DIC Announces Plans to Expand Global Sales of SHIOLESS, an Environment-Friendly Ink Designed to Improve Packaging Recyclability —This PVC- free ink, which does not contain chlorine-containing resins, will be exhibited at Interpack 2026 in Germany—

Tokyo, Japan—DIC Corporation today announced that it will take steps to expand global sales of its PVC-free ink　SHIOLESS, which is formulated without chlorine-containing resins. As part of this effort, DIC will exhibit SHIOLESS at Interpack 2026, an international packaging trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, from May 7 to 13, to expand its overseas customer base. SHIOLESS, a gravure ink for laminated packaging materials, improves the recyclability of packaging through its PVC-free design, which reduces the degradation of recycled materials and the damage to recycling equipment. By exhibiting SHIOLESS at Interpack, DIC will promote solutions that contribute to a circular economy starting from the printing process.

Recent years have brought the introduction of increasingly stringent regulations regarding packaging waste, particularly in Europe, alongside rising global demand for packaging material designs that offer enhanced recyclability. Key measures in the European Union (EU)’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)^*1 include mandating that all packaging in the EU market be recyclable in an economically viable manner by 2030. Accordingly, in addition to material composition, design must consider the impact of the packaging’s constituents, including printing inks and additives, on the recycling process and the quality of the resulting recycled materials. This necessitates an approach to reducing environmental impact that involves not only brand owners but also companies across the supply chain, including packaging materials producers, printing and processing firms, and printing inks manufacturers.

Against this backdrop, a significant issue that has recently been identified is that the components of inks used in plastic packaging can affect the quality of the recycled plastic. In particular, chlorine-containing resins used in conventional inks are recognized as a principal cause of discoloration and reduced clarity of recycled plastic pellets, potentially limiting the use and value of those pellets. There is thus a need to design inks that exert less of a negative impact on the recycling process while still preserving print quality and on-site workability.

With the goal of addressing these challenges, DIC embarked on the development of SHIOLESS, a PVC-free ink designed based on three key concepts: material design that takes into account the recycling process, a balance between on-site workability and stable quality, and responds to sustainability requirements endorsed by global brand owners. SHIOLESS is designed to reduce discoloration and quality degradation of plastics during material recycling, while maintaining print quality and lamination performance comparable to conventional inks.

SHIOLESS is a solvent-based gravure ink for reverse lamination. Thanks to its PVC-free design, this ink delivers outstanding material recyclability, making it suitable for olefin-based monomaterial structures. SHIOLESS also demonstrates consistent quality in mass-production printing environments and excellent lamination bond strength with a range of films. The ink is also designed with consideration for the various legal and regulatory requirements governing food-grade packaging materials.

In addition to being free of chlorine-containing resins, SHIOLESS also contains no nitrocellulose (NC) . The selection of resins that enhances recyclability is consistent with the design philosophy emphasizing the avoidance of chlorine-based materials to improve the circularity of flexible packaging, as delineated in the Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging (CEFLEX) initiative’s Designing for a Circular Economy (D4ACE) guidelines.^*3 SHIOLESS also satisfies the requirements for polyethylene and polypropylene flexible packaging outlined in RecyClass’ Design for Recycling Guidelines,^*4 which include an NC-free design.

SHIOLESS has a solid track record in Asia thanks to effective test marketing and sales. DIC is now looking to expand its global presence, beginning with participation in international trade shows in Europe, where interest in environmental protection and recycling is high, as a way to extend proposals to a broad spectrum of potential customers.

In its DIC Vision 2030 long-term management plan, the DIC Group has set forth a basic strategy for its Packaging & Graphic segment that centers on accelerating the development and deployment of sustainable packaging products. Amid growing global demand for environment-friendly packaging, the Company sees the provision of solutions that contribute to the realization of a circular economy as a key driver of growth. Capitalizing on its accumulated experience and technical expertise in the area of ink design, DIC will continue working to expedite the development and expansion of products and solutions that respond to customer needs and help address social imperatives.

Note:Owing to the deterioration of the procurement environment in recent months, the provision of product certain samples may be limited.

^*1 The PPWR mandates the reduction, reuse and recycling of packaging materials across the EU with the aim of lowering their environmental impact.
^*2 This comparison used a medium (transparent) ink containing no pigment to best demonstrate the impact on recyclability of the different resins.
^*3 The D4ACE guidelines provide practical design guidance set by CEFLEX to ensure compatibility with a circular economy for packaging.
^*4 The EU baseline for plastics, RecyClass’ Design for Recycling Guidelines were created to evaluate and provide guidance regarding the suitability of plastic packaging materials’ composition, formulation and design to ensure they can be recycled into high-grade materials.

Name: Interpack 2026
Date: May 7–13, 2026
Venue: Düsseldorf Exhibition Center, Düsseldorf, Germany
Organizer: Messe Düsseldorf GmbH
Sun Chemical and DIC booth: Hall 7a / Stand B03
Official exhibition website: https://www.interpack.com/
Participant information: https://www.interpack.com/vis/v1/en/exhibitors/interpack2026.3007045

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