First things first, what is it? Well, BOPP stands for Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene. BOPP is a thermoplastic polymer which is malleable at certain specific temperatures and returns to a solid form when it cools down. In layman’s terms, it’s plastic. But the biaxially-oriented part of it means that the plastic film it is made of is stretched in two directions, which makes it stronger. This extra strength is what makes it desirable in the packaging industry.
It can be used in both hot & cold temperatures and is a freezer grade tape perfect for cold temperature applications, like food packaging operations and for long-term sealing. It’s considered the most ideal packaging tape when it comes to consistency in automation and it can handle light or heavy duty applications.
The thing is, not all acrylic tape is equal. For instance, our BP line of tape is made from a low elongation film with an acrylic Rohm & Haas adhesive. Bonus: it doesn’t yellow in the sun and has an unlimited shelf life.
Our BG line is unique to us and is a special formulated acrylic line that has all the hot melt benefits and more as it was specifically formulated for recycled corrugate. Bonus: because it’s high tack, it ‘s made for more challenging applications.
We also offer our BL “budget” option which still offers a great product with a strong adhesive, but without the name brand price.
You might be wondering if choosing a plastic-based tape for your business is a responsible choice when it comes to sustainability. As leaders in packaging solutions, the BestPack team can help address those concerns.
After some processing, BOPP tapes are actually environmentally friendly. Boxes using BOPP are recycled by being boiled which separates the tape from the box so that the remaining cardboard pulp can be recycled. During the boiling process, plastic from the tape floats to the surface and is recycled separately. The acrylic adhesive on the tape is water based so it dissipates as it’s boiled.
If you really want to geek out about the process (we think it’s pretty cool), watch a video of how tape breaks down in the recycling process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx0ozMweqoU
Beyond its recyclability, BOPP is also a sustainable option because of its almost infinite shelf life. You can save money and resources buying an already affordable product and knowing you’ll never have the waste of having to throw inventory out because the materials have deteriorated.
Automation can also be a deal breaker when choosing what kind of packaging tape to go with for your business. The good news? BOPP application can be automated to streamline your application and conserve energy, resources, and manpower.
Hungry for more expert advice on sustainability in the packaging industry? Call us at (909) 987-4258, or reach out via email sales@bestpack.com
To learn more about the most common packaging tape options and how they rate when it comes to sustainability, check out these posts:
