil-based counter-parts.
The chemistry used in water-based emulsion latex binders can significantly enhance the recyclability of flexible packaging. Their compatibility with polyolefins used in the new mono-material designs facilitates traditional recycling methods for plastic-based packaging, while controlled cross-linking can release fibers during the pulping process, facilitating the recyclability of fiber-based packaging.
To verify the repulpability of their latex emulsion-containing packaging materials, industry professionals can turn to standardized testing methods such as the CEPI Recyclability Laboratory test in Europe, the Fiber Box Association's Recyclability Protocol or the use of the How2Recycle label in North America. The testing methods review the breakdown of materials during standard paper and board mill recycling and are critical for validating sustainability claims.
As regulations evolve, the packaging industry must continue to focus on incorporating more sustainable materials. By choosing the right latex binders, packaging manufacturers can create a long-lasting application that meets sustainability standards, such as repulpability. Latex emulsions can transform the flexible packaging industry as they support using sustainably advantaged materials.
1 Flexible Packaging Industry Facts and Figures. (2023, September). https://www.flexpack.org/facts-and-figures
About the Author
Daniele Vinci is the EMEA Business Development Manager for the CASE Business at Trinseo. He is well-known for his contributions to business development, strategy and international sales. With in-depth expertise in latex binders, packaging, adhesives, coatings and circular economy, Vinci's career demonstrates his steadfast commitment to sustainability and innovation within the chemical industry.
