Cosmo Synthetic Paper Making an Impact on the Hospitality Sector

From training manuals & IDs for staff to menu cards, coasters & even table mats, a paper has a variety of applications in the hospitality industry. But one of the major challenges in using regular paper here is the intense environment. Water or coffee spills, oily/dirty hands are so common in restaurants, hotels, or takeaways that it becomes impossible for it away from paper materials. This eventually leads to an enormous amount of paper consumption. But what if we can change that? Ever thought of using a paper that is resistant to tear, oil & moisture? Introducing Cosmo Synthetic Paper that is here to shift the trends in a sustainable & efficient way.

In this article, we are going to explore the major challenges faced by the hospitality industry in the use of paper and how Cosmo Synthetic Paper helps in overcoming those.

HOW ARE RESTAURANTS USING PAPER?

Hotels & restaurants rely on single-use, wood-pulp-based paper for menu cards, coasters & multiple other applications to get rid of damaged ones, replacing them with new copies. But is it wise to do so, especially when deforestation has now become a global concern? They often end up consuming tons of wood-based paper in a day due to its inefficiency against moisture or oil.

Many of them resort to lamination, comprising clarity and aesthetics. Menu cards are usually the first form of presentation to the customers before the main dish is served. Imagine presenting your customers a scratched or peeled menu card that gives them a hard time understanding. It is common for lamination to peel apart the paper due to rough handling, which is inevitable in restaurants.

COSMO SYNTHETIC PAPER – THE PERFECT SOLUTION

Cosmo Synthetic Paper (CSP) has been adapted by various restaurants & hotels as the perfect replacement for regular paper. Below are the key characteristics of CSP:

• It is resistant to tear, oil & moisture.
• You can wipe off the coffee/food stains without causing any damage to the paper.
• It is highly durable and has a long shelf life.
• It promotes reuse and is recyclable.
• It is 100% tree-free, made using synthetic substrates.
• It is compatible with multiple print technologies.
• It can be die-cut, hot foil stamped, perforated & folded.
• It does not require any additional lamination for protection against the external environment.
• It can withstand tough conditions.

OTHER APPLICATIONS OF COSMO SYNTHETIC PAPER

Other than the hospitality industry, Cosmo Synthetic Paper is widely used across print, publishing, advertising, retail & other industries for multiple purposes. Below are some of its most common applications:

• Mark sheets & Certificates in schools & universities
• Tags & labels for products in retail & manufacturing
• Books, bookmarks in publishing houses
• Government documents like birth/health certificates, ration cards
• IDs, visiting cards, folders and certificates for official use

CONCLUSION

It is time to make the switch to a sustainable & efficient solution—Cosmo Synthetic Paper. Produced by Cosmo Films, a global leader of specialty films, CSP is known for its durability & reliability amongst users. 

Why Labeling Quilts & Blankets Is Important? How to Make Labels Durable & Appealing?

Winter, a season synonymous with cozy & warm blankets, quilts & clothes, is just a few months away. While it is getting ready to knock at your door, are you? There can be a tremendous demand for quilts & blankets during winters. As multiple brands try to fill in for this demand, you need to make sure that yours stands out. Yes, producing superior quality products is important, but many manufacturers forget the most crucial element that helps in the customer’s buying decision—branding. Things like product tags & labels are your brand ambassador on the market’s shelf and must reflect your brand values.

Visually appealing & durable tags/labels can help you scale up your sales by many folds by making your product a preferred choice for customers. Scroll down to know the whys & hows of labeling your quilts & blankets.

IMPORTANCE OF QUILT / BLANKET LABELS
It’s needless to say that labels are important. If you’re restraining from spending your time & money on this tiny element, here are a few reasons that would change your mind.

