UK film manufacturer Futamura and Dutch labelstock producer Bio4life have announced a ‘breakthrough’ in fruit labelling by producing a certified home and industrial compostable PSA label designed to help eliminate conventional plastic stickers from fresh fruit and vegetables.
Futamura’s NatureFlex cellulose films provide the home compostable facestock, while Bio4life’s technology delivers the certified home compostable adhesive. The outcome is a label described as renewable, food-safe, and compatible with both industrial and home composting systems, as well as being suitable for a range of fresh produce such as apples, citrus fruits, avocados and kiwis.
Futamura explained that traditionally produced PSA labels use fossil-based plastics and non-compostable adhesives, making them a contamination risk in organic waste streams and anaerobic digestion processes. This is because consumers dispose of the label together with the fruit and vegetable skins.
Fruit and vegetable labels produced using NatureFlex films are suitable for anaerobic digestion, breaking down in the process.
Gerard Benthem, sales manager at Futamura, said, “Compostable fruit and vegetable labels are a great innovation that supports a truly circular economy. Bio4life and Futamura have a shared vision for the future of labelling, and we hope to help brands and retailers’ transition away from conventional plastics to renewable and compostable label materials.”
Marcel de Oude, co-owner of Bio4life, added, “Our home compostable adhesive technology BioTAK® is designed to work hand-in-hand with renewable home compostable substrates like NatureFlex. This partnership showcases how collaboration can accelerate the shift toward packaging that supports a circular economy. We’re proud to bring this innovation to market with Futamura.”
