Osaka-Gunze Limited (Headquarters: Osaka, Japan, President: Toshiyasu Saguchi) [Tokyo:3002] is pleased to announce that the company will launch an eco-friendly "GEOPLAS™ HCR1",a shrink film for automatic sleeve applicators in December 2025. The product is a polystyrene / polyethylene terephthalate multi-layered product that is made from recycled material, which is derived from ink-stripped, recovered label scraps. Designed to reduce environmental impact, the product offers excellent compatibility with a wide range of bottle shapes and sizes.
1. About the product launch
As global efforts to reduce plastic waste intensify, the essential role of plastic in terms of convenience, safety, and hygiene continues to be recognized. This shift has increased the importance of developing technologies and recycling systems that enable the true circular use of materials instead of linear disposal.
Gunze has transformed its Moriyama Plant into a plastic zero-waste production site. The facility operates under Gunze’s Circular Factory™ model, which focuses on sustainable, resource-recycling manufacturing, and leverages natural energy sources to cut CO₂ emissions.
2. Challenges in Recycling
Recycling plastic packaging has been slow to advance due to limitations in material properties, collection routes, and cost. The commonly used "mass balance method," which allocates recycled value to only a portion of the final product, still faces implementation challenges. One such challenge is the need for third-party certification to verify the recycled value.
Against this backdrop, Gunze has developed a new de-inking technology that enhances the efficiency of the recycling process. The company is now launching GEOPLAS® HCR1, an environmentally conscious hybrid shrink film created using this technology. This new product reduces the use of virgin plastic materials in the shrink-label market while maintaining ease of use and high functionality, offering a sustainable packaging solution.
Materials and products made from deinked recycled materials.
3. GEOPLAS™ HCR1 Type Features:
(1) Use of horizontal recycling material: The raw material used in the production process is made from de-inked label scrap that is collected from customers (24 µm products: 1% usage; 35 µm products: 5% usage).
(2) Excellent shrink performance: It achieves a maximum shrink rate of 74%, ensuring a smooth, high-quality finish suitable for irregularly shaped bottles.
(3) Enhanced perforation suitability: Clean tearing along perforations improves label removability and supports recycling.
4. Marketing Strategy
Gunze aims to steadily increase its product recycling rate, with the goal of achieving 100% recycling by 2030. The company will also expand its product line to include more thickness options and variations to meet growing demand in markets such as food, beverages, and personal care.
5. About Gunze Plastic Film Business
Gunze, founded in Kyoto in 1896, is a global manufacturer of plastic films, engineering plastics, medical devices and apparel. Gunze employs more than 4,300 people in 10 countries worldwide.
The Plastic Film business, established in 1962, has a substantial footprint over 20 countries. It has three manufacturing facilities in Japan, and subsidiaries in the U.S., Vietnam and China. The mission of Gunze will continue to be focused on advancing comfort solutions for life by providing innovative products.