Siegwerk has introduced a new acrylic-free ink designed for water-based flexo printing on paper and board.
The product, called UniLEAF, is intended to support sustainability goals while maintaining performance and compatibility with existing production processes.
UniLEAF – short for “Low Energy Acrylic Free” – is based on the company’s existing UniNature range, which uses renewable raw materials. The new formulation replaces conventional acrylic resins with polymers derived from bio-based sources. According to the company, this represents a shift in how water-based flexo inks are formulated, while still allowing manufacturers to use standard production methods without significant changes to equipment or workflows.
Thibaud Liard, business unit head paper and board EMEA at Siegwerk, commented: “By removing acrylic resins, UniLEAF breaks with long‑standing industry conventions and establishes a new approach for sustainable ink design.”
Initial industrial trials comparing UniLEAF with UniNature indicate a reduction in carbon footprint of approximately 50%, said the company. Siegwerk attributes this to an increased proportion of biogenic carbon in the formulation following the removal of acrylic resins. Trials also reported energy savings of more than 15% during the drying process, with no impact on production speed.
“With these benefits combined, our new formulation supports converters, printers, and brand owners in meeting their sustainability targets while improving operational costs,” said Thomas Lehnen, head of technology paper and board EMEA at Siegwerk. “At the same time, it helps them prepare for evolving regulatory requirements across the printing and packaging value chain.”
