Sun Chemical targets plastic laminates with new direct food contact inks for folding cartons

The structural challenge of fiber-based food packaging

The structural complexity of food packaging has long been the Achilles' heel of fiber-based recycling. For decades, the industry has relied heavily on plastic laminates, extrusion coatings, and internal inserts to keep grease, moisture, and chemical migration at bay. While effective for food safety, these multi-material architectures severely complicate the repulping process at the end of the packaging's life. Today, Sun Chemical has introduced a technical countermeasure that could significantly streamline folding carton architectures across the global market.

The launch of SunPak DFC inPace, an advanced sheetfed offset ink system, alongside the expansion of the AquaSafe water-based portfolio, targets the core of this structural dilemma. Manufactured at the company's Badalona Centre of Excellence for food packaging in Spain, these direct food contact (DFC) inks are engineered specifically to allow packaging converters to strip away unnecessary plastic barriers without compromising product integrity.

Technical capabilities and regulatory alignment

From an operational standpoint, SunPak DFC inPace leverages Sun Chemical's proprietary Pace Technology to maintain high-speed press productivity while ensuring strict regulatory compliance. In the high-volume world of sheetfed offset printing, balancing press stability with low-migration properties is notoriously difficult. These new inks address that friction, offering fast drying times and reduced misting, which translates to less paperboard waste during make-ready and production runs.

However, the real strategic value lies in the end-of-life phase and regulatory alignment. By enabling direct food contact on the printed surface, brands can eliminate the traditional plastic inserts or laminated films that complicate recycling streams. In a 2026 market heavily influenced by the tightening Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) across Europe and rising Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees globally, simplifying the material mix is no longer just a sustainability play; it is a financial imperative. Furthermore, the ink system boasts a high bio-based carbon content, which has been rigorously verified through Carbon-14 testing, adding another layer of environmental credibility for brand owners.

Expanding the color gamut for water-based applications

On the water-based front, Sun Chemical has also expanded its AquaSafe line, incorporating nine new base colors. Notably, this includes a newly developed, food-compliant green pigment. Historically, achieving vibrant, accurate brand colors with DFC-compliant inks has been a limitation for designers. This expansion broadens the color gamut for paper, paperboard, and flexible film applications, proving that safety and shelf appeal do not have to be mutually exclusive.

To back this up and optimize the production workflow, Sun Chemical has integrated GamutViewer into its SunColorBox suite. This digital tool allows converters and brand owners to verify color achievability before a single sheet hits the press. By predicting the exact color output of these new DFC inks, printers can significantly reduce rework, minimize substrate waste, and improve overall manufacturing efficiency.

Nicolas Betin, Director of Product Strategy EMEA at Sun Chemical, rightly points out that the market is demanding simplified packaging and improved recyclability. This dual launch provides both offset and flexographic printers with the advanced chemical tools necessary to answer that demand directly on the substrate, pushing the industry closer to true mono-material fiber packaging.

Sun Chemical's approach to embedding barrier and safety properties directly into the ink layer represents the kind of pragmatic, chemistry-driven innovation the folding carton sector needs to genuinely compete with multi-material plastics. If we can print the protection directly onto the board, do we still need the inner pouch? Follow The Paper for daily news, market signals and key updates from the global paper, corrugated and packaging industry. — Sigue toda la actualidad del sector en www.thepaper.ai