Is the use of foil a sustainable choice for Print and Packaging?

By Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD

All of us are heavily focused on the environment and the demand for sustainable packaging solutions. We have turned to metallics and foils to help our customer’s brand stand out on the shelf. Special effects can transform and influence a consumer’s purchase decision.

The Foil & Specialty Effect Association (FSEA) sponsored a sustainability study conducted by Georgia Tech’s Renewable Bioproducts Institute to demonstrate that paper and paper boards with foil-stamped metallic transfer foils can be repulped with 75% coverage. The aluminum in the metallic transfer foil could be broken down into small particles and were removed from the fibers during screening.

Another study by Van Dyk Testing Center resulted in the same conclusions as the FSEA study – fiber based transfer metallic decorated materials are recyclable and currently are most likely being sorted by MRFs to be included in the recycling stream.

These finding will help packagers meet their sustainability goals without compromising their designs and branding initiatives, considering that decorated foil packaging had an 80% higher appeal and a 44% better chance of attracting customer attention.

If you are interested in talking about metallic and foil special effects for your next print project to show off your brand, let’s talk!