We know that the situation is rapidly changing, be assured that we will update you if there is any change in our lead times. We are closely monitoring guidance provided by state and federal agencies regarding COVID-19.

The majority of our staff will be working from home, and will continue to be available via email and our contact form. Our CEO and CFO are working hard at the office and will be shipping all orders.

We know that many of you will be facing hardship in the weeks to come, both in your businesses and in your personal lives, as the world grapples with novel coronavirus COVID-19.

We are, as always, inspired by your commitment to the environment. It is important that we continue to support you by delivering the compostable packaging products that you need in order for your business to run smoothly. We can continue to work together, and support one another, by making positive connections within our online community.

But did you know that sugarcane fiber is also a “double-dip” of sustainability?

Sugarcane paper is more eco-friendly to produce than wood-pulp paper. It also biodegrades faster and returns nutrients to the soil. These qualities make it an excellent choice for using to produce compostable packaging and labels.

Created from Waste Sugarcane Fiber

The label facestock is made from bagasse - a sugarcane fiber waste product created by the sugar refining industry. For every 10 tonnes of sugarcane crushed, a factory will produce nearly 3 tonnes of wet bagasse. That’s not to mention the waste fiber that remains in the field after harvesting.

The waste is disposed of by treating it as garbage: dumping or burning it, causing extra pollution to enter the atmosphere.

Eco-Friendly Production

Sugarcane is a renewable eco-friendly source as it reproduces in cycles of less than one year. In comparison, trees for paper production generally take 7 to 10 years to reach maturity.

Deforestation accounts for 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. By using sugarcane in place of wood pulp we can lower pollution and preserve forest ecosystems.

Repurposing Sugarcane Bagasse into Paper

Products, packaging, and labels made from bagasse require less energy to produce. The waste product has been harvested and collected as part of the sugar industry processes - it’s already at the factory! Because fewer steps are needed, sugarcane is less polluting and less fuel intensive than its wood-based counterpart.

Bagasse is already available in abundance as an agricultural waste product. Since the waste product already exists, it makes sense to use it!

We are using this sustainable material to create beautiful labels with a unique natural, organic appearance. 

Unbleached with naturally occurring fibers and tone, available as blank sheets or custom printed. Produced in compliance with major compost standards including international compost standard ASTM D6868 EN13432. This label is certified compostable by Din Certco, and FDA 21 CFR 17

Eco-friendly from beginning to end.

Shop now for blank labels or contact us for a custom label quote.

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This is quite useful for grocery store cashiers, but not so much for customers.

Not only are these produce stickers annoying for customers, but they are most often not recyclable or compostable. Even though the labels are tiny they’re found on almost every loose fruit or vegetable sold, which soon adds up to a lot of waste.

It may seem a little silly to go through the effort to grow natural, organic produce and then slap a non-recyclable plastic sticker on it!

There are other options for labeling fruit and vegetables. 

One option is “Natural Branding” by Laserfood. Instead of stickers, this approach requires physically branding the skin of the fruit or vegetables using a laser. While we love this idea and it is currently being trialed, the initial start-up costs of purchasing the laser machine may be daunting for small to mid-size producers. While the laser does not damage the product, it’s also not yet clear how customers feel about “tattooed” produce.

A better solution for this problem would be produce stickers made from compostable bioplastic!

Fruits and vegetables are already “packaged by nature” in their own protective peel. The peel is natural, biodegradable and can be put straight into the compost. By using compostable stickers, the produce sticker can be composted right along with your fruit or vegetable scraps, you don’t even need to peel them off first.

Our  PURE Labels bio-plastic and bio-poly labels are water, grease, and oil resistant, making them perfect for use as produce stickers. They are also certified compostable in accordance with ASTM D6400 and EN13432 (including the adhesive!). The Bio-Poly option is flexible, meaning it can wrap around tight corners and uneven surfaces - making it perfect for produce stickers.

