Eco-friendly inks set to be the next step in pet food sustainability

Pet food brands are trying harder than ever to implement the principles of sustainability in their packaging. The growing trend of environmental awareness, as well as regulations that cap the levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC – gases emitted into the air from products or processes such as printing) are pushing the industry to look to alternatives.

New natural ingredients
Traditional inks contain toxic elements that harm the environment as well as human health and, potentially, the health of a pet. These are the minerals in oils, and heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium in pigments. Solvents in ink are usually petroleum-based, while oils and pigments do not biodegrade, thus contributing to environmental pollution.

Sustainable inks do not use petroleum-derived solvents, replacing them with natural vegetable oils like soy, sunseed or rapeseed.

These types of inks can be either water-based, UV radiation curable, biodegradable or made from algae – with a new technology developed by bioscience research company Living Ink. All of them are highly biorenewable and easier to recycle, leaving less impact on the environment.

Expensive but effective
The cost of ink mainly depends on the raw material, and those used in sustainable inks are generally much more expensive than the ones in petroleum-based inks. Depending on the packaging design, companies could experience a 1-5% increase in total price when shifting from the conventional solution to this kind of ink.

Experts point out that biodegradable inks are typically more cost-effective, requiring less product in the process, as they are more fluid and offer more vivid colors. Vegetable ink can also provide bright and glossy ink, giving sharper images.

The cost for print equipment manufacturers is pretty similar in both cases. Jim Pease, president of Sun Centre USA Inc, says that their machinery can definitely handle all types of inks, whether petroleum-based or sustainable. He adds that all his customers are interested in using sustainable inks.

Rebecca Casey, Senior Vice President Marketing & Strategy at Transcontinental Packaging, confirms the trend. This US company is dedicated to flexible packaging and is currently looking at eco-friendly ink technologies to meet its clients’ needs – both major and medium-sized pet food brands.

“We see our clients moving forward towards eco-inks, or talking more about lifecycle assessments to reduce their carbon footprint. All of that will continue to evolve, and we will see more development on eco- friendly inks. We spend a lot of time in this area,” she comments.

Small versus big players
Despite the industry’s sustainability awareness, eco- friendly ink is not yet a priority for a lot of companies. Some major players have progressively shifted to more sustainable food and packaging, adapting to the interests of pet owners. But for now, they just focus on the materials they use in designing the package. “That is already a big move for them. We haven’t seen inks as a priority yet, but we know we’re going to get there at some point,” says Rebecca Casey.

This may be a niche for some smaller brands. Raw dog food producer Naturaw uses vegetable-based inks in its raw food packaging, claiming that manufacturing costs only “a few cents” for each sleeve. Likewise, California- based Honest Kitchens has dog food boxes printed with vegetable inks and its packaging is 100% biodegradable.

Corporate responsibility
In the coming years, this trend is expected to spread into the market. According to Asia Pulp & Paper, 56% of consumers in the US wanted more sustainable packaging in 2018. “With shifting consumer expectations, and an evolving understanding of the role of corporate responsibility, pet food manufacturers across the world are looking at various ways to integrate sustainability practices into their businesses,” explains Dana Brooks, CEO and president of The Pet Food Institute.

“This may include commitments regarding ingredient sourcing. It is certainly a possibility that manufacturers will look at various components of packaging sustainability, including ink sourcing, as they integrate new practices. These factors can all be impactful areas for growth within the pet food sector.”