1. Handling Details: A label contains the handling details of your product. Inefficient labels that get damaged even before reaching the customers fail to deliver handling information. This could increase customer complaints about product damage on incorrect usage.
2. USPs: What makes your product different from others? The fabric quality & other superior materials used, maybe. But your customers won’t know that. Customers today want to make informed purchases & if your label provides them the details they’re looking for, then they’re more likely to buy it.
3. Branding: A small element like a label can go a long way in building your brand reputation. For instance, you go to a store & come across a nice quilt. To know more about it, you further check its label, but the label is torn or damaged. What will that say about the brand? As a result, you might check out other products & purchase the next product with proper labeling.

HOW TO MAKE APPEALING & DURABLE LABELS?
Finding the right substrate to print your labels is the most important factor to ensure durability & aesthetic appeal. These days, brands are switching to synthetic papers to print their labels. Synthetic paper is a 100% tear and tree-free substitute of conventional paper that is resistant to moisture & oil. Some synthetic papers are recyclable too, promoting sustainability & a circular economy. While selecting the synthetic paper for your application, you must ask for its compatibility with your printing techniques & other requirements. It is wise to look for a versatile solution that adapts to changing needs & technologies.

At Cosmo Films, we are a globally renowned synthetic paper manufacturer, trusted by multiple brands for our superior quality & versatile solutions. Our Cosmo Synthetic Paper offers the following benefits:

1. Is resistant to tear, moisture, & oil.
2. Boasts of unmatched tensile & tear strength.
3. Provides designing liberty.
4. Brings imagination to life with superior print quality.
5. Is a tree-free and eco-friendly solution that can be recycled.
6. Is compatible with stitching & other processes.
7. Allows hot foil stamping for elaborate designs.
8. Is compatible with multiple print technologies.

CONCLUSION

We are helping organizations reshape their branding on tags & labels with Cosmo Synthetic Paper. Wanna explore the possibility of using Cosmo Synthetic Paper for your application? CSP can help you bring down your production cost in an efficient & sustainable manner. Connect with our friendly team of experts, who are here to help you throughout the process. 

Cosmo Synthetic Paper in Writing its NEW Success Stories

 

Cosmo Synthetic Paper (CSP), an eco-friendly & revolutionary substitute for conventional wood pulp paper, has written its own success stories in the last year by allowing various brands to benefit from its efficiency. Thanks to our amazing R&D team for this innovation and to everyone who helped it reach new milestones, CSP is now used by top brands & Govt agencies for a variety of applications like labels, merchant stickers, ID cards, stitch-able rice bag tags, patient ID bands & more. Let’s take you through some of its recently accomplished milestones in this blog

UPI Merchant Stickers
Recently, we joined hands with leading printers for UPI merchant stickers. In doing so, we replaced the traditionally used PET-based paper for this application. CSP, a BOPP-based synthetic paper, turned out to be the perfect replacement for the former, as it was non-tearable, resistant to moisture & oil, and highly durable. CSP was also compatible with their digital printing technology and offered better yielding capability & a high conversion rate, increasing their productivity by many folds.

Stitch-able Rice Bag Tag Application
Rice bags are prone to rough conditions and so are their tags. Thus, durability and stitching compatibility are two important factors, as rice tags are stitched along the bags to avoid loss. CSP ticked both the checkboxes while also offering additional capabilities. CSP was compatible with their offset printing technology, enabling both-side printing, quick ink drying & high ink retention which most synthetic papers fail to provide. Cosmo Films’ team further provided them with the ease of customization for sheet size, which helped them reduce wastage & bring down production costs.

Patient ID Bands
CSP recently helped a labeling brand, too, reduce production cost and increase efficiency with CSP Patient ID bands for a healthcare organization. When it comes to healthcare organizations, the solution needs to be resistant to chemicals, tear & moisture to achieve durability. CSP, with these features, helped them increase the shelf life of Patient ID bands. Our solution also helped the labeling brand reduce production costs by 20% without compromising efficiency.

CONCLUSION
CSP is here to revolutionize the paper industry by not only replacing the conventional wood-pulp paper but also the PET-based synthetic papers. It is bringing efficiency & sustainability together with its amazing features, compatibility with multiple technologies and recyclability. Our product innovation has allowed us to carve many more success stories for books, labels/tags, cards, IDs printing. Click here to connect with our experts and make your print application a success.