Find Out More

We can also create custom compostable produce bags, and compostable labels in a variety of materials (including Direct Thermal) to use with the produce bags.

Call us +1.773.276.4554 to chat about your compostable packaging needs.

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Not all Eco-Friendly Labels are Created Equal

Many B2B companies are beginning to understand that retail customers are calling for more eco-friendly products, and in turn businesses demand more sustainable options from their supply chain. This shift toward sustainable packaging is accelerating rapidly, and with this there are new materials with claims that must be reviewed carefully to ensure the sustainability claim is accurate, valid, and not misleading. False sustainability claims are dangerous, not only to the environment but also to your business. For example, California has strict laws regarding the marketing of degradable plastics, requiring clear scientific evidence for environmental claims. The Federal Trade Commission has ‘Green Guides’ aimed at helping businesses avoid misleading environmental claims.

The purpose of this blog post is to help B2B Sustainable Packaging buyers decipher the truth in sustainable adhesive label claims. Many label products marketed as eco-friendly are rather weak sustainable solutions, and while they may solve one problem they may create other sustainability issues in other areas. Fortunately for each of these situations there are better solutions which are more sustainable. Here are a few weak sustainability claims to watch out for:

Earthfirst PLA Labels

What is it? Earthfirst PLA is a flexible polymer label made from corn rather than petroleum-derived chemicals.

Why is it problematic? Corn-based plastics require the use of resource intensive crops that require signification irrigation (water), chemicals (herbicides and pesticides), and may be made from GMO corn. These labels are neither recyclable nor compostable (adhesives on these labels are not compostable, only the face stock is compostable).

Suggested alternatives: Bioplastic made from wood cellulose. It is certified compostable and available in silver, white and transparent materials [#805-1, #806-1, #807-1&91;

Recycled Vellum Labels

What is it? Vellum Labels made from 100% recycled materials.

Why is it problematic? Modern Recycled Vellum is made from rag or plasticized cotton, and carry the same toxic issues as plastic, which we want to avoid. If eliminating excessive plastics is desired, this is not a good option as these labels are not recyclable or compostable, and continue to load our landfills with plastics.

Suggested alternative: White Recycled material with Recycle-Compatible Adhesive [#906-1&91;

Biostone Labels

What is it? Tree-Free label material made from bonded calcium carbonate (common substance found in rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite). The calcium carbonate used is waste material collected from marble quarries.

Why is it Problematic? The calcium carbonate is bonded using polyethylene which is plastic usually made from petroleum. Polyethylene is the same plastic used to make plastic grocery shopping bags, which have been outlawed in many communities. These labels are not compostable or recyclable, and have the same toxic issues as plastic (watch out for misleading claims of biodegradability!).

Suggested alternative: Compostable Sugarcane [#800-1&91;, or Recycled with Recycle-compatible adhesive [#906-1&91;

Kraft Labels

What is it? Brown natural-looking paper adhesive label. Can be non-recycled virgin paper or recycled.

Why is it Problematic? While Recycled Kraft paper is available, recycled labels alone are not necessarily recyclable or recycle-compatible themselves due to the adhesives used, therefore it is not a helpful solution where recycling or composting is required.

Suggested alternative: Compostable Sugarcane [#800-1&91;

Kona Paper Labels

What is it? Made from a mixture of repurposed coffee bean bag fiber and other post-consumer waste material.

Why is it Problematic? Similar to Recycled Kraft Paper, Kona paper labels are recycled but are not recyclable, recycled-compatible, or compostable due to the conventional adhesives used. They are not a good solution where packaging is required to be recyclable or compostable.

Suggested alternative: Compostable Sugarcane [#800-1&91;, or Recycled with Recycle-compatible adhesive [#906-1&91;

At Elevate Packaging and PURE Labels, we only carry sustainable packaging and labels. We've been exclusively dedicated to sustainable packaging solutions since the day our doors opened for business. So it’s safe to say, we know our stuff!

