> Duo UK
17th Oct 2024
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This year’s Recycle Week theme is “Rescue Me” and we’re taking you behind the scenes at Duo to see our sustainable manufacturing practices and how we rescue waste when making branded mailing bags. This is a year-round commitment, and our processes have been developed to ensure that any waste created is recycled. From the moment raw materials arrive at our manufacturing site to the delivery of our clients custom branded mailing bags, sustainability and re-usability is incorporated into every stage of the process.
Extrusion – where it all begins
The branded mailing bag journey starts at Extrusion, where the polythene film is extruded. We begin by using materials such as recycled polythene, bio-based GreenPE, virgin LDPE or Oceanix HDPE pellets. The raw materials are melted and transformed into flexible polythene films. As the film is produced, it is cut to the exact dimensions required resulting in excess trim or offcuts. Some of our extrusion machines feature a treater, which feeds any waste polythene trim back into the extruder avoiding the need for additional recycling processing. Where technology isn’t yet available, the waste material is baled and delivered to Duclo Recycling, our sister company, where it is recycled into recycled polythene (LDPE) pellets. The recycled polythene pellets are used by flexible packaging manufacturers, like Duo, to manufacture new packaging products bringing waste full circle.
At this stage our team completes rigorous quality control checks to ensure that the film meets the client’s precise specification. Everything from its thickness to the percentage of recycled content is verified, before it is passed to the next stage of the process.
Print – Bringing brands to life through design
With the film ready, it’s time to print the unique brand’s design. Prior to printing, a digital image of the design has been approved and sent to a flexographic plate maker to produce the printing plate that is used to transfer the design onto the polythene film. We use advanced colour-matching technology to ensure that every logo, QR code, tagline and image is vibrant and consistent every time.
Once the job is complete, the flexographic printing plates are cleaned using a specialised plate cleaner. This process ensures all ink debris is removed which helps extend the lifespan of the plate. The same printing plate is reused for every repeat production run. There is a focus on extending the lifespan of our tools, avoiding the requirement for new.
The print department is a zero-waste solvent department, thanks to a solvent recovery system. Once the solvent ink has been used, the recovery system cleans the solvent ready for re-use. This process ensures that no solvent is released into the environment, and waste solvent is recycled on-site.
Additionally, specialized cleaning equipment is used to remove all ink and solvent residue from ink buckets and parts, allowing them to be reused again and again.
Conversion – Creating the perfect postal package
In the conversion stage, the printed polythene film is cut, shaped, and sealed into its final form. This is where specific features like twin glue strips for reusability or DuoOptipac handles are added. This year, 58% of the polythene material we’ve used for our clients products is recycled polythene. Plus, through our closed-loop recycling scheme, we’ve collected over 540 tonnes of polythene preventing it from ending up in landfills.
Optimising packaging and delivery solutions
The outer packing a product is contained in plays an important role in minimising storage requirements and reducing transportation mileage. From packing branded mailing bags into boxes that can hold 500 to 2,000 bags or pallet boxes that can hold significantly more, to maximising pallet loads and creating a delivery schedule to optimise transportation there are many considerations to optimise product deliveries. Considering frequency of deliveries and transportation can help to significantly lower the carbon footprint associated with packaging products, learn how this was achieved for Charles Tyrwhitt here.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our sustainable manufacturing process or to arrange a factory tour. Email our team enquiries@duo-uk.co.uk or call our team +44 0161 203 5757.