On February 1st 2022, Gunze will launch the new shrink film "Fancywrap TM GB50" which will contribute to reduce the usage of the petrochemical raw material. 

 The product is a polystyrene based product that uses about 50% of bio-attributed raw materials with the mass balance approach. This is one of our efforts to reduce petroleum-derived materials.

(Please refer here for the headquarters press release.)

 By using this mass balance approach bio-attributed polystyrene based material  for part of our plastic films, it will enable to reduce the emission of green house gas among the life cycle of plastic label, compared to full petrochemical raw material label.  The mass balance approach-based products are required a third-party certification to avoid arbitrary decisions by companies. To ensure traceability in reducing environmental impact throughout the supply chain, Gunze is going to obtain a third-party certification by June, 2022.

 At this article, we would like to share two points, which are ①The reason to apply the mass balance approach, ②Physical characteristics of bio-attributed films when compared with existing petroleum-derived films.

① The reason to apply the mass balance approach

 The mass balancing approach is when a raw material with certain features is mixed with a raw material that does not have certain features. It distributes the raw material with specific features to a part of the product according to the input amount of the raw materials with the specific features.
 Bio-attributed styrene material is produced by refining bio-attributed naphtha from non-edible bio-attributed material, and mixing with petroleum-derived naphtha. 
 By using mass balance approach, distributing bio-attributed raw material specific features according to the input amount of bio-attributed naphtha will produce "Polystyrene material which bio-attributed material is distributed".

 

②Physical characteristics of bio-attributed films when compared with existing petroleum-derived films

 Bio-attributed polystyrene material with mass balance approach , which we are using has the advantage that there are no differences compared to conventional film made from petroleum-derived materials. That is because only upstream raw material has been changed. Gunze has succeeded to produce bio-attributed films which maintain the advantages of shrink films.

 For more information, please contact our sales department or inquiry form.