Innovia Films and PureCycle Develop White BOPP Film Containing Over 40% Recycled Polypropylene

Photo Credit: Innovia Films 

According to company reports, Innovia Films and PureCycle Technologies have successfully produced and tested a white, cavitated biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film containing more than 40% post-consumer recycled (PCR) polypropylene, marking a significant step in the adoption of recycled content within flexible food packaging applications.

The film was manufactured using PureCycle’s PureFive Choice™ recycled polypropylene resin and is intended for commercial use in white cavitated BOPP packaging formats. Innovia Films plans to market the material to brand owners seeking to increase recycled content in packaging while maintaining performance requirements for food-contact applications.

White cavitated BOPP film is widely used in consumer packaging, including confectionery wrappers, ice cream packaging, snack food applications, and roll-fed labels. The material is valued for its opacity, printability, lightweight structure, and moisture barrier properties. However, incorporating high levels of recycled polypropylene into these applications has historically presented technical challenges due to stringent performance and food-contact requirements.

The successful trial expands the potential use of post-consumer recycled polypropylene in flexible packaging, a segment facing increasing pressure to improve circularity and reduce dependence on virgin plastics. The development also provides converters and consumer brands with an additional pathway to meet recycled-content commitments and evolving regulatory requirements.

“This film produced with PureFive® resin represents a major milestone and shift in the sustainability of flexible packaging,” said Chris Freshwater, Market Manager at Innovia Films. “Our research and development specialists are always looking to improve the sustainability of our products. PureCycle's dissolution recycling technology is a real gamechanger.”

The project comes as packaging producers prepare for stricter recycled-content and waste reduction regulations in major markets. In the United States, California's SB 54 legislation is driving efforts to reduce virgin plastic use, while the European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) introduces recycled-content targets for plastic packaging beginning in 2030.

These policy developments have intensified demand for food-contact-compliant recycled polymers, particularly in flexible packaging formats where high-quality PCR supply remains limited. Industry participants have identified polypropylene as one of the more challenging materials for circular packaging applications due to contamination, odor, and performance concerns associated with conventional recycling methods.

PureCycle’s PureFive® resin is produced through the company's proprietary dissolution recycling process, which removes color, odor, and contaminants from post-consumer polypropylene. The resulting resin is designed to offer performance characteristics comparable to virgin material while incorporating recycled content.

According to the companies, Innovia conducted extensive production and processing evaluations during the trial. The PureFive Choice™ resin demonstrated processing performance similar to conventional virgin polypropylene grades used in commercial BOPP film manufacturing.

Testing also showed that films produced with varying levels of recycled content achieved comparable mechanical strength, barrier performance, and sealing properties to films made entirely from virgin polypropylene. These attributes are critical for maintaining packaging integrity, product protection, and efficient operation on high-speed packaging lines.

“Brand owners have been searching for a way to incorporate certified recycled content without compromising performance or appearance,” said Pete Dias, Senior Director of Market, Product and Application Development at PureCycle. “By working with Innovia, we have demonstrated that our PureFive® resin for film is up to that challenge.”

Beyond regulatory compliance, the initiative aligns with broader sustainability commitments across the consumer goods sector. Many multinational brand owners have pledged to increase recycled-content usage through voluntary programs such as the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Flexible packaging applications, particularly those requiring high-performance films, have remained among the more difficult categories in which to achieve substantial recycled-content incorporation.

The companies said the successful trial demonstrates a commercially viable route for integrating recycled polypropylene into one of the packaging industry's most widely used film formats. The development could help expand demand for post-consumer polypropylene and support efforts to build more circular supply chains for flexible packaging materials.

Source: Innovia Films

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Innovia Films and PureCycle have demonstrated that high-performance white BOPP packaging film can incorporate more than 40% post-consumer recycled polypropylene, expanding circular packaging options for food and consumer goods applications.