Herma’s GreenGuide spells out digital simplicity for sustainable labels

Virtually all packaging can be made more sustainable, and labels often play a more critical role in this transition than commonly recognised.

Herma is addressing this industry challenge by launching the digital GreenGuide, a tool designed to help food and drink manufacturers quickly identify sustainable labelling solutions.

The new digital guide, which Herma believes is unique in its form, demonstrates with just a few clicks how labels can enhance the sustainability of packaging and which self-adhesive material provides a viable solution.

The goal of the GreenGuide is to simplify the complex array of sustainable material options. Starting from nine common packaging types (including PET bottles, flexible or fibre-based packaging, glass, aluminum, and specific reusable containers), users can quickly and precisely identify suitable self-adhesive materials.

“The range of sustainable self-adhesive materials is growing continuously,” explains Milos Kojic, head of B2B marketing at Herma. “Yet many label printers and users are wondering: which sustainable label material is actually suitable for my specific packaging, for my individual application? And where can I best make a difference – in terms of weight, resource consumption, or the recyclability of my packaging?”.

The GreenGuide now provides clear, comparable answers to these questions within seconds.

The GreenGuide is designed for immediate, registration-free use. 

The tool then generates a detailed list of possible combinations of label face material, adhesive, and liner. Crucially, only practical and currently available material combinations are displayed.

“It’s of little help if a great sustainable label material exists, but it cannot be combined with the adhesive required for the surface of your packaging,” Kojic notes.

Herma plans to enhance the GreenGuide in the next development stage, specifically by providing details on the requirements of the new EU Packaging Regulation.

“The GreenGuide puts the enormous variety of sustainable options into direct context with the real-world challenges faced by the industry,” Herma states.

The Herma GreenGuide is now freely available on the Herma website at www.herma.com/material/products/greenguide.