UK - Multi award-winning Welsh artisan organic flour producer, Bacheldre Watermill, has chosen Innovia Film’s biodegradable and compostable material, NatureFlex, to add the finishing touch to its stylish flour packaging.

When converter Berkshire Labels suggested that Bacheldre Watermill, which previously used a foil-based label, move to a compostable label from their BioTAK range to fit with the existing compostable flour bags, the brand owner agreed.

Recognising the need to start providing environmentally friendly alternatives within the packaging industry, Berkshire Labels had started its research in 2001 for a completely biodegradable label. Its exclusive BioTAK range now conforms to the Biodegradable and Compostable norm EN13432 and involves applying a 100% biodegradable permanent adhesive to a material such as Innovia Films’ NatureFlex, which is available in white, clear and metallised. Bacheldre Watermill chose metallised NatureFlex NM for this product.

Matt Scott, co-owner and founder of Bacheldre Watermill, explained, “With the introduction of these new BioTAK labels made from NatureFlex, our packaging is now fully sustainable and compostable, is able to achieve biodegradation within just a couple of months and certainly stands out as something special in the flour category.”

NatureFlex NM is a cellulose-based film, manufactured from renewable wood pulp and metallised in-house. It is the only metallised biodegradable film suitable for home composting because the level of metal is so small – less than 0.02% - which slows the film’s degradation by a matter of days but does not interfere with its biodegradability in any other way. Modified coatings ensure excellent metal lay-down and adhesion providing a very high moisture barrier with a transmission rate of less than 10 g/m²/day (30degC, 90% RH).

All 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. They also offer natural and organic product manufacturers the ability to align their packaging message with the spirit of their product marketing.

Innovia Films Ltd, is a major producer of Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) and cellulose (Cellophane) films with production sites in the UK (based at Wigton in Cumbria), USA, Belgium and Australia.

It supplies labels and security films, coated packaging, overwrap and biodegradable and compostable films under the brand-name NatureFlex, employing some 1,400 people worldwide (900 staff are based at Wigton in Cumbria).