The polybag: a fashion essential... but an environmental challenge

In the fashion industry, the polybag is everywhere.

Whether it's an organic cotton t-shirt or a silk dress, each garment leaves the factory, passes through the warehouses, and then arrives in the boutique or at the customer's home... well protected in a small transparent plastic bag: the polybag.

This thin, lightweight, waterproof film protects against dust, moisture and rubbing, ensuring that the product remains impeccable right up to the moment of purchase.

But... The vast majority of these billions of bags are made from polyethylene (PE), a petroleum-based plastic that takes hundreds of years to degrade.

Even when recycled, they often end up in landfill or in the ocean, contributing to global plastic pollution.

But the figure is staggering: 180 billion polybags are produced every year.

And only 15% are recycled.

At a time when consumers and regulators (e.g. France's AGEC law, European directives) are demanding more responsible packaging, the classic polybag is becoming a major issue for all brands.

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Towards greener alternatives

Faced with this situation, a number of solutions are emerging:

- polybags in recycled PE,

- corn starch (PLA) sachets,

- hydrophobic kraft paper,

- compostable biosourced polymers.

Each has its strengths... but also its limitations (cost, transparency, resistance, real-life end-of-life).

The aim is not only to reduce impact, but also to guarantee garment protection and compatibility with existing supply chains.

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Aqua TCP: an alternative innovation

The Aqua-TCP is distinguished by an original approach:

• It's a water-soluble resin based on PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), prepared without the use of toxic solvents or heavy plasticizers. This resin is specially designed to produce transparent packaging films, and is transformed by an extrusion process: the result is polybags offering the same transparency, flexibility and resistance as a PE bag, without polluting additives.

• Energy consumption for production is optimized: fewer processing steps are required, which reduces the carbon footprint.

• The performance of Aqua-TCP is comparable... if not superior to that of plastic.

  Optimum protection: moisture and dust barrier, even for long-distance transport.

• Logistics compatibility: can be sealed, printed and labeled on the same machines as traditional polybags.

But the real advantage of Aqua-TCP lies in its truly circular end-of-life cycle:

• Composting Aquaflex can be composted in a domestic or industrial environment, without the formation of microplastics.

  In-house tests indicate complete biodegradation within a few weeks in well-maintained compost.

• Water solubility The film can also be dissolved in water (cold or hot, depending on thickness), facilitating decomposition and avoiding any risk of marine pollution.

• Zero harmful emissions The material is certified Zero VOC (zero emissions of volatile organic compounds) and Red List Free, meeting international standards (LEED, BREEAM, HQE).

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Adopting an Aqua-TCP polybag means :

• Comply with regulations (AGEC law, reduction targets for single-use plastics).

• Reinforce the brand's image with consumers who are demanding in terms of eco-responsibility.

• Simplify logistics thanks to compatibility with existing processes.

• Reduce the hidden costs of complex recycling or environmental penalties.

And all at a controlled cost!

Want to find out more? We'd love to hear from you!