Biodegradable Labels

Biodegradable Labels

Anybody watching the news recently will have seen the stories on plastic waste and the problems it is causing to our environment and our lives. We have all seen the pictures of rivers full of plastic bottles and cartons, of landfill overflowing with un-recycled litter.  Whales dying from plastic filling their stomachs.  This is a serious global problem, with complex solutions. 

Labelling and packaging prices are driven by volumes.  Unfortunately biodegradable labels are not as widely used as they should be at the moment and prices are high. 

This table shows you what to expect with biodegradable pricing (indicative pricing for up to 1,000 labels):

Matte biodegradable paper £200

Gloss biodegradable paper £225 – £250

Gloss biodegradable plastic £250 – £275

Clear biodegradable plastic £300

Over that, the cost per thousand labels goes down significantly.  If you think this meets your budget and want to do your bit for future generations, request a sample or a more detailed quote and we can help.

If you are interested in a quote Click here to visit the Biodegradable product page.

Our lives have never been busier and as a consequence we turn to disposable products like bottled water, take away coffee and lunch on the go all in handy plastic containers. This plastic poses a huge threat not only to our environment but also to our health. Plastic is made by using a number of toxic chemicals. These have the potential to leak into the food and water we are consuming.

According to the journal Science Advances the calculated total volume of all plastic ever produced is 8.3bn tonnes, with a staggering 6.3bn tonnes now as waste. 79% of this is now in landfill or the natural environment. Whilst plastic is undeniably useful we should all be finding ways to decrease our usage.

Expert Labels Ltd provide completely biodegradable labels for a variety of uses, and completely compostable labels are also available for other particular packaging applications where needed.

Expert Labels offer the following environmentally friendly labels:

• Biodegradable semi gloss paper labels (FSC certified by the Forest Stewardship Council) are suitable for a wide range of  promotional and industrial label uses and we can offer these plain or full colour printed. This material is printable by most printing methods including thermal transfer.

• Biodegradable (FSC certified) matt white thermal transfer printable labels are ideal for situations where label presentation is less important (i.e. warehouse labels, outer case labels and labels for  in-house identification). This material is printable by most printing methods including thermal transfer.

• Biodegradable and compostable white high gloss film labels are available, with a print receptive top coating.  These labels are great for food items including fruit and vegetables, drink bottles and healthcare products and can be printed in full colour to a high standard. All the labels are compliant with the European Food Regulations for direct contact with dry, non fatty food items.  The adhesive used is acrylic based and biodegradable.  The labels are water and tear resistant.

• Biodegradable and compostable clear gloss film labels are available, with a print receptive top coating.  These labels are also especially good for food items and healthcare products and can be printed in full colour for a high quality presentation.  All the labels are compliant with the European Food Regulations for direct contact with dry, non fatty food items.  The adhesive used is acrylic based and biodegradable with good initial tack and adhesion and the labels are water and tear resistant.

Even though labels are just a small part of packaging as a whole, we should all be striving to reduce our plastic waste, recycle more effectively and improve biodegradability for a positive impact on the environment. 

To find out more about our biodegradable labels and to get a quote, contact us here or click on the Chat button in the bottom right corner.

Updated 23 Dec 2019