NC-free and PVC-free gravure ink from DIC targets recyclable packaging
Last update on May 8, 2026
Formulators and packaging material producers evaluating ink solutions for recyclable flexible packaging can now assess SHIOLESS, a PVC-free gravure ink developed by DIC Corporation, at Interpack 2026 (Hall 7a / Stand B03) in Düsseldorf, Germany, running from May 7 to 13. According to DIC, SHIOLESS, a gravure ink for laminated packaging materials, is designed to improve the recyclability of packaging through its PVC-free formulation, which the company states reduce both the degradation of recycled materials and damage to recycling equipment. DIC describes the ink as a solution contributing to a circular economy starting from the printing process.
You can review the full DIC product range in the Master Catalog of Coatings.
PPWR requirements, ink formulation and recycling compliance
The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) mandates that all packaging in the EU market be recyclable in an economically viable manner by 2030. Under this framework, the impact of packaging constituents - including printing inks and additives - on the recycling process and the quality of recycled materials is explicitly considered, requiring coordinated responses from brand owners, packaging materials producers, printing and processing firms, and printing ink manufacturers.
Chlorine-containing resins used in conventional inks are identified as a principal cause of discoloration and reduced clarity of recycled plastic pellets, which can limit the use and value of those pellets. There is accordingly a need to design inks that reduce negative impact on the recycling process while preserving print quality and on-site workability.
Review the guidelines to select raw materials for flexible packaging inks >>
SHIOLESS is a solvent-based gravure ink for reverse lamination. Its formulation excludes chlorine-containing resins and nitrocellulose. It is designed to reduce discoloration and quality degradation of plastics during material recycling, while maintaining print quality and lamination performance comparable to conventional inks. The ink is suited to olefin-based monomaterial structures and demonstrates consistent quality in mass-production printing environments, with lamination bond strength across a range of films. It is also formulated with consideration for legal and regulatory requirements governing food-grade packaging materials.
Yon can access technical datasheets of 1100+ solvent-based gravure ink ingredients in the Master Catalog of Coatings.
The resin selection in SHIOLESS is consistent with the Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging (CEFLEX) initiative's Designing for a Circular Economy (D4ACE) guidelines, which emphasize the avoidance of chlorine-based materials to improve the circularity of flexible packaging. SHIOLESS also satisfies the requirements for polyethylene and polypropylene flexible packaging outlined in RecyClass' Design for Recycling Guidelines, which include an NC-free design.
SHIOLESS has an established sales record in Asia. DIC's participation at Interpack represents the company's initial step in expanding the product's presence in European markets.
You can review recycled ingredients for packaging applications directly in the Master Catalog of Coatings.
Image Credits: DIC