Since 2000, Elevate Packaging carries the widest range of compostable, recycled, and recycle-compatible labels, and the only labels with compostable adhesive. Please take a look for yourself at the leading sustainable material options on our website or call us to discuss your sustainability needs, we love talking sustainability with like-minded companies and are happy to help! +1.773.276.4554

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How to Choose the Best Eco-Friendly Labels For Your Brand

How do you choose the right sustainable adhesive label? 

Which is better? Compostable labels, recycled labels, or recycle-compatible labels?

Not long ago there were few green packaging choices, but thankfully now it seems there are many good options to consider. Having more options is wonderful but it can become confusing, especially when trying to figure out which type of label you need and which sustainability claims are genuine. When it comes to adhesive labels, choosing wisely demonstrates to your customers that you are knowledgeable and sincere about your commitment to sustainability.

As a pioneer in revolutionizing the sustainable label industry, Pure Labels provides the widest variety of genuinely sustainable adhesive labels.

Which Sustainable Adhesive Label Should I Choose?

Start by asking yourself these two questions:

1. Where do clients or customers dispose of their packaging? (e.g. compost, recycle, trash/landfill)
2. Which sustainable message aligns with your brand promise? (e.g. made from recycled, compost waste, recycle everything)

Most often the labels you will be using are being placed on some kind of packaging. The material and type of packaging being used often dictates which type of sustainable adhesive labels would be the best choice.

For Example: If you are using one of our biodegradable coffee bags, then the label should also be biodegradable. If you have certified compostable packaging, then a compostable adhesive label is the best choice as it does not contaminate the process in composting the waste. This allows your customers to simply compost the entire packaging, bag and label together.

You should also choose your packaging and labels based on what your company is committed to. If your sustainable message is that your packaging (or products!) are recyclable, then make sure that you are also using recyclable adhesive labels that do not contaminate the recycling process.

Not Sure Which PURE Labels Materials Meet Your Sustainability Needs? 

We've created a Label Sustainability Guide that you can download! Or check out Choose PURE Labels for more information.

CHICAGO, February 23, 2017 -- Elevate Packaging, a leader in sustainable packaging and labels, and partner Bio4Life B.V., today announce the compostable certification of the PURE Labels™ sugarcane adhesive label product line.

Richard Cohen, CEO and President of Elevate Packaging stated “This certification is for our clients. It firmly establishes 100% confidence the PURE Labels™ product line is the first and the only certified compostable adhesive label available anywhere.”

The PURE Labels product line offers the widest range of sustainable and eco-friendly adhesive labels available throughout North America, including Sugarcane, Clear BioPlastic, FSC-certified paper, Direct Thermal, and Metalized Silver adhesive labels.

Sugarcane fiber, also known as bagasse, is a discarded byproduct of sugar production. By using this fiber to make paper for compostable packaging and labels these eco-friendly packaging solutions carry an additional benefit of avoiding greenhouse gases, since the fiber is generally disposed of by burning and polluting the air with plumes of smoke-filled greenhouse gases.

The quality and strength of sugarcane paper is excellent for making high-quality adhesive labels. Sugarcane waste is superior to wood pulp due to its much denser cellulose fibers. The sugarcane paper labels requires less raw material, less water, less energy and less waste. Sugarcane is a renewable eco-friendly source as it reproduces in cycles of less than 1 year compared to trees which generally take 7 to 10 years.

Compostable adhesive labels are essential for compostable packaging, especially for adhesive labels placed on disposable compostable foodservice packaging, including compostable PLA take-out containers, produce labels, single-use bags and zipper stand-up pouches.

This certificate is compliant under both European and United States compostability testing standards, respectively Din Certco EN13432 and ASTM D6400.

“Our successful and exclusive partnership with Elevate Packaging is the cornerstone to our North American growth strategy in providing a responsive US-based compostable adhesive solutions centrally located in Chicago. The certified compostable sugarcane paper label positions Pure Labels as the leading source of innovative compostable adhesive labels in North America.” Arjan Klapwijk, President of Bio4Life.

