Lotte Chemical develops eco-friendly shrink label for PET bottles

By Kim Joo-heon Posted : October 12, 2021, 11:40 Updated : October 12, 2021, 11:40

[Courtesy of Lotte Chemical]

SEOUL -- Lotte Chemical, a major chemical company based in South Korea, has developed a non-adhesive "shrink" label for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. Labels can be easily separated and float above the water when waste bottles are cleaned for recycling.

PET is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin used in the creation of fabrics and plastic bottles. Researchers and companies have tried to develop technologies for recycling PET bottles to use them as raw materials for new eco-friendly products. Label-free PET bottles have been released for easy recycling, but many PET bottle makers still use two different types of labels -- adhesive and shrinkable.

Lotte Chemical said its new label is non-adhesive and can be separated with ease due to the weaker strength of perforated lines. "Through the new label, we will contribute to the recycling of PET bottles and expand the development of eco-friendly products in the future," CEO Hwang Jin-goo said in a statement on October 12.

Lotte Chemical supported the development of raw materials and processing technology. Lotte Aluminum, a domestic packaging materials manufacturer, was in charge of printing and label manufacturing and Dongil Chemical Industry took on film manufacturing.

Recycled materials are widely used by various South Korean industries. K-pop wonder BTS gained public attention in September 2021 when members delivered an inspirational speech at the United Nations General Assembly, wearing a suit made with recycled fabric produced by Kolon FnC, a fashion and lifestyle wing of South Korea's fabric maker Kolon Group.


 
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