Selenis and Magnomer develop recyclable PETG shrink sleeves

Selenis, a global supplier of specialty polyester has partnered with Magnomer, a startup which supplies magnetizable coatings, to develop recyclable PETG shrink sleeves offering easy separation and capture of sleeves in existing recycling systems.

The companies combined forces to offer customers Selenis PETG product, together with Magnomer’s Magmark SS coatings, a scalable technology for the effective recycling of PETG shrink sleeves as part of the PET recycling system.   

Magmark SS coatings are easily applied to PETG film through widely used printing technologies including gravure and flexo and have been commercially tested globally. 

Magmark SS coatings sync with existing recycling infrastructure and ensure that magnetized PETG label flake can be pulled away by magnets that are already present at recyclers to improve rPET purity.

Capturing labels at this stage, not only enhances the quality of the rPET, but also allows the captured PETG label flake to join a side stream which is easily recycled as a fiber grade.

The fact that Magmark SS coatings have been tested at commercial scale and also align with current processes, acknowledged and recognized by How2Recycle, the APR and The US Plastics Pact.

‘We value innovations that drive us forward in terms of our sustainability goals, especially those that provide real-life, ready now solutions such as the clever Magnomer thinking. More so, those that challenge conventional thinking while remaining consistent with manufacturing standards and are sympathetic to the value-chain with no process disruption,’ said Eduardo Santos, head of corporate strategy at Selenis.

Ravish Majithia, Magnomer founder and CEO, added: ‘PETG is a common label substrate chosen because of its superior shrink properties, branding appeal, and its ability to sync with common manufacturing processes. We are pleased to be working Selenis to offer a solution that allows brands to meet critical recyclability goals, and which allows them to do so in a way that fits with their current processes.’

‘This partnership unlocks a wide range of positive benefits for both brands and customers, as this innovation could be implemented globally in Europe and North America considering the two key existing Glycol modifiers in the world, NPG and CHDM, concluded Santos.