Increased demand for film in recent years has necessitated greater innovation from substrate suppliers. The newest films have been optimized for sustainability and recyclability. In fact, the biggest differentiator of today’s filmic substrates has been their sustainable properties. In most cases, films are thinner than ever before, which promotes less waste and easier transport. They must also deliver the type of quality that allows brands to stand out on crowded shelves.

“The latest films on the market today boast key features such as improved performance and enhanced recycling compatibility,” notes Justin McLean, product manager, Rigid Films, Avery Dennison. “Designed to support sustainability, these films help converters significantly reduce waste while achieving their environmental goals. For example, our AD CleanFlake Technology offers next-generation adhesive technology that enables recycling for rigid plastic packaging without compromising performance.”

“Manufacturers are responding to market demand by introducing solutions with recycled content and downgauged constructions. For example, moving from 2.6 mil to 2.4 mil materials while still maintaining the same visual appeal and performance characteristics as traditional films,” adds Melissa Harton, marketing manager, North America, Fedrigoni. “The goal is to deliver environmental benefits, such as material reduction and improved recyclability, without sacrificing the durability, print quality, or aesthetics that converters and brand owners rely on.”

First and foremost, brands are looking to reduce their overall packaging. They have goals for less waste and increased productivity, with some setting lofty goals for the immediate future and others looking ahead to 2050. 

“Thinner films, in general, allow us all to reduce our overall environmental impact while maintaining quality, using less raw materials, less energy, reducing freight, reducing packaging waste, and increasing productivity,” states Kim Hensley, senior marketing manager, Mactac. “As brand owners invest in sustainable solutions for containers and bottles, they will also need to invest in thinner, lighter, and more environmentally friendly label options to reduce their environmental footprint. The latest trends we are seeing in films are around recyclability. Paper is considered detrimental to the recycling process, so having APR-approved film materials available is critical to assist brand owners in meeting their 2025 and beyond sustainability goals.”

“It’s important to understand the packaging and how your specific film label interacts with that packaging through the recycling process – that’s becoming key to packaging design at the brand level,” adds Adam Frey, vice president, Converter Direct, Wausau Coated Products. “Brands are thinking about all the material inputs, and as label providers we need to be ready and armed with the knowledge to advise them on the best film label material to use to get the end sustainability results they seek.”

While the technology has evolved, UPM Raflatac still believes there is plenty of room for growth. “Films with post-consumer recycled content are being introduced to the market, but they have not widely been used yet,” states Agata Kowalska, director, Consumer Label Solutions, UPM Raflatac – Americas. “The work that the industry and organizations like APR have done over the years to reduce plastic waste, improve the use of recycled plastic, and change consumer perspective on plastic has driven change in how people view plastic and filmic labels. 

“When we talk about plastic packaging, the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability is an excellent tool to use when making those decisions,” she adds.

There are numerous challenges that films must remedy. Moisture and humidity could cause issues with labels on products such as personal care items that might reside in bathrooms, or food products stored in refrigerators or other environments.  

“Products in these environments might also suffer from tunneling and lifting of the label due to direct water contact – a consideration especially important with beverage packaging applications,” says Hensley.

There are a number of obstacles regarding sustainability, though. To address these challenges, manufacturers are actively researching and developing alternatives to traditional plastic labels. While recyclability is a crucial aspect of sustainability, the practice is complex and challenging due to factors such as infrastructure limitations, contamination risks, and energy consumption. Although recyclable labels are gaining attention, there are real-world challenges.

“These alternatives include materials like bioplastics, recycled plastics, and paper,” says Amy Donato, PPG global strategic marketing director, Teslin. “Brands are increasingly adopting eco-design principles to create labels that use less material, contain bio-based content, are easier to recycle, or are biodegradable or compostable.”

“The sustainability conversation around films requires a clear understanding of the materials’ compatibility with existing recycling waste streams,” remarks Harton. “Not all films can be recycled the same way, so it’s essential for converters and brand owners to know how the end product fits into the recycling ecosystem. It’s also important to ask whether a film contains any post-consumer or post-industrial recycled content, and whether it can be separated cleanly from packaging during disposal. At Fedrigoni, we place a strong emphasis on understanding each customer’s sustainability objectives so we can recommend the best-fit solution, whether that’s a recyclable facestock, a thinner construction, or a film designed to support circular economy goals.”

Synthetic papers (films), such as PPG Teslin substrate, have gained popularity in recent years due to their durability, resistance to water, chemicals, tearing, and their ability to withstand extreme temperatures. This makes many films and synthetic label materials ideal for applications where longevity and readability are crucial such as chemical container labels, track and trace, and medical.

