ABOUT
What is Inovar360®?
Inovar360® is our portfolio of sustainable and recyclable label solutions developed in alignment with APR (Association of Plastic Recyclers) guidelines. These solutions are engineered to ensure compatibility between your label and container, helping your packaging move successfully through the recycling stream.
With Inovar360®, we evaluate:
- Container material (PET, HDPE, etc.)
- Label construction and material
- Label coverage and placement
- Inks, coatings, and embellishments
- Adhesives and wash-off behavior
Our goal is simple: help you design packaging that works in real-world recycling systems, create packaging made from recycled materials, or reduce your packaging waste.
How Inovar360® Supports Recyclability
Sustainable packaging starts with the right combination of materials. Inovar360® solutions are designed to align with key recyclability criteria, including:
- Label-to-container compatibility
- Controlled label coverage (e.g., <75% where applicable)
- Wash-off or separation behavior during recycling
- Elimination or reduction of disruptive elements like metallic inks
Our team works with you to apply these principles to your specific packaging configuration.
Help Your Brand Stand Out with Full-Body, Digitally Printed Sustainable Shrink Sleeves
Inovar helps brands elevate shelf presence with full-body, digitally printed shrink sleeves designed for sustainability. As the first U.S. company to offer a recyclable, full-body shrink sleeve solution, we make it easier to combine bold design with responsible packaging.
These innovative sleeves are designed to support recyclability while maintaining full-body graphics and strong shelf presence. Consumers simply cap the bottle and recycle, delivering a seamless experience while your brand benefits from vibrant, high-impact, full-coverage graphics.
Make Your Packaging Recyclable
Inovar offers a range of label technologies designed to support recyclability across different container types and applications. Each solution is developed with consideration for APR guidelines and real-world recycling system performance.
SHRINK SLEEVES
PET Container (Clear, Light Blue & Light Green)
- Digitally Printed Shrink Sleeves Designed for Recycling: Digitally printed shrink sleeves that meet APR guidelines and are suitable for indirect food contact delivering full-body, high-impact graphics with sustainability in mind. Benefits: Full-body digital graphics that support efficient recycling and easy consumer disposal, without compromising shelf impact or design flexibility.
- Recyclable Shrink Sleeve: Utilize “washable” inks with PET or CPET shrink sleeve material. Shrink Sleeve is recycled with the primary container. Benefit is that the sleeve is recycled with the primary containers.
- Floatable Shrink Sleeve: Utilize Shrink Sleeve material that floats and can be discarded (inks stay on the sleeve). This allows the primary container to be recycled. Benefit is that you can use white and clear sleeve materials.
Inovar360® PRESSURE SENSITIVE LABELS
PET Container (Clear, Light Blue & Light Green)
- Our Inovar360® pressure sensitive labels will separate cleanly from PET material during the recycling process, and our “lock-in” inks will prevent staining of the wash water. This allows for food-grade PET flakes, enabling bottle-to-bottle recycling and less plastic waste in landfills.
ROLL-FED LABELS
PET Container (Clear, Light Blue & Light Green)
- Recyclable Roll-Fed: Utilizing laminated or mono-web BOPP materials with lock in inks to prevent staining of the wash water. The label is removed during the wash process and floats. This allows the label to be discarded, and the primary container recycled.
FLEXIBLE PACKAGING
- Flexible Packaging w/ Pressure Sensitive Reclosure: Utilizing a pressure sensitive reclosure label made from Polyethylene along with a flexible package made from the same material allows the consumer to return this package to the “in store” recycling bin with the consumer’s bags.
- Flexible Packaging: Utilizing mono material construction a Polyethylene based flexible package can be returned to the “in store” recycling bin with the consumer’s grocery bags.
Benefits of Sustainable & Recyclable Label Solutions
Inovar helps brands achieve their sustainability goals through solutions focused on recyclability, material selection, and waste reduction.
Fully recyclable primary packaging
Design label and packaging systems that support real-world recycling. Our solutions, including shrink sleeves and Inovar360® pressure-sensitive labels, are developed with APR guidelines in mind to help ensure compatibility with your container and recycling streams.
Packaging with recycled materials
Incorporate post-consumer materials without sacrificing performance. We offer pressure-sensitive labels made with PCR and PCW materials, along with recycled liner options to support circular packaging goals.
Reduced packaging waste
Minimize material usage while improving efficiency. Thinner liners, increased labels per roll, and solutions like Ino-Reduce Booklet Labels help reduce waste and optimize production.
Trusted Across Industries
With versatile capabilities and industry-leading technology, Inovar’s sustainable and recyclable label options are a trusted choice across diverse markets.
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLABLE LABEL AND PACKAGING FAQS
What makes a label recyclable?
A label is considered recyclable when it is designed to be compatible with the primary container during the recycling process. This includes factors such as label material, adhesive, ink system, and overall coverage on the container. Through our Inovar360® portfolio, we design label constructions aligned with APR guidelines to help ensure your packaging performs effectively in real-world recycling streams.
What is Inovar360® and how does it support sustainable packaging?
Inovar360® is Inovar’s portfolio of sustainable and recyclable label solutions developed in alignment with APR (Association of Plastic Recyclers) guidelines. These solutions are engineered to ensure compatibility between your label and container—helping brands design packaging that meets recyclability goals while maintaining performance and visual impact.
How do I know if my label meets APR guidelines?
Recyclability depends on several factors, including container material, label size (coverage), label construction, inks, and adhesives. Inovar evaluates these elements and can help determine whether your packaging aligns with APR guidance. You can also connect with our team for a detailed review of your project.
What label materials are best for recyclable packaging?
The best label material depends on your container type (such as PET or HDPE) and how the label behaves during recycling. Inovar360® solutions include pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, and roll-fed labels which are designed to either separate cleanly or remain compatible with the recycling process, depending on the application.
Do label size and coverage affect recyclability?
Yes, label coverage is a critical factor. For many applications, labels must remain below a certain percentage of the container surface area (often 75% or less) to meet recyclability guidelines. Our team helps evaluate label size and placement to ensure alignment with APR recommendations for recyclability.
Can I use metallic inks or embellishments on recyclable labels?
Metallic inks and certain embellishments can negatively impact recyclability, depending on their usage and coverage. Inovar360® solutions are designed to minimize or eliminate elements that may interfere with recycling streams while still achieving strong shelf presence.
Are sustainable labels more expensive?
Not always. In many cases, sustainable label solutions can be cost-neutral or even reduce costs through material optimization and improved efficiencies. Inovar works with brands to balance sustainability goals with budget and operational requirements.
What options are available to reduce packaging waste?
Inovar offers several solutions to help reduce packaging waste, including:
- Thinner liner and material options
- Increased labels per roll (reducing changeovers and waste)
- Liner recycling programs through RafCycle at select locations
These solutions help improve efficiency while lowering overall environmental impact.
Does Inovar offer recyclable solutions across different label types?
Yes. Inovar’s sustainable solutions extend across multiple label formats, including pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, and roll-fed labels. Each solution is tailored to your container type and recyclability goals.
Sustainable & Recyclable Label and Packaging Insights
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