Source @cosmofilms

Cosmo Synthetic Paper: Your New Partner for the Printing of Certificates and Marksheets

 The education sector is one of the largest consumers of paper. From notebooks to maps, certificates & diplomas, paper is used in almost every activity. But the use of regular paper in universities & schools turns out to be an inefficient & non-sustainable solution, especially for durable applications like certificates, maps, diplomas, book covers and more. The key challenges in using regular paper are:

• It is vulnerable, prone to damage.
• It increases global deforestation.
• When used with lamination, it is prone to peeling & scratches.

Cosmo Synthetic Paper (CSP) has turned out to be a perfect replacement for the conventional wood-pulp paper in durable applications for the education industry. CSP offers multiple benefits that resonate with industry needs and help in achieving both efficiency & sustainability. Scroll down to explore how.

WHAT IS COSMO SYNTHETIC PAPER?
Cosmo Synthetic Paper (CSP) is a white opaque, co-extruded, polypropylene-based BOPP film. It very closely resembles the conventional paper, yet has much more to offer. Made using synthetic substrates, it is extremely durable & eco-friendly as it involves no deforestation in the making. Thus, it’s the perfect substitute for wood-pulp paper in durable applications.

BENEFITS OF CSP FOR MARKSHEET & DIPLOMA APPLICATION
Mark sheets & diplomas are documents that students need even after they’ve completed their education. However, when printed on regular paper, these documents are prone to damage. They need the support of lamination, which again is expensive & not so durable. That is why universities are now switching to Cosmo Synthetic Paper for mark sheets, certificates, or diplomas. Here’s why:

UNMATCHED DURABILITY
CSP, designed to provide better durability, is made using synthetic substrates that offer distinct capabilities to the paper. CSP is:

• Non-Tearable
• Waterproof
• Resistant to oil & chemicals

NO CURLING
Regular paper and even lamination start curling from the edges after a period of time. As a result, the users have to change the lamination from time to time to keep their documents intact. CSP eliminates the chances of curling from the edges with its excellent lay-flat property. Thus, mark sheets printed on CSP stay intact for years.

VERSATILE & QUALITY PRINT CAPABILITIES
The major challenge of using a synthetic substrate is ensuring print compatibility. CSP is a versatile solution that is compatible with multiple printing processes and technologies, including digital, thermal transfer, flexography, UV offset/inkjet & more.

SECURITY FEATURES
To avoid duplication or forgery of documents, users can add security features like micro printing, blind embossing, high-resolution border, invisible printing, void pantograph, hot foil stamping, watermark, serial numbering, QR code, prismatic printing, and others to documents printed on CSP.

REDUCED DEFORESTATION
The paper industry is a major reason for global deforestation. And with universities & schools consuming an enormous amount of paper in day-to-day use, they, too, are contributing to the deforestation process. CSP, made using synthetic substrates, does not require cutting down of trees in the production process, thus reducing deforestation and becoming an eco-friendly & durable substitute for conventional paper.

At Cosmo Films, we have partnered with multiple universities, Govt. institutions & schools to help them leverage the benefits of this revolutionary solution. We are creating a difference by delivering eco-friendly & efficient solutions for you & the environment. To know more about our product or to request free samples, you can connect with our executive

Source : https://www.cosmofilms.com/blog/cosmo-synthetic-paper-for-certificates-and-marksheets/

Cosmo Films: Is Synthetic Paper a Cost-Effective Solution?

Recently, the Synthetic Paper industry has witnessed an increase in the demand by printers, publishers, label manufacturers & more. And it’s for all the good reasons—sustainability, efficiency & last but most important, cost. Wondering why we would include the cost factor in our list; after all, synthetic papers are more expensive than traditional wood pulp paper. Yes, but is it so, especially in durable applications where wood-pulp paper doesn’t suffice? Also, did you know that companies have been able to boost their productivity by more than 20% using synthetic paper? 

In this Article, we will be exploring how synthetic paper is helping companies save cost & time.

