Sustainability is becoming more essential in every aspect of business, and the world of printing is no exception. 

Heiner Klokkers, president and CEO Europe, India, Africa and Middle East for Flint Group, notes that inks play a strategic role in sustainable packaging. 

“Although they represent a small share of pack weight, they influence environmental impact across the full lifecycle,” Klokkers says. “Formulation choices influence production emissions, energy consumption, and carbon footprint. Water-based, UV, and nitrocellulose-free technologies lower VOC emissions and promote lower-carbon printing. The growing use of bio-renewable raw materials further minimizes environmental impact.”

Klokkers adds that inks are also critical to recyclability and circularity. 

“Poor design can disrupt material recovery,” Klokkers says. “De-inkable systems for fiber, washable inks for PET and HDPE, and solutions compatible with mono-material PE and PP structures ensure inks support, rather than hinder, recycling. Food safety and responsible chemistry are equally crucial. Low-migration technologies, mineral oil-free formulations, and strict raw material assessment protect consumers and support regulatory compliance. Under Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, inks that avoid hazardous substances and facilitate recycling help reduce compliance risks and potential fees.

”Inks are not merely decorative; they are functional components that directly influence recyclability, safety, carbon footprint, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency,” Klokkers adds. “Consequently, they are vital enablers of tangible sustainability advancements in packaging.”

Renee Schouten, VP of marketing for INX International Ink Co., notes that inks play a much larger role in sustainability than many people realize.

“They influence not only how packaging performs in production and on shelf, but also how that package behaves with end-of-life,” says Schouten. “The right ink system can help reduce hazardous chemistry, improve recyclability, support compostability goals where appropriate, enable lower-energy curing, and help brand owners meet evolving regulatory and ESG expectations. At INX, we view inks and coatings as important enablers of a more circular packaging system. 

“At INX, we believe the future belongs to solutions that balance performance, safety, and sustainability without compromise,” says Schouten. “Whether that means advancing nitrocellulose-free systems, recycling-compatible technologies, renewable content innovations, or process efficiency tools, our focus remains the same. We help customers move forward with practical, high-performance solutions that support a safer and more sustainable future.

Dr. Lutz Frischmann, global product director flexible packaging for hubergroup, points out that inks are a key factor in more sustainable packaging, since they have a direct impact on recyclability and compatibility with circular economy requirements. 

“Accordingly, sustainability has become a key driver in ink development,” says Dr. Frischmann. “In particular, water-based systems, UV LED technologies, NC-free formulations and environmentally friendly offset systems have gained popularity in recent years, as these technologies help to reduce environmental impact and support sustainable, future-proof packaging designs. In addition, barrier coatings and overprint varnishes that improve mono-material solutions and design-for-recycling concepts are becoming increasingly important.”

Hideki Ohba, GM, Marketing Department, International Division at Toyo Ink Co., Ltd., notes that inks play a more important role in sustainability than is often recognized. 

“While inks represent only a small fraction of the total packaging weight, they can have a significant impact on the recyclability, safety and environmental footprint of the final packaging structure,” says Ohba. 

“Today, inks must support multiple sustainability objectives simultaneously,” Ohba continues. “They must enable safe food packaging, reduce emissions such as VOCs, and be compatible with recycling processes, whether for plastics, paper or other materials. From our perspective, the challenge is not only to reduce the environmental footprint of inks themselves, but also to develop solutions that support more sustainable packaging systems overall. This includes technologies such as low-migration systems, energy-efficient curing technologies like LED-UV, and formulations designed to facilitate recycling processes.”

Nikola Juhasz, global technical director, sustainability, Sun Chemical, observes that inks – as well as the pigments, coatings and adhesives that work alongside them – are increasingly recognized as “small in mass but decisive in outcome.” 

“They can either enable circularity or completely disrupt it,” Juhasz adds. “Sun Chemical frames this in a very practical way from a sustainability and technical perspective: ink, pigment, coating and adhesive chemistries must be compatible with the end-of-life disposition of printed end products (e.g., caustic washing, deinking, repulping and recycling heat profiles) along with migration/compliance requirements, rather than being designed for print quality and immediate application requirements.

“Sun Chemical explicitly ties ink design to end-of-life performance and to policy and economic factors, which are becoming increasingly relevant for packaging applications, through mechanisms such as packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) fee modulation, recyclability labeling and brand owner scorecards. Inks, coatings, and adhesives often determine whether a package is accepted, downgraded, or rejected in recycling streams, especially in plastic recycling, where thermal stability and wash-water behavior matter,” Juhasz notes.

Alina Marm, head of global sustainability & circular economy at Siegwerk, notes that inks and coatings play an essential enabling role in the realization of sustainable and sustainable packaging solutions. 

“With the right inks and coatings, technical performance gaps of certain materials, such as paper and mono-plastic, can be closed, improving their properties and thus allowing their use for new recyclable applications,” Marm says. “For example, they can enable the switch from multi-material plastic to mono-material plastic packaging while maintaining the functionality of the original packaging, such as the protection of food while creating recyclability of packaging components.”