About Elevate Packaging Inc.

Elevate Packaging specializes in sustainable branded packaging and label solutions since 2000. Elevate Packaging is trusted experts in creating eco-friendly brand experiences with recycled, compostable, and recycle-friendly packaging, boxes, bags and labels. More information may be found at www.ElevatePackaging.com and www.PureLabels.com.

PRESS RELEASE

PURE Labels, the innovator of eco-friendly and sustainable adhesive labels, has introduced compostable and biodegradable adhesive labels made with a natural fiber facestock.

PURE Labels is making its debut at any Labelexpo show at Labelexpo Americas 2016.

These new sugarcane labels are 100 percent compostable and biodegradable, manufactured with tree-free nonGMO raw materials, and are compliant with international compost standards.

The new material is environmentally-conscious with a unique organic look. The facestock is made from sugarcane waste fiber and is specially-designed for high-quality and high-volume production with a sturdy construction and high durability. An excellent solution for either machine-applied and manually-applied labels. The pressure-sensitive labels are available in both permanent and removable adhesives, with a minimum application temperature 35°F and a service temperature range of -10°F to 200°F. PURE Labels is the first only label that is certified compostable, tree-free and vegan.

PURE Labels compostable sugarcane adhesive label is compliant with the following regulations:

PURE Labels are engineered for compostable products or packaging, with target applications such as: compostable packaging, food service, beer wine and spirits, gourmet and specialty foods, natural health and beauty, grocery, and retail packaging.

After launching Distant Village Packaging, the world's first company dedicated to sustainable packaging in 2000, the company developed PURE Labels in cooperation with leading adhesive label industry experts to formulate a sustainable pressure-sensitive label, which remains unrivaled today as the leading eco-friendly label product line, including recycled, recycle-compatible, natural, vegan, compostable and biodegradable adhesive labels.

Featured on Labels & Labeling

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Compostable Labels for Compostable Packaging

The first label range to help brand owners meet the entire recycling and compost challenge

For a packaging system to be truly 100% compostable, compostable labels are required!

It can be a challenge to find compostable labels, and a business's efforts at eco-friendly packaging could end up being contaminated by a conventional non-compostable label slapped right onto a BPI-certified compostable packaging, such as a clear PLA clamshell food service container.

When composting on an industrial scale, sieves are used to screen contaminants from the finished compost. Particles smaller than the sieve size, such as the adhesive found on non-compostable labels, are not removed through the screening process and will contaminate the finished compost.

If the end user of the packaging assumed (quite reasonably) that both the packaging and label are 100% compostable and sent the entire packaging to be composted, either at home or to an industrial composting facility, the compost process would be contaminated, and that’s not what anybody would have wanted or intended.

Packaging and Labels – Compostable Together

If using compostable packaging from companies such as Elevate Packaging who create compostable packaging for the food and consumer packaged goods industries, or packaging for coffee and tea to specialty foods, it is essential that a sustainable and compostable label is used on the packaging.

Compostable labels from PURE Labels™ are available following American compost standards ASTM D6868 and ASTM D6400, and have been certified compostable to the European standard EN13432.  A wide range of compostable adhesive labels are available for fruit and produce labels, wine beer and spirit labels, direct thermal labels, water oil and grease resistant labels, and natural tree-free sugarcane paper labels.  Compostable labels are sustainable and create an organically natural brand experience.

Using compostable labels on compostable packaging just makes sense.

PURE Labels are the only compostable labels with fully compostable certified adhesives.  When the labels are used with compostable packaging they create a 100% compostable packaging solution.

