In March 2026, Sun Chemical secured RecyClass certification for its solvent-based nitrocellulose (NC) alternative ink solutions. According to the company, it is among the first suppliers to offer a complete recycling compatible system combining NC-alternative inks and certified lamination adhesives, and is among the first suppliers to achieve RecyClass certification for solvent-based NC-alternative inks.
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Improving recyclability and circularity
Improving recyclability and circularity has become a priority across the packaging industry in recent years. In Europe, initiatives such as CEFLEX and regulations including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) are setting new expectations for packaging suppliers. RecyClass supports this shift through scientifically backed design-for-recycling guidelines, protocols for recyclability testing, and certification schemes that promote circularity in plastic packaging; its approvals are increasingly used as a benchmark for validating packaging technologies against stringent European recycling requirements.
Within this context, NC-based inks have come under particular scrutiny, since NC content can negatively impact the recyclability and value of recycled plastics. Sun Chemical developed its NC-alternative technologies for flexographic and gravure printing in response to this constraint. The new certification also reinforces the credibility of Sun Chemical’s solutions across both printing processes and gives converters a validated way to increase their own and their customers’ recyclability credentials.
The certified range, SunUno™ SoliCycle™, is a polyurethane (PU)-based ink system designed specifically for flexible packaging applications. According to Sun Chemical, the system complies with regulatory requirements without compromising the performance required for high-quality flexible packaging.
The range is versatile, formulated for both surface printing and lamination printing. It is available as ready-made inks as well as through modular systems built from concentrates and technology varnishes, giving converters the flexibility to adapt formulations to their own production requirements.
Sun Chemical recommends PU as an NC alternative for its stability, high-quality performance, and compatibility with recyclability. The company draws on an in-house PU supply chain through its parent company, DIC, among the top 10 PU resin producers worldwide, and through Sapici, which Sun Chemical acquired in 2022. Together, they support high availability. By combining internally produced PU resins with its own pigments, Sun Chemical reports that converters gain a stable printing system with consistent viscosity, together with improved recycling compatibility compared with traditional NC-based inks.
Alongside the inks, Sun Chemical offers RecyClass-certified lamination adhesives within its SunLam® portfolio, suitable for PE flexibles recycling streams including full compatibility with colored PE. The ULM adhesives range delivers performance levels from medium to high, depending on the structure used.
By combining NC-alternative inks with RecyClass-certified SunLam® adhesives, Sun Chemical provides converters with a single-supplier system for recyclable flexible packaging structures.
Romain Cleret, product director, flexible packaging, Sun Chemical EMEA, comments, “We are proud to be among the first in Europe to achieve RecyClass certification for versatile solvent-based NC alternative inks and to provide a range of certified solutions for printers of flexible packaging. This system enables our customers to move forward with greater confidence as the industry transitions toward more recyclable packaging systems. We remain focused on continuing this momentum in developing solutions for our customers as the market continues to evolve.”