Evonik has won the 2026 German Packaging Award in the Sustainability category for TEGO Res 1100, a co-binder designed to improve the removal of printing inks during the recycling of printed flexible packaging.
Developed by Evonik’s Coating Additives business line and marketed worldwide, TEGO Res 1100 addresses a critical challenge in packaging recycling: deinking. By enabling inks to be removed rapidly and completely during the recycling process, the technology can help improve recyclate quality and support the development of more circular packaging solutions.
The award-winning packaging sample was provided by Constantia Flexibles and featured printing inks formulated with TEGO Res 1100.
Presented by the German Packaging Institute (dvi), the German Packaging Award is one of the packaging industry’s leading innovation competitions. Evonik’s technology was recognized for its contribution to making packaging more recyclable and advancing circular packaging concepts.
“The effective removal of printing inks from used packaging is an important step toward a circular economy,” said Hendrik Rasch, who is responsible for the Next Markets program for Circular Packaging and Plastics Recycling at Evonik. “The project demonstrates how close collaboration along the value chain accelerates the development and adoption of circular packaging solutions.”
The addition of Res 1100 enables ink formulations that can be rapidly and completely removed during recycling. The resulting improvement in material quality could help converters, brand owners and recycling companies respond to tightening sustainability and recycling requirements.
'When we talk about recycling, a lot of the discussion focuses on collection and sorting. But material quality matters just as much. Better removal of printing inks can help produce cleaner recyclates and create more options for future applications,” stated Stefan Büttner, Vice President Head of CC Polymer Films and Functional Papers, R&D CC Polymer Films at Constantia Flexibles.
“Food-contact applications are not there yet and remain subject to separate regulatory and technical requirements. Still, every step that improves material quality matters. We are proud that our joint work with Evonik on this challenge has been recognized with the German Packaging Award.”
“This award highlights the importance of co-binders for packaging printing inks, which are already enabling a true circular economy today,” said Dr. Christian Schirrmacher, Head of New Technologies for Printing Inks at the Coating Additives Business Line.
