The questions buyers ask before they source
Regulation, materials and specification, written for the person who has to defend the decision internally. No sales copy — the arithmetic and the constraints, including the ones that work against us.
EU PPWR: what packaging buyers must change before 2030
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation sets recycled-content minimums, recyclability grades and reuse targets on a fixed timetable. What it means for flexible packaging buyers, and what to change first.
UK Plastic Packaging Tax: how the 30% threshold actually works
The UK Plastic Packaging Tax charges per tonne on plastic packaging with under 30% recycled content. How the threshold is measured, what counts as recycled, and the arithmetic on when switching pays for itself.
EN 13432 vs ASTM D6400 vs OK Compost: which do you need?
EN 13432, ASTM D6400, OK Compost, Seedling, BPI and home-compostable schemes explained — what each one certifies, which markets accept which, and the thickness limit that voids most compostable claims.
How high can PCR content go before quality drops?
Post-consumer recycled content in blown film: what changes at 30%, 50% and 70%, why 100% PCR claims rarely survive production, and how to specify PCR so the film still performs on your line.
Mono-material pouches: replacing PET/PE without losing barrier
How recyclable mono-material PE and PP pouches replace PET/PE and metallised laminates — what you gain in recyclability, what you have to engineer back in, and how long a conversion takes.
Bin liner specification guide: gauge, PCR and seal type
How to specify bin liners and refuse sacks properly — gauge versus load rating, why micron alone tells you nothing, star seal versus gusset, recycled content, and why bin liners are quoted by tonnage.
Food contact compliance: FDA 21 CFR vs EU 10/2011
The two food-contact regimes work on opposite principles. What a US FDA 21 CFR declaration covers, what an EU declaration of compliance must contain, and why a supplier's certificate is not the same as compliance for your product.
How to audit a Chinese packaging supplier: a buyer's checklist
A practical checklist for auditing a Chinese flexible packaging supplier — how to tell a manufacturer from a trading company, what to look at on the floor, which documents to ask for, and the questions that get honest answers.
Stand-up pouch vs flat pouch vs gusseted bag
Three pouch formats, three different cost and shelf outcomes. How fill weight, product density, shelf presentation and filling line speed decide between a stand-up pouch, a flat pouch and a side or bottom gusset.
PCR vs compostable vs mono-material: which route is right
Three routes to a more sustainable pack, three different regulations, costs and failure modes. How recycled content, compostable film and mono-material recyclable structures actually compare for a buyer.
Poly mailer vs paper mailer
Paper mailers look like the sustainable choice and are not always. A comparison on tear strength, water resistance, dimensional weight, recycling route and real cost per shipment for e-commerce buyers.
Reusable bag materials: non-woven PP vs RPET vs cotton
A reusable bag only pays back if it is actually reused. How non-woven polypropylene, RPET and cotton compare on reuse count, durability, printability, cost and the retailer compliance rules that now apply.
Film thickness: gauge, mil and micron
Gauge, mil and micron measure the same thing in three unit systems, and mixing them up is the most common specification error in flexible packaging. Conversion table, tolerance ranges and why thickness alone does not tell you strength.
Barrier properties: reading and specifying OTR and WVTR
OTR and WVTR are the two numbers that decide shelf life, and they are quoted in units that are easy to misread. What the figures mean, what test conditions do to them, and how to specify barrier from a shelf-life target instead of guessing.