Packaging tape plays an important role when it comes to sealing your parcels ready for shipping. Now with the move away from plastic, many businesses are switching to paper tapes due to them being more eco-friendly and cost-effective.
Self-Adhesive Paper Tape
Self-Adhesive Paper Tapes are made with a polymer-based release coating that is applied on the top layer of the kraft paper, along with a hot melt adhesive applied to the bottom layer.
The known benefits of Self-Adhesive Paper Tape are:
- Plastic reduction: by switching to Self-Adhesive Paper Tape, you will reduce the amount of plastic in your supply chain.
- Tape use is reduced: for every 2-3 strips of plastic packaging tape, you will only need 1 strip of self-adhesive paper tape as it’s stronger and more durable. Due to the fact you will be using much less tape, this also means sealing costs are reduced.
- Printing: self-adhesive paper tape can be printed on and so it will improve your packaging’s appearance and enhance the customer experience.
While Self-Adhesive Paper Tape is known to be more cost-effective than gummed paper tape, it is in fact not as environmentally friendly as it’s often advertised, and businesses fail to mention the release coating and hot melt glues side effects in which it is made from. This is because like plastic tapes, Self-Adhesive Paper Tape is made with synthetic adhesives that are not recyclable. However as it’s less than 10% of the overall weight, it’s still kerbside recyclable. The release coating is made with either Linear-Low-Density-Polyethylene or Silicone for winding the roll to ensure the hot melt adhesive does not stick to the paper. This coating that is used is what gives the tape its shine. However, because it is made of plastic, this means it is very difficult to recycle.
As for the hot melt adhesive, the primary polymers used in hot melts are ethylene-vinyl acetate or ethylene n-butyl acrylate, styrene block copolymers, polyethylene, polyolefins, ethylene-methyl acrylate, and polyamides and polyesters. This means that Self-Adhesive Paper Tape is a thermoplastic material that is made of additives, stabilizers and pigments that are also used in plastic tapes. So, what does this mean? Well, this shows that just because a tape is made from paper, does not mean the adhesives are any better for the environment.
It’s also important to note that this type of paper tape is more prone to pilferage and the bond it offers is not as good as that of a water activated tape.
Gummed Paper Tape (Water-Activated Tape)
Gummed Paper Tapes are the only tapes available that are known to be 100% recyclable, re-pulpable and therefore environmentally friendly. This is because the adhesive coated on the kraft paper tape is a vegetable glue made from potato starch which is completely soluble in water. There are also no solvents used in its manufacture and the gum breaks down in recycling processes.
The benefits of Gummed Paper Tape include:
- Improved productivity: Research has shown there is a 20% increase in packer productivity when using Water-Activated Tape and a Paper Tape dispenser.
- Eco-friendly and biodegradable: Gummed Paper Tape is 100% eco-friendly and biodegradable as it is made from natural, renewable, and recyclable adhesives.
- Cost-effective: compared to other tapes on the market, they have a better value for money.
- Temperature conditions: Gummed Paper Tape is resistant even to extreme temperatures.
- Greater strength: Gummed Paper Tape is built for strength and offers a greater bond that can hold for long durations.
- Good for printing: Gummed Paper Tape can also be printed on to give guidance on how a package should be handled, or to provide cautions like the example below.
Post time: Nov-04-2023