PET and rPET
Replace non-recyclable or non-circular materials with the most recycled polymer globally, PET.
Driving Circular PET and rPET in Packaging and Beyond
PET is closed-loop bottle-to-bottle and tray-to-tray recyclable and acts as a driver for a circular economy. Plus: PET and rPET have a proportionally smaller carbon footprint compared to many alternative materials – making them the perfect choice for recyclable polymers.
We can assist you in making the switch to PET and rPET in your end applications. With over 35 years of expertise in polyesters, we specialize in producing masterbatches that maximize the potential of PET to be used in various applications, industries, and processes.
Where Our Products Make an Impact
- PET – Polyethylene Terephthalate
- rPET – Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate
- OB rPET - Ocean Bound Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate
Developments Driving Circularity in PET
The latest trends in PET are centered around achieving circularity and meeting recycling targets to reduce the plastic industry’s environmental impact.
Mono-Material Structures for Enhanced Recycling Compatibility
In the plastics industry, the shift from multi-material to mono-material applications is gaining momentum to enhance recyclability. When multi-material is being recycled, it risks contaminating the PET sorting streams. Mono-materials, on the other hand, are easily recyclable and enhance the quality of the recyclates.
Our masterbatches enable a seamless transition to mono-material packaging designs. We test our masterbatches formulations’ compatibility with mechanical recycling processes protocols to ensure they maintain the integrity of the stream before our products are placed on the market.
Mandatory Recycling Targets
Parallel to the shift towards mono-material, growing legislative pressure for higher recycled content is driving increased use of rPET. Our dedicated portfolio helps maximize rPET content without compromising on functionality, visual appeal, and recyclability in existing PET recycling streams. Replace non-recyclable materials with PET and maximize recycled content to meet or even exceed recycling content targets.
Key Features of Our PET Solutions
Discover our solution for achieving functionalities that are otherwise unattainable with PET, all while promoting a circular product design. Our innovative products not only enhance material efficiency but also significantly improve the physical properties of PET, ensuring superior performance and durability. With our extensive experience in various industries, e.g., food safety and food contact compliance globally, you can trust our professional advice on how to navigate the complexities of regulatory requirements.
Innovation and Collaboration to Diversify PET
Our development team is constantly innovating and designing masterbatches to enhance the properties of PET and expand it into new markets and applications. We offer a dedicated rPET portfolio to enable higher rPET content without compromising on processing and performance of the final parts. This portfolio enables the use of PET and rPET in various industries, from packaging and textiles to industrial applications of PET and rPET, replacing non-recyclable and virgin polymers to reduce the environmental impact of the end application.
Maximizing rPET Content
We offer a dedicated rPET portfolio to allow higher amounts of rPET to be used in the end application without compromising on processing and performance of the final parts. Our solutions make rPET compatible with materials that are not commonly recycled to reduce your products’ carbon footprint.
Making PET Hot-Fillable
In collaboration with Illig, SML, and Kiefel, Sukano formulated a new nucleating masterbatch package that allows clear CPET-light food packaging to be dimensionally stable at temperatures up to 100°C. This advancement enables the use of PET for hot-fill applications and allows the replacement of PP with PET. Both broadening the PET market and offering a mono-material design, the approach ensures recyclability and circularity of the end application.
PET Antifogging Compound
In a joint development project with Emery Oleochemicals, a leading global manufacturer of natural-based chemicals, we have developed the first PET Antifogging Compound designed for direct food contact PET packaging. The solution prevents fogging on packaging surfaces, even after film orientation at various ratios. By combining our expertise, we successfully addressed processing challenges associated with adding antifogging agents to PET.
Closed-Loop Recyclable White Dairy Bottles
Working closely with the top-tier rPET supplier, Dentis Recycling Italy, we developed specialized masterbatch grades that improve bottle whiteness and maintain essential light barrier properties when using up to 50% white opaque rPET (rPETo) Food Grade REPETER® for ESL and UHT in mono- and multi-layer applications. This allows switching from virgin PET to rPETo without compromising on light protection and ensures the whiteness level desired for the final bottle in multiple loops.
Our Regulatory Expertise
The landscape of industrial regulations is complex and varies internationally. With Sukano, you gain access to a team specializing in regulatory affairs and trained to navigate through global regulations. That way, you can be sure your final product fulfills all applicable compliance requirements.
