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Enable circular packaging with high performance labels

Brand customers have a growing need for circular packaging labels, due to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, customer expectations and sustainability commitments. The label constructions converters specify directly affect whether their customers can meet these demands. For one, label materials significantly impact the recyclability performance of packaging. Recycled content labels help brand owners hit their material targets, while returnable packaging systems are made possible with high performance technologies such as wash-off adhesives. UPM’s label material portfolio serves all three approaches to packaging circularity, and we can help you find a reliable solution for your application in question.

Access the Packaging recyclability guide

Three ways labels support packaging circularity

Recycling compatible labels

Help your customers design packaging for recycling by choosing recycling compatible label materials. Examples range from wash-off labels designed for PET recycling to paper labels for fiber‑based packaging.

Recycled content labels

Help your customers meet their recycled content targets with drop-in film, paper and liner solutions that run on your existing equipment without process changes. Choose from rPET, recycled PP, recycled PE and recycled paper options.

Labels for reusable packaging

Select the right label solution for your customer’s reuse system, washing process and packaging substrate. For example, adhesive technologies that enable clean separation allow containers to re‑enter the supply chain without residue.

PPWR labeling requirements

Learn what PPWR means for label specification

Recycling compatible labels: guidance by packaging material

Whether a label helps or hinders recyclability comes down to how it interacts with the packaging’s recycling process, and adhesive type, face material and label coverage all play a role in this. The primary packaging material, whether that be PET, HDPE, glass or cardboard, determines the recycling stream, and label selection must be done accordingly.

Design for recycling guidance for label materials and adhesives vary by market. Use our free packaging recyclability guide as a starting point to find the right construction for your specific application.

Recyclability performance recognized by external standards

When your brand customer asks for proof of recyclability performance, UPM ProCycle™ adhesives and circular products give you something specific to hand over. Products are recognized for compatibility with relevant recycling streams by external industry bodies such as APR and RecyClass. Where specific functionality is needed, independent testing supports that requirement.

✔ Externally recognized recycling compatibility

✔ Independent testing for label functionalities, such as clean release

✔ Compatible with PET and HDPE recycling streams

✔ Reliable adhesive performance

✔ Backed by UPM’s regulatory and sustainability expertise

✔ Portfolio designed to adapt to changing needs

Discover recyclability made easy with UPM ProCycle

How wash-off adhesive supports PET recycling

After a PET bottle is collected and sorted, it is shredded, label and cap included. The shredded flakes enter a hot-wash stage: PP label film and cap material float to the surface, and clean PET flakes sink and are recovered as recyclate. A standard adhesive leaves residue on the PET flakes during washing, impacting the recycling yield. Wash-off adhesive releases cleanly at washing temperatures, leaving the flakes uncontaminated. Specifying wash-off adhesive is what allows your customer's PET packaging to adhere to the relevant recyclability guidelines.

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Recycled content labels to meet your customers’ material targets

UPM supplies recycled content label materials in both film and paper formats. Film options cover mechanically and chemically recycled content constructions across PP and PE bases. Paper options range from standard coated and uncoated grades to thermal and wet-strength face materials. Most are designed to run on your existing converting equipment without modification, respond to customer recycled content requests without compromise.

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Why choose recycled content labels?

Reduce waste and the use of fossil-based materials

Using recycled content in labels reduces the demand for virgin fossil-based materials, especially plastic. At the same time, recycled content labels reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, as plastic, paper and other valuable raw materials are given a new life.

Quantify the carbon footprint reduction

Producing recycled content labels typically requires less energy and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to producing labels with virgin materials. You can compare the carbon footprint of a recycled content construction against its virgin equivalent at the product level with our externally validated LCA service, UPM Label Life.

Regulatory compliance

Governments worldwide are tightening regulations related to packaging materials and circularity. Recycled content labels can help you and your customer meet or prepare for incoming compliance requirements

Label solutions that enable packaging reuse

Reusable packaging systems place specific demands on label performance, and requirements depend on how the packaging is reused. In returnable and pooled systems, labels must perform during use but release cleanly during washing so packaging can be reused without residue. In these applications, wash‑off adhesives are a common specification for rigid plastic and glass packaging.

Other reuse models may require labels to remain in place across multiple use cycles. In these cases, permanent label constructions and adhesive performance are needed to withstand moisture, abrasion and repeated handling.

We collaborate with partners across the value chain to develop practical and scalable reuse solutions. One example is the cross-industry Reusify project, in which we have piloted a deposit-based return and reuse system for takeaway containers in grocery stores.

Talk to our experts about reuse applications

Recycle your label waste with ease

Streamline label waste management and support circular packaging goals with UPM RafCycle™. The original label release liner recycling service helps you and your customer transform label waste into new raw materials with ease and cost-efficiency. Partners receive reports on collected liner volumes and externally validated CO² impact data, so they can track and communicate their recycling efforts with confidence.

Explore your possibilities with UPM RafCycle™

Ready to specify the right circular label material?

Use our Label product finder to filter solutions by application, recycling compatibility, recycled content and reuse systems, as well as by adhesive technologies such as wash off adhesives. This makes it easy to move from circularity requirements to a label material that fits your customers’ needs and runs on your existing converting equipment.

Access the Label product finder

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