Specialist supplier for the food packaging, industrial manufacturing, and print and finishing industries, Jet Technologies, has released its latest advancement in sustainable films for the print and packaging industries.

Named Encore, it is a new plastic film solution that is made up of 30 per cent recycled material and is suitable for a wide range of applications including packaging, labels, books and more.

“With organisations like the Australian Packaging Covenant (APCO) setting 2025 targets of having 70 per cent of plastic packaging being recycled or composted and 50 per cent of average recycled content included in packaging, Australian product manufacturers are having to quickly focus on and takes steps towards increased sustainability,” Jet Technologies director Jack Malki said.

“Encore is a strong first step in the right direction for using plastics within the circular economy and provide a sorely needed path forward for brand owners who are ready to work towards these recyclability and sustainability goals.”

Encore is an option for businesses looking to make the shift away from using plastics and from either PLA (corn starch) or wood-based alternatives in their printing and packaging.

At the same time as being produced from 30 per cent recycled content, the films are also fully recyclable, ensuring that product manufacturers can enjoy the functional benefits of plastic films, whilst ensuring that they work fully within a sustainable circular economy.

“Jet Technologies acknowledges that it is our responsibility to provide the local market with the very best sustainable options in order to improve the environment,” Malki said.

“Introducing new film ranges can be challenging, but we are seeing a strong and constant demand from brand owners for better solutions to meet their environmental pledges.

“We see this demand as a strong sign that films like Encore will quickly replace less sustainable traditional films. We also expect the percentage of recycled content in these new films to be increased over time as the technology permits it.”

The Encore films are currently BOPP based, with PET options also in development. They look and feel like regular films and run on various machinery in a normal way, ensuring that businesses do not have to make any adjustments from existing films.

Costs are also comparable to existing films, with a small premium of approximately 15 per cent to 20 per cent being very well received by brand owners looking for solutions to meet recyclability targets, according to Jet Technologies.