TOYOBO plans to turn used label backing paper into a raw material and commercialize it as the polyester-based synthetic paper "Kamishine NEO" in fiscal 2028. Using technology to horizontally recycle the dissimilar material on the back, the company aims to sell approximately 240 tonnes annually in fiscal 2030.
TOYOBO disclosed plans to launch the reusable polyester-based synthetic paper "Kamishine NEO," made from used label backing paper, in fiscal 2028. Label backing paper has often been discarded, but the company aims to commercialize it in a reusable form.
The company has been developing the technology through a resource-circulation project to horizontally recycle label backing paper in cooperation with Nichiei Shinka (Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture). Label backing paper is made of dissimilar materials coated with resin, which has made conventional recycling difficult.
Nichiei Shinka will pelletize the used label backing paper, and TOYOBO will reuse part of it as a raw material. The polyester-based synthetic paper "Kamishine NEO" made from that material will be manufactured and sold using existing equipment at the Tsuruga Business Site. The company will proceed with quality evaluations and other work.
The company aims to sell approximately 240 tonnes annually in fiscal 2030 and plans to continue demonstration testing and evaluation toward commercialization in fiscal 2028.