Eco-concerns and brand owner pull fuelling cellophane renaissance

The company’s global sales and marketing director said the packaging material is undergoing a renaissance after demand dipped 10-15 years ago after coming under strong cost pressures from materials like polypropylene (PP).

But a surge in demand for environmentally-friendly and sustainable products in the last five years has seen an upswing in interest in cellophane, which is sourced from wood pulp.

And the company said it is already feeling the benefit as demand for its cellophane-based NatureFlex films increases.

Significant technology advances have also boosted the material’s oxygen and moisture barrier properties and Innovia said it has partnered with other players to incorporate biodegradable inks and adhesives to produce “total solutions”.​

The firm has embarked on a robust marketing strategy that involves contacting brand owners direct to outline what they see as the functional and green benefits of their products.

This is in turn has seen end users urging packaging converters to explore cellophane-based options to “create a pull”​ for the material, said van t’Riet.