Brook + Whittle secures patent for recyclable light-blocking shrink sleeve

Brook + Whittle, a Hamilton, Ohio, US-based converter of sustainable packaging, has been awarded a US patent for GreenLabel BlockOut, a recyclable light-blocking shrink technology for PET packaging. 

The company reports that this innovative technology has garnered worldwide interest from major consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands as they look for technologies that support their 2025 recyclability commitments. 

The latest product by Brook + Whittle enables brands to shift from problematic plastics to clear PET packaging while protecting their products with a unique light-blocking coating. It enables the packaging to be fully compatible with existing recycling processes, ensuring it does not contaminate the recycling stream. The shrink sleeve can be recycled alongside the bottle flake and processed into new PET packaging. 

Fully recyclable shrink sleeves 

Other light-blocking shrink sleeves in the market are heavily printed with black ink on the inner-most surface of the label. Tyler Matusevich, director of sustainability at Brook + Whittle, says: ‘This black ink does block light, but it does not allow the underlying container to be identified as PET when it goes through sorting equipment at a material recovery facility (MRF). Traditionally, these sleeves were PET-G, which is detrimental to the PET recycling process. The shrink sleeve labels on the market today are landfilled or incompatible with bottle recycling,’ 

In 2007, Brook + Whittle started monitoring the consumer-packaged goods market for problematic and non-recyclable plastic packaging. With its participation in several trade groups, it was evident that clear rigid PET was the best recyclable plastic solution for the CPG market. As early adopters of clear PET shrink films for most shrink sleeve applications, Brook + Whittle began pushing many of its customers to move to clear PET packaging labeled with its PET shrink sleeves. 

This solution solved the recycling dilemma and provided the CPG market with a fully recyclable, printed shrink-sleeve label solution – or so we thought

Then, the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) approved clear, crystallizable PET (cPET or PET-C) shrink film for recycling on rigid clear PET containers. The company helped commercialize its use by printing this newly approved material with APR-approved wash-away inks. 

‘This solution solved the recycling dilemma and provided the CPG market with a fully recyclable, printed shrink-sleeve label solution — or so we thought,’ Matusevich states. 

As Brook + Whittle continued its work in the rigid PET container market, the team discovered that colored PET was, in fact, not widely recyclable. The research into the use of colorants in rigid PET plastic found that brands were using them to protect their products and ingredients from light transmission. 

‘So, we set out to find a recyclable solution. We knew where to start — cPET shrink film has incredible properties that allow it to cover the entire container from top to bottom, protecting the product from light exposure,’ Matusevich explains. ‘We just needed to add a layer that would block light transmission and wash away cleanly when reclaimers processed the recycled PET. Hence, our eight-year journey to develop a light-blocking coating technology that did just that.’ 

Brook + Whittle worked closely with its suppliers to develop a coating that blocked UV-Vis light and adhered to the approved recycling system set out in the APR Design Guide. 

The company’s APR-recognized cPET shrink film is printed with recycling-compatible wash-away inks and applied with a functional barrier coating. This combination blocks up to 100 percent of light from 200-900nm while maintaining recyclability. 

‘When we thought we had found a solution, we then had to test to ensure it printed in a way that stayed true to the brand’s historic look and met their aesthetic goals. There was a lot of back and forth,’ Matusevich adds. 

We successfully conducted multiple commercial-scale trials to ensure the correct sortation and recyclability of this light-blocking shrink sleeve

The label manufacturer conducted several tests to ensure the product’s effectiveness and recyclability by working with reclaimers such as Evergreen and various labs. Spectrophotometers, which are used to determine the amount of light absorbed by a chemical substance, were used to ensure the sleeve sufficiently blocked UV-Vis wavelengths. 

Furthermore, the company conducted shelf-life tests to confirm the new shrink sleeve’s light-blocking properties matched or exceeded the product protection the previous packaging gave. 

‘To ensure recyclability, we went through APR’s Responsible Innovation pathway and received the recognition that our solution significantly benefits the recycling industry and plastics circularity. This thorough testing and approval process should reassure you of the quality and reliability of our solution,’ Matusevich says. 