Marm points out that by providing functionalities such as barrier properties or heat resistance, inks and coatings can even replace certain film layers, allowing packaging designers to simplify packaging structures and thus facilitate their recyclability. 

“At Siegwerk, we already have a broad track record in customer-specific ink and coating development projects for circular packaging solutions that – among others – increase recyclability, enable composting, and support packaging based on renewable materials,” Marm reports. “All our sustainable solutions are flexible regarding substrates, printing technologies and ink systems. Together with our supply chain partners Borouge and TPN Food Packaging, we for example developed a fully recyclable, mono-material stand-up pouch with oxygen barrier suitable for dry products such as nuts and pet food. The pouch’s innovative design enables circularity through de-inking technology that delaminates printed laminate films to remove inks and generates better quality uncolored recycled PE for next-cycle life. 

“All in all, inks and coatings can either hinder or enable the sustainability of packaging by influencing its recyclability, emissions, safety, and overall resource efficiency throughout its lifecycle, so choosing the right inks and coatings is key,” Marm notes.

Customers and Sustainability 

Ink industry executives note that sustainability comes up frequently in discussions with customers. Ohba says that sustainability has become one of the most important topics in discussions with customers across the packaging value chain. 

“Brand owners, converters and printers are all facing increasing pressure from consumers, regulators and corporate ESG commitments,” says Ohba. “As a result, we see strong demand for solutions that can help reduce environmental impact while maintaining print performance and compliance with safety standards. These conversations often focus on reducing VOC emissions, improving recyclability, ensuring food safety, and lowering the carbon footprint of packaging production. 

“What is particularly interesting is that sustainability is no longer viewed as a separate initiative,” Ohba notes. “It is increasingly becoming a core requirement in product development and supplier selection, which is driving innovation across the entire printing and packaging industry.”

Schouten says that customers are clearly emphasizing sustainability. 

“Sustainability has moved from a secondary consideration to a core business requirement for many customers,” Schouten points out. “Brand owners, converters, and retailers are all asking more detailed questions about recyclability, renewable-content options, regulatory compliance, product safety, carbon impact, and how packaging choices support broader circular economy goals. Increasingly, customers are not just asking for ‘sustainable inks’ in general. They want application-specific solutions that perform in the real world.”

Klokkers observes that sustainability is embedded in virtually every customer dialogue. 

“Brands and converters face sustained pressure from regulators, retailers and consumers to demonstrate measurable environmental progress,” says Klokkers. “Carbon-reduction strategies are central, with increasing scrutiny of Scope 3 emissions across the value chain. Suppliers are expected to provide transparency, data and lower-impact solutions that support science-based targets.

“Beyond carbon, customers are focused on practical efficiency. Reducing waste, energy use and material complexity is seen as both an environmental and commercial priority. Improving press efficiency, lowering ink consumption and simplifying packaging structures all contribute to stronger sustainability performance,” adds Klokkers. 

Klokkers observes that circularity is another consistent theme.

“Customers are seeking solutions that enable recyclability, compostability, and the responsible use of renewable or bio-based materials,” Klokkers observes. “At the same time, evolving regulations, such as packaging waste directives and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, are reinforcing the need for compliant, future-ready technologies. Sustainability is no longer a secondary consideration. It is a defining factor in purchasing decisions and long-term partnerships.”

Juhasz notes that sustainability now appears earlier and more frequently in customer discussions. 

“For the packaging sector specifically, this can be attributed to a combination of environmental drivers and new laws and regulations impacting packaging design and marketing,” adds Juhasz. “Customer sustainability requests are also becoming more actionable and measurable. They are increasingly demanding: (a) recyclability pathway evidence (e.g., third party recognitions); (b) documentation to support labeling claims; and (c) emissions accounting/product carbon footprint (PCF), which quantifies the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product across its life cycle (e.g., cradle to gate or cradle to grave), or life cycle assessment (LCA) support, which evaluates the broader set of environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle, including but not limited to climate change.”

Dr. Frischmann says that sustainability is now a central topic in almost all customer conversations. 

“Customers increasingly inquire about printing inks and coatings that support design-for-recycling guidelines or mono-material structures, and many want to switch to more sustainable printing technologies such as NC-free flexo and gravure, water-based or UV LED printing,” says Dr. Frischmann. “Additionally, solutions for deinking are gaining more and more attention. Beyond that, there is growing interest in understanding the product carbon footprint as well as in certifications that demonstrate responsible business practices, such as EcoVadis.”

Marm notes that sustainability is on the agenda of almost
all customers. 

“There is an increasing interest in product carbon footprint data, greenhouse gas reports, sustainability policies, human rights in the supply chain, and transparency regarding raw materials,” says Marm. “Customers routinely request documentation to understand how diligently Siegwerk manages sustainability data and environmental impacts. Additionally, global market interactions show strong demand for concrete product solutions such as barrier coatings. High ESG performance is increasingly becoming a license to operate, as more customers include sustainability in their supplier evaluation criteria.”

End-of-Use Concepts

Ink industry executives note that end-of-use aspects, such as recycling and composting, are of increasing importance to customers and governments, and are working on these matters.