Eliminates the Need to Laminate

The conventional wood pulp paper is highly prone to damages when subjected to rough conditions, for instance, in the case of menu cards for restaurants, coffee table books, certificates, etc. Thus, the need for lamination becomes inevitable for water & weatherproofing. Lamination loses its adhesion over time & curls from the edges, becoming no longer effective or aesthetically appealing.Since synthetic papers use synthetic substrates, they are resistant to tear, moisture & chemicals, making a perfect solution for applications where durability is required. Thus, companies end up saving the lamination labor & raw material cost, which otherwise couldn’t be possible. 

Increases the Shelf Life

The shelf life is a big concern for durable applications. The regular paper is extremely vulnerable & is not suitable for long-term applications where durability is required. The popular solution of lamination over paper peels off easily. Thus, users have to keep replacing the lamination from time to time, which can turn out to be expensive & time-consuming in the long run. 

Synthetic paper saves both time & cost with its amazing properties of resistance to tear, moisture & oil. It’s extremely durable on its own & does not require any layer of protection to enhance the shelf life. It also shows amazing ink adhesion, meaning that the ink won’t smudge in the long term. It is the perfect solution for durable applications like menu cards, table mats, certificates, labels, etc. 

Compatibility With Digital Printing 

Most synthetic papers are compatible with the same printers as traditional paper. Thus, companies do not need to invest in new technology to adapt to synthetic paper. While choosing the synthetic paper for your application, you can ask your supplier to provide a sample for trials. This way you can check its compatibility with your print technology. 

Better Yielding Capacity 

Some synthetic papers even offer better yielding capacity, increasing your turnaround time and reducing the cost of labor. With a variety of synthetic paper available in the market, you need to pick the right one that helps you achieve great results. For this, you can again check with your supplier & see if their synthetic paper offers better yielding capacity. Another way to find out is by checking their previous success stories and see how other organizations were able to benefit from their product. This can give you a fair idea of whether it is the right choice for you or not. 

Are you looking for a reliable synthetic paper supplier? Connect with Cosmo Films, a leading synthetic paper manufacturer & supplier. Cosmo Films has partnered with some of the top printers for applications like Paytm/Google pay merchant stickers, IKEA labels & much more.

Recyclable Packaging Solutions From Cosmo Films

Plastic and nature are two juxtaposing factors and the biggest concern for environmentalists today. We often find plastic being portrayed as the center of environmental destruction, yet it continues to be used widely. Why? Because plastic is the most environment-friendly packaging solution as opposed to its counterparts as it reduces the chances of spoilage of packaged products and consumes less energy & materials in the manufacturing & transportation process. For instance, if we use rigid glass packaging for a product, it will take more storage space during transportation as compared to plastic packaging and result in more pollution. Thus, the question is not how to replace plastic, but how to make it eco-friendly?

Reusable packaging solutions are gaining popularity these days. This ensures a circular plastic economy and reduces the need to produce more plastic packaging by restoring the already produced ones for use. In this blog post, we are going to talk about the key benefits of reusable packaging solutions.

Efficient Transportation 

Since this packaging is engineered for reuse, ensuring high quality is of utmost importance. This serves the dual purpose of enhancing packaging shelf life and extra protection to the packaged product. Products packed in reusable packaging are less prone to spoilage or damage during transportation. Also, flexible packaging that is widely gaining popularity is compact & requires much lesser space to transport products as compared to rigid packaging. 

Limited Storage Space 

It eliminates the requirement of raw materials for more packaging, as the same packaging can now be reused. This is beneficial in industrial applications where they need to constantly pack products to transport from one site to another. 

Less Waste Production 

Reusable packaging has the power to minimize household & industrial waste production by many folds. Unlike conventional packaging that goes into trash after one use, reusable packaging results in less waste generation. It can also bring down the cost of waste management, especially for large firms. This can have a major effect on the overall cost of production.