“The growth of digital print technologies and smart label functionality has expanded the use of film/synthetic materials across verticals,” explains Donato. “These materials are now expected to perform across print technologies while supporting innovations like variable data and anti-counterfeit features.”

When to go with film

TLMI’s newest data indicates that film represents one-third of the total North American label market and is growing twice as fast as paper. Films are used as a decorative label that attracts a consumer’s attention on the store shelf and helps sell the product.  

“Paper labels remain a cost-effective and versatile option for many applications,” states Avery Dennison’s McLean. “But there are many reasons to choose filmic labels. When durability and aesthetics are of the highest importance, filmic labels provide the functionality required for home and personal care, food, and
beverage applications.”

When going for a clear, no-label look, films are the easy selection. These labels offer excellent shelf-appeal with clear rigid and conformable films. Clear film labels can create a modern “no label look” on transparent containers, allowing the product itself to be the focus.  

“Film materials are generally more flexible and conformable than paper, making them suitable for labeling curved or squeezable containers, such as shampoo bottles or tubes, without wrinkling or peeling,” adds McLean. “Films enables multi-layer construction, too. Filmic labels can be used to add leaflets and booklets to extend the printed content of your label application.”

Costs will continue to be a key consideration for converters when optimizing solutions for brands. However, the price gap between films and papers has narrowed in recent years. Plus, films have proved to be advantageous in the release liner market.

“In cases where film was once significantly more expensive, today it might only be a few cents more per MSI, making its added performance benefits more accessible,” says Fedrigoni’s Harton. “That said, film remains the clear choice for applications that demand higher durability, moisture resistance, and flexibility. For instance, film is essential for the no-label look and for squeeze or flexible packaging where paper simply cannot match performance. Polyester liners, despite ongoing conversations about paper alternatives, continue to dominate in certain segments due to their greater roll efficiency, higher label counts per roll, and lower overall waste volume, which contributes to a smaller landfill footprint.

“While the narrowing price gap led to more widespread use of film in recent years, especially in applications that once defaulted to paper, today we’re seeing a swing back to paper in response to sustainability targets and cost sensitivity,” adds Harton.

Films and synthetic materials are ideal for applications requiring durability, increased security, or high environmental resistance, including chemical drums and containers, pharmaceutical packaging, high-end luxury items and consumer electronics, food and beverage, healthcare and diagnostics, and asset tracking and logistics. RFID and tamper-evidence fall in the latter category.

“Teslin substrate offers tamper-evident protection, permanently distorting if tampering is attempted,” notes PPG’s Donato. “Teslin also resists water, chemicals, and abrasion, ensuring long-
lasting performance.”

Application choice

With films emerging as the go-to choice for many prominent brands, it’s important to note which applications are the most viable for film usage. Prime films are used in beer and beverage, beauty and personal care, food, home care, nutraceuticals, and spirits applications, among others. 

Notably, health and personal care is an ideal space to utilize the benefits of the newest films. “Conformability – full versus semi squeeze – of a film label is an important part of choosing a label in this space due to the complex shapes of containers encountered,” says Avery Dennison’s McLean. “Typically, in this market segment we see a broad range of applications. This includes lotions, makeup, hair care, soaps, and more.”

The beer and beverage space has also made use of filmic substrates. A good beverage label should articulate the brand’s message or brand statement. The label needs to ensure the brand stands out on the shelf, whether that be through facestock, ink, graphics, embellishments, etc. Plus, portability is a key characteristic, and the label needs to hold up wherever it goes.

“In this space, we tend to see more rigid film labels or facestocks with little to no conformability,” explains McLean. “The containers usually range from glass to PET, with the majority being less complex in shape, therefore not needing a wide degree of squeeze to the label.”

The food market is characterized by its own unique challenges. “Cold food manufacturers need product packaging labels that are visually appealing, showcase superior product packaging, adhere quickly and easily, conform to a variety of packaging types, and stay in place as intended for the product’s lifecycle,” explains Mactac’s Hensley, adding, “And one of the biggest challenges in accomplishing this is ensuring labels will withstand the extreme cold, wet, freezing, or changing application conditions of cold
food packaging.”

Of course, areas where durability is required are a natural fit for the newest films. “In end uses like industrial, where durability is essential, squeezable containers used in HPC where flexibility is needed, or resistance to water/moisture type of applications, films are the natural choice,” says UPM Raflatac’s Kowalska. “In the case of food, beverage, home and personal care, the market used to be dominated by paper, but it has been slowly moving toward films. Today, volume is close to being evenly split. The main driver for that is the recyclability of the package. The majority of PS labels are used on PET, PE, PP type of containers, which favor film labels to be compatible with recycling requirements.”

