Renewable, flexible window patch films from Futamura
It sounds simple, applying a clear film to a cut out section of a bag, box or carton to allow a glimpse of the product inside, but there is a myriad of considerations to deploying the right solution. The solution must balance the needs of the product, the aesthetics of the packaging and still ensure the finished package delivers on its fundamental function of protecting the product from damage.
Now add packaging legislation on top of this.
EU Legislation including the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) are driving packaging designers to rethink where traditional oil-derived plastics are used and the impact they have on the end-of-life of the finished package. Applications, like window patching, which bring more than one material type together resulting in ‘composite packaging’, are firmly under the spotlight.
You may think the easiest way to solve this is to remove a window from your packaging, but let’s not forget the critical purpose window patching delivers – to bridge the gap, and quite literally to open a window, between product and consumer. Can we really afford to lose that connection?
Seeing is believing
For packaged items, it’s what’s inside that counts to consumers. Of course, on-shelf appeal is still key to catching the consumers attention, but for certain items, from fresh produce and baked goods to cosmetics and electronics for instance, we also want to know that the product inside the packaging is what we expect it to be. Be it checking your produce is fresh, or confirming the shade of your make-up, seeing the product clearly can be a deciding factor in the consumers purchasing decision.
Not only that, seeing the product clearly can also build trust in your brand. Window patching in a carton or bag can be a great way to reassure the consumer that what they see really is what they get. No photo filters, no statements that could be misinterpreted, just visual confirmation with their own eyes.
Selecting a film with excellent transparency is therefore paramount to successful window applications. Clear, colourless films are a pre-requisite for most applications ensuring the product can be seen perfectly and giving the consumer confidence that the brand has nothing to hide.
More than meets the eye
So, you’ve delivered transparency with a film, but why did you need to add anything at all when a cut out would have delivered the same result?
Here’s where the right film shines – it delivers transparency whilst maintaining product protection.
Whether it is preventing tampering, providing a barrier to grease, moisture or gases, or simply ensuring packaging integrity on shelf and in transit, the choice of film used to create the window patch provides more than product visibility.
A natural fit
With the need to consider all of these properties in your flexible window patch film, moving away from a traditional oil-based plastic film may understandably feel daunting.
It’s exciting to see so many bio-based materials emerging as alternatives to plastic films, but finding a renewable solution with the balance of clarity, functionality, quality and scale can feel challenging.
Futamura are here to help. Futamura has been a global leader in the development and production of cellulose films, driving innovation in cellulosic packaging solutions for more than 75 years. Our NatureFlex™ range is renewable, compostable to certified global standards and delivers excellent transparency. Furthermore, when used in combination with paper or paperboard as a window patch, it increases the renewable cellulose content of the finished packaging without significantly impacting the paper recycling process.
As with any packaging, knowing the product you are looking to protect is vital to specifying a film, as is understanding your packaging production process. Our team are ready to listen and deploy the experience gained from decades of collaborating in the packaging industry to help to navigate a transition from a plastic film to a biofilm.
With solutions in the NatureFlex™ range offering benefits like; high resistance to oils and greases, inherent anti-static properties, print and adhesive receptivity and improved dimensional stability to maintain flatness, could a cellulose film be a natural fit for your window patch application?
To learn more about NatureFlex™ and Futamura, visit us at https://www.futamuragroup.com/ or contact us via info@futamuragroup.com to discuss your window patch with us directly.