Environmental Benefits 

It not only saves time & money but also is beneficial for the environment. It can help you bring down your carbon footprint by minimizing environmental degradation activities. When both companies & households use packaging that can be reused or returned to form a circular economy, the requirement to manufacture more packaging material will reduce. This also reduces the energy & raw material consumption, and emission of greenhouse gases during the process. 

Cosmo Films, lead by Mr. Ashok Jaipuria, is a responsible organization that is investing money & efforts in creating smart & sustainable solutions for its clients and the environment. Producing durable packaging that enhances the shelf life of products and promotes sustainability is at its core. 

Key Benefits of choosing Reusable Packaging

Whenever we talk about the sustainable use of plastic, the first thing that comes to our mind is recycling it. In fact, governments have already been taking action to recycle 100% of the plastic produced around the world. However, the number seems to be quite distant because, at present, it was reported that in Europe only 9% of the total plastic produced gets recycled. As compared to the amount of plastic produced around the world, this number does very little help in tackling environmental concerns. According to research in 2018, 360 million tonnes of plastic was produced globally, of which 40% was converted to packaging.

The packaging sector is one of the largest consumers of plastics, where this material seems to be irreplaceable. Plastic has surprisingly reduced the carbon footprint of the packaging sector by preventing food spoilage, reducing CO2 emission during transportation, etc. But we cannot ignore the environmental challenges it has posed, neither can we depend upon recycling as the only solution. We need to build and promote other solutions, talking about which, one of the most effective ways to outperform single-use plastics is reuse packaging.

Also known as returnable packaging, reuse packaging refers to the packaging designed to be used multiple times. Such packaging offers durability, ease of use, and ease of cleaning. These include consumer packages such as beverage containers, zip lock bags, as well as industrial and transport packaging. It helps further reduce the carbon footprint by decreasing the demand for production. Here are some of the main benefits of reusable packaging.

Environment Benefits

A returnable supply chain can drastically reduce the carbon footprint of a company. For instance, in case your business requires constant shipment of products between manufacturing or factory sites, single-use corrugated packaging will result in accumulated waste material in large volumes in landfills. It will also increase energy consumption in manufacturing. In such situations, reusable packaging helps minimize the use of raw materials, energy, and waste creation. Another major application of single-use plastic is consumer goods. Designing quality packaging for reuse, for instance, zip-lock bags can drastically reduce household plastic waste.

If designed meticulously, returnable packaging can not only reduce raw material consumption but also minimize CO2 emission by facilitating stacking and efficient space sizing during transportation.

Packaging guidelines have also been laid down by certain governments, demoting the use of single-use plastic. The aim of such initiatives is to promote returnable packaging that offers a longer lifespan and can be recycled towards the end of its lifecycle.

Cost Reduction

Reusable packaging is both environment-friendly and cost-efficient. By reducing the repeated need to manufacture single-use packaging, companies can save the cost of raw material, energy, and labor. Since reusable packaging is designed for repeated use, it is stronger and more durable than single-use packaging. Thus, it prevents damages to the product and reduces losses.

Applications of Reusable Packaging

Reusable packaging has its applications in both commercial and household spectrums. In the commercial arena, it is widely used for delivering ingredients/raw materials to the processing unit, and transporting subcomponents to the facility for assembling.

Another application is the work in process sites where products/materials are constantly transported to different sites or manufacturing units, or even to temporary storage units before processing.

Finished goods, to be transported to consumers, have the same application. These are distributed through distribution networks or directly.

Reusable packaging has unlimited benefits to offer, especially in industrial use where packaging & transportation of raw material, ingredients, and products play a major role. Responsible specialty film producers like Cosmo Films have already taken a step forward to tackle environmental concerns by producing recyclable & reusable, high-quality films. As a world-renowned organization, it has actively promoted sustainability by enabling a circular economy for flexible packaging. 

High Barrier CPP Films

Cast Polypropylene Films, usually known as CPP films are presumably the most pursued packaging solution, on account of its adaptability, adaptability, cost and power. Accessible in two sorts, General and Metalized high barrier films, CPP films are a one-stop arrangement not only for the food packaging and agricultural industries, yet additionally for the medical care and pharma industries. In this blog, we will examine the advantages of metalized high barrier CPP films. Known for its protection from tear and its strength, metalized high barrier CPP films are broadly utilized for food packaging needs. 

Let’s take a look at the top highlights of this variation – 

• High oxygen barrier – Oxygen is the greatest contributor of food deterioration. This metalized CPP film blocks oxygen and assists with keeping up the time span of usability of the item. The packaging film offer an OTR of < 30cc/m2/day. 

• High moisture vapour barrier – These metalized CPP films likewise give astounding barriers to moisture and humidity. The film offers a MVTR of <0.3g/m2/day 

• High hot tack and low SIT – Hot tack power alludes to the peel force of the sealing region when it isn't totally cooled down.The hot tack is higher than 600gf/inch for a temperature scope of 100 – 140̊C, and a low seal initiation temperature, in this way making it simpler to laminate the film on a wide range of machines. 

• High heat seal strength – At more than 2.3kg/inch, the heat seal strength offered by metalized high barrier CPP films is astounding. 

• Seal initiation – These Packaging films offer a low and wide seal commencement temperature range (90 – 105̊C). The complete thickness range rests between 20 – 30μm. 

• Excellent machinability – Metalized high barrier CPP films are not difficult to measure and offer great printability. 

About Cosmo Films Limited

Established in 1981, Cosmo Films is a global leader in speciality films for packaging, lamination and labeling applications. With engineering of innovative products and sustainability solutions, Cosmo Films over the years has been partnering with the world’s leading F&B brands, packaging & printing converters to enhance their consumer experience.

Company’s film offerings include BOPP and CPP films. Today, the company is the largest exporter of BOPP films from India and also the largest producer of thermal lamination films in the world. Its customer base is spread in more than 100 countries with manufacturing units in India, Korea & Japan.

Flexible Packaging for a Sustainable World

In the last few years, sustainable products have become the top most priority for consumers. The staggering growth of consumer awareness about sustainability, and frequent dialogues on social responsibility have pushed brand owners to do away with traditional packaging methods. The global mood to reduce negative environmental effects of packaging married with technological innovations have driven brands to reduce material usage, use recyclable material in packaging, and develop the use of other sustainable materials. Flexible packaging was born out of the urgent need to address environmental issues and reduce waste, but at the same time carry out the functions of traditional packaging. According to the report “The Future of Flexible Packaging to 2022”, flexible packaging sales were valued at $219.5 billion in 2016, and were predicted to reach $282.6 billion by 2022. The figures do not come as a surprise given that today flexible packaging is widely preferred in consumer and electronic goods to cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Flexible packaging uses the best characteristics of film, paper & aluminium foil and allows its shape to be changed readily. Flexible packages are typically bags, pouches, liners, seals, sleeves, carded packaging and sample packets. However, the packaging industry is witnessing the use of flexible packaging in many innovative ways. Flexible packaging solutions range from single-use pouches, or even from zip locks to resealable closures. Here is why conscious brand owners prefer flexible packaging:

1. Use of fewer resources during production
Flexible packaging uses fewer materials in the first place, and hence the waste generated is also less. Even along the production cycle, the use of resources such as water, energy consumption, green-house emission is less. Furthermore, flexible package tends to be light weight and hence the energy used during transportation and the overall environmental pollution reduces drastically.

2. Zero compromise on performance
Flexible packaging has carefully tried addressing the disadvantages of traditional packaging without compromising on the performance. Flexible packaging maintains freshness, offers barrier protection and durability, great printability and is easy to use. Best of all, it can be used for merchandising myriads of applications ranging from food products to even kids toys.

3. Reduction in overall production cost
Use of fewer resources automatically cuts down production costs. Cost saves are seen across the production spectrum from material to transport. Furthermore, flexible packaging can also be constructed on the spot from roll materials, and therefore additional cost to transport readymade boxes does not exist.

