Copolyester chosen for new protein drink packaging

Supplied by CCL Label Decorative Sleeves, Embrace HY was selected due to the material's soft-to-the touch feel, matte look, wraparound decoration characteristics and sustainability benefits.

Recyclability of the bottles was an important consideration for The Good Whey Company, with a twin perforation on the label enabling consumers to tear and remove it. When a label is removed, the bottle can be more readily detected in the recycling stream, increasing the probability the plastic will be used for a new bottle. The product also was made more recyclable on account of the bottle being clear rather than colored PET, unlike many other dairy products.

Eastman Embrace HY copolyester also provided distinctive on-the-shelf presence with a wraparound, 360-degree billboard effect that forms tightly around highly contoured containers.

The material is naturally white colored, eliminating the need for printed white flood coats. Other reasons for The Good Whey Company to select Embrace HY because of the material’s matte effect and that it feels soft to the touch.

Anthony Sammut, EMEA specification sales and marketing manager at Eastman, said: ‘Eastman Embrace HY copolyester is an innovative sustainable packaging option for brand owners, offering a 30 percent lower density than other copolyesters and requiring less material for the same demand.

‘By using Embrace HY for its labels, The Good Whey Company was able to use a custom-designed clear PET bottle — which is recyclable — with a tapered waist, instead of having to use a pigmented bottle with a shrink label.’

The Good Whey Company selected CCL Label to produce the Upbeat labels because of the company’s technical knowledge and skills, and its support during the project’s development, while CCL Label chose the Eastman substrate due to its previous experience working with the company.

Jon Cowan, sales director at CCL Label Decorative Sleeves, said: ‘When we were approached by The Good Whey Company for a product label that would be attractive and eye-catching, we immediately identified Eastman Embrace HY material as the ideal solution. All companies worked through the development phase to achieve an attractive final package design.

‘Working with Eastman Embrace HY and using the twin perforation allowed for an easily and cleanly removable sleeve, therefore encouraging consumers to remove the labels and enhancing the probability the bottle will be recycled without the fear of contamination.

‘These subtle perforations do not detract from the visual excellence the sleeve offers in terms of 360-degree decoration.’

‘The Upbeat packaging requires a premium finish to reflect the high quality of the product inside the bottle, and using Eastman Embrace HY copolyester has allowed us to do just this,’ concluded Susie Hignett, brand manager at The Good Whey Company.