We hear the word “sustainable” a lot these days, but what exactly does it mean? It’s the idea of not depleting the earth’s natural resources, maintaining a healthy ecological balance, not compromising the needs of future generations to feed our own, and the careful practice of innovation with an eye toward future environmental good.
Sustainability isn’t the first thing you think about when considering a brand of tape … but maybe it should be, especially if your business packages and mails product to consumers.
Today, those consumers are demanding it.
According to “Balancing Sustainability and Profitability,” a 2022 report from the IBM Institute for Business Value, more than half of consumers say sustainability is more important to them today than it was last year at this time. And just under half paid an average of 59% more for products that were sustainable.
That’s why, for many businesses, a focus on sustainability is becoming more important. That’s where tesa® (and we at Walker Tape Converting) can help.
tesa®’s commitment to sustainability
The growing debate about “packaging pollution” is real. The backlash against plastic packaging has been raging for some time — it’s not biodegradable, so every bit of plastic ever made is still here — but it’s not just plastic that is generating the outcry. All the materials in industrial and consumer packaging are being eyed by regulatory agencies, including the tape that securely seals those cartons.
tesa®, one of the world leaders in adhesive solutions for 125 years, is taking that debate, and sustainability, seriously. The company believes “taking on more responsibility for the world around us is becoming increasingly important, for us as a company, for our employees and for our business partners and customers.”
tesa® isn’t just aiming to make sustainable products. The company itself is shifting toward more sustainability in the development, creation, and manufacturing of those products as well.
What makes a tape sustainable:
The way tesa® sees it, tapes must meet five criteria to be deemed “sustainable.”
- Responsible resource management
- Renewable feedstocks
- Recycled content
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- End-of-life solutions
Some actions tesa® is taking toward becoming a more sustainable company:
- Reducing its environmental footprint all along their products’ life cycles
- Expanding the range of sustainable products it manufactures
- Ensuring good working conditions
The goals are to reduce CO2 emissions, purchase solely renewable electricity, achieve zero landfill waste, source 80% of direct spend from responsible suppliers and increase sales of sustainable products.
tesa®’s sustainable tapes
At Walker Tape Converting, we applaud tesa®’s efforts and offer several of tesa®’s sustainable tapes as solutions to our customers’ unique needs. You’ll notice that these tapes highlight their INGEDE method 12 status, which is a test of the recyclability of paper products, specifically with an eye toward adhesives.
Here’s a sample:
Paper packaging tapes
tesa® 4713
Standard Paper Packaging Tape
It’s designed for sealing cardboard boxes up to 20 pounds, can be torn by hand, is great on different cardboard qualities, printable with all types of ink systems, and is suitable for manual and automatic dispensers.
What makes it sustainable:
- Paper backing made with paper from well-managed FSCTM-certified forests and other controlled sources
- Recycling-friendly according to INGEDE method 12 (100/100)
- Solvent-free production process
tesa® 4313 PV10 and PV12
Premium Paper Packaging Tape
It’s designed for sealing cardboard boxes up to 40 pounds, is highly resistant against shock impacts, can be torn by hand, is great on different cardboard qualities, printable with all types of ink systems, and is suitable for manual and automatic dispensers.
What makes it sustainable:
- Paper backing made with paper from well-managed FSCTM-certified forests and other controlled sources
- Recycling-friendly according to INGEDE method 12 (83/100)
- Solvent-free production process
tesa® 60013
Self-Adhesive Reinforced Paper Tape
It’s suitable for heavy-duty packaging of over 50 pounds, excellent adhesion and aggressive tack, high tensile strength, paper backing reinforced with fiberglass scrim, tamper-evident seal when removing the tape, suitable for manual and automatic dispensers.
What makes it sustainable:
- Recycling-friendly according to INGEDE method 12 (75/100)
- Solvent free production process
Filmic packaging tapes
tesa® 60400
Bio & Strong
It’s ideal for sealing cardboard boxes up to 60 pounds, and has strong adhesion, robust backing material, a solvent-free production process, and excellent performance on recycled cardboards.
What makes it sustainable:
- Total bio-based carbon content of 98%
- Official certification from DIN CERTCO and TUV Austria
- Lower CO2 emissions compared to other standard packaging tapes
- Solvent-free production process
Interested to hear more about how we can help your business become more sustainable? Contact us today!
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