Why 100% Recycled Material Is the Future of the Plastic Woven Industry

1.Regulation and Market Pull Are Driving the Shift

Stricter Policies and Brands’ ESG Goals

The EU Single‑Use Plastics Directive and various national plastic packaging taxes are pushing woven bag producers to increase recycled content. At the same time, global brands like Unilever and P&G have committed to at least 25% recycled content in their packaging by 2025. Producers that cannot process recycled material risk losing orders.

 2. Technical Challenges of 100% Recycled Material

MFI Variation, Contaminants, and Breakage Are the Main Obstacles

Post‑consumer recyclate (PCR) differs from virgin resin in several critical ways:

• Wide MFI variation – inconsistent flow properties cause pressure fluctuations.

• Higher contaminant levels – residual labels, inks, and metal particles can clog filters and damage screws.

• Frequent tape breaks – degraded polymer chains in PCR lead to breaks during stretching, hurting productivity.

Traditional tape lines designed for virgin resin often struggle with 100% PCR – breaks increase, output drops, and quality suffers.

3. NanYi’s Solution: Specialised Screw Design and Process Optimisation

Systematic Innovation – from Screw Geometry to Filtration

NanYi’s full‑recycled tape line overcomes these challenges through multiple technical innovations:

• Customised screw geometry – with a compression ratio and feed section tailored to the flow characteristics of PCR, ensuring stable melt delivery and minimising pressure variations.

• Enhanced filtration – a large‑capacity screen changer effectively traps contaminants, protecting the screw and die.

• Precise temperature control – ±0.5°C accuracy keeps the PCR at the optimal processing temperature, avoiding thermal degradation.

• Optimised stretching process – stretch ratio and temperature are adjusted to match the molecular weight distribution of PCR, ensuring adequate tape strength.

4. Real‑World Results: No Breaks, No Speed Loss, No Quality Sacrifice

PCR Tapes That Match Virgin‑Resin Quality

In actual production, NanYi’s full‑recycled tape lines run steadily on 100% post‑consumer PP/PE waste, with breakage rates comparable to virgin‑resin operation. Output and line speed remain unaffected, and the tensile strength and elongation of the tapes meet all requirements for woven bag production. This means woven bag plants can significantly reduce raw material costs (PCR is typically 20‑40% cheaper than virgin) while satisfying environmental regulations and brand requirements – without compromising efficiency or quality.

Using 100% recycled material is no longer a trade‑off between sustainability and performance – it is a win‑win. NanYi’s full‑recycled tape line is helping woven bag producers around the world turn waste into high‑quality products, driving true circularity.