Herbs and Spices Packed in High Barrier NatureFlex™ Film

Innovia Films’ high barrier compostable cellulose-based material, NatureFlex™ NK, has been chosen by an Austrian producer, Sonnentor, to wrap its range of herbs and spices.

NatureFlex™ NK was launched in 2008 and offers not only biodegradability and compostability, but also a moisture barrier approaching that of co-extruded OPP. This means it has the best moisture barrier of any biopolymer film currently available, which has been achieved through Innovia Films’ unique coating technology.

Sonnentor was founded over 20 years ago in the ‘Waldviertel’ region by Johannes Gutmann. He wanted to sell locally grown and dried organic herbs and spices with the emphasis on traditional harvesting and refining methods, innovation and Fair Trade principles. The company has gone from strength to strength and employs 100 people in Austria, with 75% of its product exported.

Outlining why Sonnentor chose NatureFlex to package its herbs and spices, Gutmann comments, “SONNENTOR’s formula for success is innovative product concepts and high-quality, carefully selected organic ingredients. This organic way requires innovative solutions for our packaging. NatureFlex plays an important part in our sustainability and successful future.”

NatureFlex™ was an obvious solution for the packaging in this application as the film begins life as a natural product – wood - and breaks down at the end of its lifecycle in a home compost bin (or industrial compost environment) within a matter of weeks. It also offers advantages for packing and converting such as inherent deadfold and anti-static properties, high gloss and transparency, resistance to grease and oil, good barrier to gases and aromas, print receptive surface and a wide heat-seal range.

NatureFlex™ films are certified to meet both the European EN13432 and American ASTM D6400 standards for compostable packaging. The wood-pulp is sourced from managed plantations from referenced suppliers operating Good Forestry principals (FSC or equivalent). NatureFlex™ films typically have a renewable biobased content of some 95% by weight of material.

“With its excellent barrier properties, NatureFlex NK fills a major gap in the compostable materials market. Now dry, moisture-sensitive foods can also be wrapped using a compostable solution. We anticipate this will open up a host of new opportunities both for NatureFlex™ on its own, or as part of a laminate solution with other biofilms,” exclaims Andy Sweetman, Innovia Films’ Global Marketing Manager, Sustainable Technologies.

NatureFlex™ NK is a transparent, general purpose packaging grade suitable for various applications eg dried foods (biscuits, cereals, crisps, snack bars etc). The product is also ideal for lamination to other biofilms. NatureFlex™ NK is available in 20, 23, 30, 45 micron thicknesses and can be used for a variety of pack formats – VFFS, flow wrap, twistwrap and overwrap.