4. High on shelf appeal
Shelf appeal of the packaging is incredibly important and has become a key component for successful marketing. No matter how great the packaging type is, if it doesn’t appeal the consumers, it will fail. Flexible packaging is high on aesthetic value and also offers visibility of contents, which allows brand owners and product designers to think out-of-the-box.

Despite the many advantages flexible packaging boasts of, there are a few challenges as well. Many times, recycled plastic is considered as raw material for flexible packaging. While the idea itself is fantastic, recycled plastic can carry odours that will eventually affect the product. Hence, more research and development is required in the field of flexible packaging to make it even more sustainable. Another big challenge in the use of flexible packaging is the education of consumers. Although it is true that consumers are increasingly demanding far more sustainable packaging solutions, it is hard to tell whether consumers can actually differentiate sustainable packaging from non-sustainable. Once the products are on the shelf, its ultimately the visual and shelf appeal and not the environmental benefits that make the product sell. Hence, a lot of work needs to be done to increase consumer awareness.

There is no doubt that flexible packaging is the most sought-after packaging type for brands these days. They are durable, offer great printability and aesthetics, and above all use less resources and reduce costs during production. Flexible packaging not only help brands make their stand clear regarding sustainability, but it also educates consumers to reuse and recycle wherever possible – and this is a huge step towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Biodegradable Plastics: Packaging for A Sustainable Future

Wondering how plastics can be sustainable & eco-friendly? You might be amazed by this fact but the infamous plastic is deemed to be the most environment-friendly material for packaging because of its extremely low carbon footprint. This has been proven in a report by the UK government & many other studies conducted worldwide. However, the root cause of its defamation lies in its association with the linear economy that results in waste creation. This is why responsible organizations are now embracing the power of circular economy that draws upon the policy of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. In this blog post, we’re going to discuss some polymer-based biodegradable & recyclable materials that are here to revolutionize the future of the packaging industry. 

BIOPOLYMERS & BIOPLASTICS FOR BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING 

Plastics are formed from polymers which can be synthetic & natural. Biopolymers are the ones formed from organic materials like rice which makes them largely biodegradable in a shorter time, unlike synthetic plastics. Some bioplastics are even compostable under suitable conditions. Made from renewable resources, all bioplastics are recyclable which limits the use of fossil fuels. These are used in the production of bio-based conventional plastics like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) & PLA (polylactic acid). 

However, one of the key challenges with these is the cost associated with it which tends to be drastically high. This is why many organizations worldwide have been researching to find cheaper bioplastic solutions & promote their use. At present, the key reliable solution is a move towards a circular economy with eco-friendly alternatives as opposed to non-recyclable packaging. 

CIRCULAR ECONOMY 

The need of the hour is a circular economy which is possible with the switch to better plastics. Responsible companies are making a switch to recyclable plastic to make the closed plastic economy a reality and reduce the pollution from discarded plastic in the environment. 

Europe has witnessed great success in reducing PET water bottles & PE carrier bags. However, it would need drastic alterations at the end of both producers and users to achieve 100% recycling. At present, only 9% of the total plastic produced is actually recycled. One of the key drawbacks is the lack of awareness of users regarding their handling, and the common use & throw attitude which often leads them into landfills instead of recycling stations. 

SHIFT FROM THE THROW-AWAY PLASTIC CULTURE 

Not just the manufacturers but the consumers too are required to keep a check on their attitude towards the use of plastics. Increased collaboration between businesses & consumers can help create awareness amongst consumers to shift from the throw-away culture and facilitate a circular economy. Strengthening plastic waste collection from both households & industries can reduce waste creation and the by-product can, in turn, be used as raw material by other companies. 

Cosmo Films, as a responsible organization, to become a part of this change, has taken various steps. With a range of products engineered using PP (poly propylene) based material, we aim to promote reuse & recycle of plastic & sustainable development. To tackle the high-cost challenge of bioplastics, our global R&D teams have been working on creating low-cost biodegradable solutions. We’re in this together and we will change this together! Let’s create a better future by switching to sustainable plastics.