‘Unlike traditional light-blocking shrink sleeves available on the market today, which do not sort properly and end up in landfills, our GreenLabel BlockOut is fully compatible with the existing mechanical recycling system. Our solution enables brands to transition to clear PET and away from colored PET, which blocks light but has very low or no market value. It either ends up in landfills or requires additional transportation to be recycled in a chemical process. Our solution will enable millions of pounds of additional clear PET to be recycled, saving it from landfill.’ 

Applications 

The shrink sleeve is particularly beneficial for ready-to-drink beverages, such as dairy and protein drinks, and for nutraceutical products, such as vitamins. Brook + Whittle even found applications for it in home and personal care products, such as mouthwash or chemical fluids. That said, any product that is packaged in colored PET and relies on the light-blocking properties provided by the colorant to protect or preserve the contents is an eligible candidate. 

‘We successfully conducted multiple commercial-scale trials to ensure the correct sortation and recyclability of this light-blocking shrink sleeve. Alongside the recyclability advantages of this solution, we expect our customers will benefit from switching to clear PET and lower their extended producer responsibility (EPR) eco-modulation fees in the future,’ Matusevich points out. 

So far, Brook + Whittle customers have experienced an easy transition to this innovation, as it is a drop-in alternative to traditional shrink sleeves. A few brand owners are using it already. 

‘This recognition marks a significant milestone for Brook + Whittle and our customers,’ adds Daryl Northcott, executive vice president of Brook + Whittle. ‘We are currently supplying commercial-scale orders and are working closely with multiple brands to ensure a smooth transition to this product. Being first to market with this patented solution is a testament to our ongoing commitment to leading the way in sustainable packaging and driving the industry forward.’ 

The company has been recognized by APR for this technology, which meets or exceeds the voluntary APR Design for Recyclability standards. Furthermore, How2Recycle has pre-qualified it as widely recyclable for eligible clear PET bottles. 

Brook + Whittle also plans to expand its printing methods, enabling it to reach more markets and customer segments. For example, the company took another step in its digital transformation in January 2024 by installing a new HP Indigo V12 digital press (see boxout) and Bobst Digital Master 340, expanding the production capacity and acquiring PouchIt, a flexible packaging manufacturer based in Atlanta, Georgia, to enhance its footprint in the southeast United States. 

Brook + Whittle installs HP Indigo V12 digital press 

Brook + Whittle installed HP Indigo V12 digital press in January 2024. After an initial beta phase, the HP Indigo V12 is enabling the label printer to deliver on the growing demands of its customers for faster lead times and more agile supply. 

Brook + Whittle converted its previous conventional-first rationale into a digital-first mindset, utilizing 11 HP Indigo V12, 6K, 8K, and 25K presses. This fleet allows the company to designate each job to the best fi t HP Indigo press for lower the total cost of ownership and optimized overall equipment efficiency. The V12 and 8K digital presses focus on mid and long runs, the 6K digital press takes the high versatility short runs, and the HP Indigo 25K digital press churns out the larger label and shrink sleeve jobs. 

With the new V12 press completing the company’s digital fleet, Brook + Whittle has increased efficiency with short turnaround times and enhanced offerings with unique digital solutions such as variable data printing for any job size. The company’s productivity has increased with the ability of the V12 to process six colors at up to 400ft/min (120m/min). 

Jeremy Letterman, chief operating officer at Brook + Whittle, said: ‘Equipped with the HP Indigo V12 in our digital value chain, we’ve been able to convert whole product lines from flexo to digital. This allows us to deliver exactly what customers want when they want it — that’s the power of HP Indigo technology. We can be sure that the press will continue to run across a variety of substrates, removing the need to pause operations, and that gives us a significant competitive advantage. The speed of response we can now deliver is essential to winning customers over and delivering value across the entire supply chain.’ 

Noam Zilbershtain, vice president and general manager HP Indigo and Scitex said: ‘What Brook + Whittle has been able to achieve with the HP Indigo V12 digital press is testament to the value of shifting to an ‘Indigo first’ mindset – speed, efficiency, sustainability, and ROI across a versatile portfolio of print jobs. As they expand their digital value proposition, we are excited to continue serving as strategic partners in their journey, delivering groundbreaking digital innovation with best-in-class support and training.’