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Sustainable Packaging in Food Service

Every brand owner faces a major sustainability challenge: Packaging Recyclability. Since labels appear on a wide range of products, from produce stickers to pharmaceutical packaging, the adhesive label industry has historically been challenged with finding sustainable solutions. Different packaging components cannot easily be separated into individual waste streams, and sometimes post-consumer packaging can be heavily contaminated, for example with food residues, so that it becomes unrecyclable. PURE Labels facestock and adhesive materials allow all of the packaging to be composted – nature’s way of recycling.

The biodegradable & compostable label materials from PURE Labels means that label converters can finally help brand owners meet the recycling challenge in full. Biodegradable & compostable packaging allows dramatic reductions in waste going to landfill or incineration, ending landfill taxes and boosting brand credentials. Biodegradable packaging can be sent directly to municipal compost facilities, where taxes are lower than for landfill in many countries.

All adhesives, papers and films in the range are certified under EU directive EN13432. Sustainable sourcing is ensured by using FSC®-certified coated paper or bio-based filmic materials made from wood pulp. PURE Labels use the first biodegradable adhesive with direct food contact approval for dry, non-fatty foods.

By offering materials that are truly compostable and certified, converters can give brand owners a simple way to uphold their sustainability commitment to customers – by certifying their packaging – as well as new brand-building opportunities. These biodegradable materials are being adopted quickly by Elevate Packaging customers. Use certified compost industry logos on your product packaging and display sustainability commitment directly to consumers.

Facestocks in the biodegradable portfolio include uncoated and coated papers; wine-range papers and biodegradable films made from renewable non-GMO sources. All are supplied with our exclusive compostable adhesive and 40# liner.

CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU NEED?

Let us print your label in any shape or size at no extra charge

Contact Us Today for a FREE Quote

QUESTIONS? Check Our Q&A or Call us at 773-276-4554 (M-F 9am to 5pm CST).

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The Petroleum-based Plastic Packaging Problem

Sustainable, organic and natural brand owners have been searching for an alternative to plastic packaging for a long time. Flexible plastic bags used for food and beverage packaging make up two-thirds of the world’s plastic waste and they are often not recyclable.

Flexible packaging (packages such as fresh organic produce, fair-trade coffee, natural snacks, organic granola bars, seal-able plastic zipper bags, stand-up pouches, grains, etc.) is a growing segment of the world’s sustainable packaging market. The volume of flexible packaging is smaller than rigid plastic containers which reduces the use of plastics and wastes less space during transport, however most flexible packaging can’t be practically recycled. Apart from the lack of collection and recycling infrastructure, flexible packaging isn’t made of pure plastic polymers but rather made by blending several materials (this is necessary to give it the properties of “ordinary” plastics). These blended materials make the recycling of flexible bags nearly impossible.

It is important to note that even when some of the materials used for flexible packaging are biodegradable, the very blending of materials can make the entire package unfit for recycling or composting. Unfortunately, it can only head for the landfill.

The Compostable Plastic Packaging Solution

The 'natural packaging' of a banana is quite remarkable. What can we learn from this efficient and eco-friendly packaging?

The banana is "packaged by nature" in a protective natural peel. When discarded, the banana peel decomposes and leaves no toxic residue; the compost left behind can be used for plant growth. 100% of the banana peel returns to nature and the results in your garden are amazing!

Our vision is to provide best-in-class sustainable flexible plastic packaging which will have the same end-of-life organic waste has, yet also offer eco-friendly consumers and sustainable brands the same durability and shelf life they have come to expect of ordinary plastics.

Yet biodegradable and compostable packaging can only succeed if it has the same protective functionality as any equivalent “ordinary” plastic package – that is, to serve as a barrier between food and the environment. It must perform while also being readily available.

We know a lot of sustainable consumers share our vision and desire the satisfaction of knowing that the bio-plastic packaging they use can go back to nature; this benefits both sustainable consumer brands and our environment.

To learn more about how compostable and bio-based plastic packaging can meet your company's packaging needs, contact Elevate Packaging at 773-276-4554 or email us at info@elevatepackaging.com

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