Schwarzkopf maker Henkel’s beauty business has reduced its label liner waste to zero thanks to a partnership with self-adhesive label maker UPM Raflatac, which created a recycling program to solve the problem.

RafCycle recycling concept helped Henkel recycle more than 400 tons of siliconized glassine label liner waste – the entire waste output from its Wassertrüdingen facility in Germany during 2016.

As part of the recycling program UPM Raflatac ‘collects used label release liner from Henkel and recycles it into new graphic printing paper for books and magazines at the UPM Plattling paper mill in Germany.’

Greg Douglas, Business Development for Tapes, Labels, Coatings in Europe at Henkel, said, “Cooperating with our partners along our value chain is a key element in our sustainability strategy. The partnership with UPM Raflatac reflects our belief that sustainability is inseparably linked to innovation and efficiency. In our workshop with UPM Raflatac, our Henkel Laundry experts were able to develop additional ideas, setting the path for further improvements, especially in the field of new sustainable label design.”