New Products

Avery Dennison currently provides a versatile range of films designed to meet diverse application needs. Its portfolio includes rigid BOPP films, semi-conformable MDO films, and fully conformable MDO films, available in clear, white, and metallized finishes. The rigid films are offered in various thicknesses to suit specific requirements. 

“For more flexibility, our machine direction-oriented (MDO) films deliver tailored solutions such as the semi-squeeze option with Global MDO or the full-squeeze options with High-Performance Primax and FasClear,” says Avery Dennison’s McLean.

Meanwhile, metallized films with AD CleanFlake technology have been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for HDPE and PET recycling. “We are the first to be recognized for offering a portfolio of metallized label solutions capable of working with the recycling systems to enable rigid plastic recycling,” adds McLean.

Fedrigoni has focused on specialty, bespoke, and application-driven pressure sensitive label constructions. The Ri-Move line enables easier recycling by allowing labels to be cleanly removed during the wash-off process, making it ideal for PET bottle recycling.

“In Europe, we also offer certified compostable film facestocks, and as a global supplier, we’re continuously expanding our portfolio to meet changing environmental regulations and consumer expectations worldwide,” explains Fedrigoni’s Harton. “Thanks to our global supply chain and inter-company collaboration, we have the unique ability to introduce innovative products from other international markets into North America, giving our customers a true competitive edge. Our portfolio is constantly evolving, and with new materials, technologies, and capabilities being added regularly, it’s an exciting time to be part of Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives.”

Mactac has strategically expanded in recent years through the acquisitions of Duramark, Spinnaker, and Label Supply. As an all-in-one resource for specialty labeling needs, Mactac offers a comprehensive portfolio of adhesive solutions, technical acumen and flexibility. Its capabilities extend to UV, solvent, hot-melt, and emulsion acrylic adhesives. “Mactac’s latest introduction is a new and improved Vivid chrome polypropylene featuring excellent printability to create eye-catching, brilliant graphics while also providing outstanding moisture resistance and durability, ensuring premium labels that last,” says Hensley. “End users find that the shimmery look that metallized labels offer make their products more prominent and attractive to consumers.”

Mactac was awarded APR Design for Recyclability Recognition for white and clear polypropylene pressure sensitive labels with CHILL AT hot-melt adhesive on HDPE and PP containers and PE flexible packaging materials. “Mactac was the first label manufacturer to offer a hot-melt adhesive solution for HDPE, PP, and PE Flexible recycling applications,” notes Hensley. “We are proud of our commitment to improve sustainable practices and promote recyclability. Mactac’s CHILL AT adhesive allows labels to remain in place during the recycling process without impacting the physical properties of the recycled HDPE, PP and PE flexible applications. CHILL AT is the industry’s first hot-melt adhesive designed for this purpose.”

PPG offers a diverse portfolio of Teslin label materials designed for a wide range of applications. Teslin Bio Substrate is made with more than 90% bio-based content, supporting brand sustainability goals. Its Teslin Security Substrate has been designed for tamper-evident labeling and secure document applications. Finally, Teslin Food-Grade Material is compliant with FDA 21 CFR for direct and indirect food contact in appropriate applications.

“PPG Teslin label material is engineered with sustainability in mind, offering several advantages,” states Donato. “Teslin label material contains up to 60% less plastic than other synthetics. This is mainly due to the microporous structure of the material, which offers other advantages such as improved ink absorption and print quality, enhanced durability, status dissipation, and strong adhesive bonding. Teslin label material is also free from toxic ingredients as defined under REACH, RoHS or Proposition 65, and does not contain PFOA or PFOS. Teslin Bio Substrate has been tested to ASTM D5511 standards, demonstrating biodegradation in anaerobic environments like landfills.”

UPM Raflatac has designed products that fit into four categories: reduce, recycle, renew, and reuse. In the reduce category, products that help lower the environmental impact and reduce the strain on natural resources by using label materials are prioritized. The RafNXT+ range, as well as linerless or thinner films, are examples here. 

“Sustainability is one of our key strategic priorities at UPM Raflatac, and we offer a wide range of products and services to drive the industry in making more sustainable choices,” says Kowalska. In the recycling category, UPM Raflatac has launched new facestocks with recycled content. For example, for wine the ENVI 100% Post-Consumer Waste facestock is applicable, along with a wide range of products with the PCR content liner.

UPM Raflatac’s RafCycle service has been developed to help reduce liner waste. Plus, the company’s Lifecycle Assessment helps customers understand impact on the environment and helps them measure success in their sustainability goals and ambitions.