Juhasz reports that end-of-use considerations have moved from a “nice-to-have” discussion to a design constraint for both customers and policymakers, especially where legislation links packaging design to fees, labeling, and market access. 

“For example, market demand for recycling-compliant washable or retentive inks and other recyclability-focused solutions is tied directly to widening EPR rollouts and the need for recognized recyclability pathways (e.g., guidance, recognitions, and certifications used by packaging producers/brands,” says Juhasz. 

Juhasz adds that Sun Chemical is enabling more favorable end-of-life through a variety of measures. This includes continued development of recycling-compliant ink, coating and adhesives platforms (including washable solutions) for both paper and plastic packaging, alongside engagement with third-party testing protocols, and implementation of the required internal testing equipment to support product development and customer support. 

Juhasz also pointed to the advancement of solutions designed to allow compostability of printed end products, including the commissioning of an internal biodegradation testing facility and participation in standards bodies defining conformance requirements, as well as monitoring the progression of policy developments and implementation timelines (e.g., EPR in the US, PPWR in Europe), participating directly in associated standards development, and then translating end-of-life requirements embedded in enforceable obligations into Sun Chemical technical programs. 

Schouten notes that end-of-use performance is becoming much more important across the value chain.

“Customers and regulators increasingly want packaging to do more than simply perform well during filling, transport, and retail display,” says Schouten. “They also want it to be compatible with recycling and recovery systems after use. That shift is especially visible in areas such as shrink sleeves, flexible packaging, labels, and food packaging, where inks can directly affect sortation, washability, deinking, and overall recycled material quality. 

“INX is actively addressing these needs through technologies that are designed to support recycling processes for plastic packaging, and through broader formulation work that considers deinkability, material recovery, and safer raw-material selection,” Schouten notes. “We are also closely monitoring how regulations and industry guidance continue to evolve around recyclability, food contact, and material circularity.”

Ohba notes that end-of-life considerations such as recyclability are becoming increasingly important. 

“Governments around the world are introducing new regulations aimed at improving packaging recovery and recycling rates, and brand owners are setting ambitious targets related to recyclable or reusable packaging,” Ohba says. “This means that inks and coatings must now be designed with the entire lifecycle of packaging in mind. For example, inks must not interfere with the recycling process, whether for plastic films or paper packaging.

“At Toyo Ink, we are developing technologies that help address these challenges, including ink systems compatible with recycling processes and coatings designed to support mono-material packaging structures,” Ohba notes. “The goal is to ensure that printing technologies contribute positively to the circular economy rather than becoming a barrier to it.”

Patrick Hübel, director product and color management, Division Offset, hubergroup, reports that customers and governments are increasingly focused on recyclability, circularity, and compliance with new packaging rules, including those emerging from the PPWR and national food safety regulations.

“hubergroup actively supports these needs by developing inks and coatings that enhance recyclability, such as barrier coatings, recyclable and deinkable, flexo/gravure, UV, and offset inks and varnishes as well as services that reduce waste and energy consumption,” says Hübel. “We directly integrate end-of-use considerations into product development to meet both market expectations and regulatory pressure.”

“Market trends, regulatory pressure, and customer expectations all point toward increasing importance of design for recycling, composting, and circularity,” says Marm. “Discussions show that customers increasingly evaluate inks based on their impact on recyclability and their compliance with design-for-recycling guidelines. We support these needs not only by developing functional coatings and ink systems that ensure the recyclability of paper and mono-plastic packaging in particular, but also by continuously advancing deinking technologies that enable the production of near virgin quality recycled materials. 

“By participating in industry collaborations, we also actively help to address regulatory expectations, conduct recycling tests, and validate sustainable packaging solutions,” Marm adds. “As governments, particularly in the EU, increasingly push for recyclable packaging through the PPWR and other national regulations, sustainable solutions are becoming even more important. Through our active involvement in key industry alliances such as RecyClass, CEN standardization committees, the 4evergreen alliance, and the CEFLEX consortium, we are making a concrete contribution to shaping industry guidelines, advancing recyclability standards, and accelerating the transition toward a fully circular packaging value chain.”

“End-of-use considerations, such as recyclability and compostability, are becoming increasingly important,” says Klokkers. “Legislation linked to circular economy targets, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, and packaging waste reduction initiatives is accelerating this shift. Brands and converters are now expected to demonstrate that packaging components support established recycling and recovery streams.

“For inks and coatings, this means ensuring formulations do not hinder material recovery. At Flint Group, sustainability is embedded in product development. Innovations align with environmental objectives and support circular packaging systems,” adds Klokkers. “Our portfolio includes wash-off ink technologies that enable effective de-inking in recycling processes, compostable inks and coatings that break down under appropriate conditions, and solutions that protect label inks during float-sink separation, ensuring compatibility with polyolefin recycling streams. We also support mono-material structures through formulations developed with recyclability in mind. Our teams continue to prioritize solutions that reduce environmental impact while maintaining the performance, food safety compliance and print quality demanded by the packaging industry.”