Eco-Friendly Labeling Options
In a world where consumers are increasingly seeking green and eco-friendly choices, this sentiment now extends to the labels that are used on clothing and around the house. From organic cotton and hemp paper labels, to recycling-compatible adhesives, these days there are many options for finding the perfect name labels for all your needs.
Recycling-Compatible Adhesives
For documents or folders that use stick on labels, there are steps being taken in the industry to develop a special kind of adhesive that’s formulated to prevent slowdown of recycled paper mills. This is because traditional adhesives can’t be removed during the paper recycling process. For example, paper that goes into recycling often contains contaminants such as inks, plastics, or adhesives. Most recycling efforts have measures to remove inks and other substances, but adhesives are usually part of the waste output.
This is due to the overall process: first the paper is reduced to a pulp, and then run through a screen to separate. In this step, paper labels are broken into two forms: paper fibers and adhesive particles. Adhesives present in recycled pulp can cause build up commonly known as “stickies,” which can adhere to process equipment and cause defects in the final recycled paper product. Stickies cause many problems for mills, such as lower product output, equipment clean up, and down time. Recycling-Compatible Adhesives counteract this problem by formulating the adhesive to remain in large particles that withstand the overall process and continue through the recycling stream as intended.
Recycled Fabric Labels
If you’re looking for sustainable sewing labels, seek options made from recycled fabric. As beneficial as recycled paper, reusing fabric ensures no harmful processes were used during manufacturing. Try cutting swatches from leftover fabric or gently used linens in order to screen print or embroider your name or company on the label.
Tips for Greener Label Usage
- Recycle: you wouldn’t throw that can or glass bottle into the trash, so make efforts to recycle old tags or name labels, too.
- Save Labels: if you have extra labels, save them for a later use, or find a creative way to repurpose the material.
- Seek Natural Fabrics: Order sustainable fabric labels, such as woven labels or silk labels. Natural fabrics biodegrade faster, instead of resulting in overflowing landfills.
How to Know if Your Labels Are Eco-Friendly
When shopping for labels, look for choices that are:
- Biodegradable and/or compostable
- Not made from trees
- Conscious yet durable
- Able to allow for excellent ink adhesion
- Certified by the Rainforest Alliance, Green Seal, or Green-E
If you’re labeling clothing or other belongings, look for green and eco-friendly fabric choices. In this day and age, consumers are seeking conscious choices for all their purchasing decisions, from food to clothing, to other household needs. Join the trend with personalized labels from It’s Mine Labels. We’ve invested in greener processes for future generations, by using thinner material, wasting less energy, or switching to recycling instead of disposing of our scraps in the garbage. For more information about our eco-friendly products, visit our online store or call 1-866-695-2235.