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 the MOQ arithmetic on a tonnage-led order.
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.