Our experts provide professional guidance and advice to keep you ahead of new regulations and ensure your products remain relevant and competitive in the market. In addition, we meticulously assess our formulations against declarable or restricted substances lists, safeguarding your business from potential industrial regulatory pitfalls.
Explore our Portfolio for PET
Color and Appearance for PET/rPET
Enhance the aesthetics of PET and rPET with our customizable color portfolio, offering various shades and special effects. From NIR-detectable blacks and colors for improved recyclability to Color Correction masterbatches that neutralize yellowing and discoloration, we help you achieve the perfect look. Plus, our Matting Agents enable durable anti-reflective, satin or frosted surface finishes.
Physical Property Modifier for PET/rPET
Optimize PET’s physical properties to make it suitable for a wider range of applications. Our Nucleating Agents make PET hot-fillable, enabling heat stability of up to 100°C for clear CPET-light and 220°C for opaque CPET applications. Reduce density while maintaining mechanical strength of PET applications using our Foaming Agents or ensure PET durability across cold, frozen, and room-temperature applications with our Impact Modifiers.
Mechanical Recycling Enhancement for PET/rPET
Upcycle instead of just recycle: Our Melt Enhancer and Transparent Impact Modifier allow higher use of rPET in the end application while maintaining the integrity of the PET recycling stream. Color Correction masterbatches neutralize rPET discoloration and recover clarity even after multiple recycling loops, while our Compatibilizers enable rPET integration into various resins – reducing virgin material use and your product’s environmental impact.
End Application Modifiers for PET/rPET
Enhance PET and rPET performance in the end application. Achieve durable, high-contrast laser markings on white or transparent applications. Improve fire safety by delaying the ignition time and limiting flame spread of PET with our Flame Retardants, inhibit the growth of bacteria on surfaces with durable Antimicrobial effects, and prevent static buildup in applications and the accumulation of dust on material surfaces with our Antistatics.
Processing Aids for PET/rPET
Boost productivity of PET and thus enable higher rPET content without compromising on efficiency. Our Nucleating Agents accelerate crystallization for PET, enabling higher yield. Melt Viscosity Enhancers improve melt strength, broaden the processing window, and elevate IV levels in rPET, ensuring stable processing and superior quality of the end application.
Slip, Antiblock & Release Modification for PET/rPET
Counteract PET’s inherent sticky nature and ensure productivity with Slip, Antiblock, and Release Modifiers. As pioneers in Slip/Antiblock for PET, we offer unmatched expertise in reducing friction for smoother film handling. Our Mold Release enables faster cycles and improved part quality. Additionally, Mobility Aids minimize bottle-to-bottle and bottle-to-sleeve friction for seamless ISBM PET bottle production.
Industry-Specific Expertise
PET/rPET in Packaging
With over 35 years of experience in optimizing and enhancing PET for packaging applications, our masterbatches and compounds are designed to meet the diverse needs of food contact packaging, beverage bottles, pharmaceutical, and personal care packaging. Additionally, our products help switch to PET and increase rPET content in packaging applications to enable circularity and lower the environmental impact of your applications.
PET/rPET in Consumer Durables
We help you switch to PET and rPET for lower environmental impact consumer durables compared to using virgin materials. Our additive combination packages for PET and rPET enable visual effects, recyclability, and high-performance in toys, household, sports equipment, and kitchen appliances.
PET/rPET in Healthcare
Its mechanical strength and clarity makes PET a safe and suitable material for sterile pharmaceutical packaging, disposable medical devices, sensitive medical equipment, and various drug delivery devices. Our products enhance PET’s physical properties to enable high aesthetics and performance in the end applications.
Learn More about PET
Our active membership in leading PET associations enable us to share the latest information and market insights with you. Stay up-to-date by exploring these key sources in the PET industry:
Positively PET
NAPCOR, the association for the PET packaging industry in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has launched the Positively PET website and campaign. This initiative promotes the use of PET packaging and highlights its performance and applications benefits, regarding environmental impact, recycling and recyclability.
End Waste, Recycle the 1
This communications campaign, coordinated by PETCORE EUROPE, targets Brussels-based policymakers and citizens in France, Germany, Italy, and the UK. It uses social media and a dedicated website to convey the benefits of PET packaging - recyclable, reusable, with a low melting point and carbon footprint - and encourage people to recycle their PET bottles and trays.
Get in Touch with Our Experts
Your specific needs were not addressed? Tell us about it! Our experts are looking forward to hearing from you and helping you to meet your specific requirements. Contact us now:
