Setting New Standards in Sustainable Plates

In the current climate of hyper vigilance around sustainability, the packaging industry is rallying to develop new eco-friendly solutions that align with increasingly stringent regulations and consumer expectations.

Leading the charge in flexo plate technology, XSYS has been recognized for its innovative nyloflex eco series—the 2025 winner of Flexographic Technical Association’s Sustainability Excellence Award.  XSYS introduced the nyloflex eco series to provide flexo converters with independently verified sustainability benefits, notably without sacrificing print quality.

• All plates in the eco series incorporate a proportion of renewable raw materials, a unique approach that aims to set a new standard in flexo plate development
• Additionally, nyloflex eco plates are much faster in processing, leading to considerable cost savings in time and energy usage      

Material Concerns

Brand owners are keenly focused on the environmental impact of the materials used in packaging production. Considerable attention has been given to developing more sustainable substrates, increasing the amount of recycled content–and in flexible packaging, on creating monomaterial laminates, or moving from plastics to fiber-based alternatives.

Other aspects of the production process itself are coming into view. Until now, manufacturers have not adequately addressed the use of fossil-based components in the formulation of photopolymer printing plates for flexo printing.

Building on the success of the long-established nyloflex portfolio of flexo plates, in combination with its expertise in imaging and processing, XSYS has leveraged decades of experience to create the new “eco” series.” Under the slogan “Lifting proven quality to a sustainable future –the stated goal is to maintain high print quality and excellent plate functionality, while minimizing the environmental impact of flexo printing by increasing the use of bio-based materials in plate formulations.

Moving to Renewables

Conventional flexo printing plates are predominantly dependent on petroleum-based raw materials, which are carbon-intensive and limited in supply. As flexo printing is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.0 percent through 2029 (according to market analysis by Smithers), consumption of photopolymer plates will likely increase as well. This consistent growth underscores the urgent need for more sustainable flexo solutions in the drive to create a circular production model.

Incorporating a significant percentage of bio-based raw materials–verified through independent analysis by Normec OWS in Belgium–nyloflex eco plates developed by XSYS significantly reduce reliance on ingredients derived from harmful fossil fuels. Specifically:

• The nyloflex eco ACT plate contains 24–29 percent renewable bio-based content in the formulation
• the nyloflex eco FAC plate includes 19–20 percent, marking a breakthrough in sustainable flexo plate technology

Additionally, cradle-to-grave Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) assessments show notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions during the manufacturing and usage stages, such as 10 percent lower emissions for nyloflex eco ACT Digital. These PCF assessments were carried out by Sustainable AG, an environmental sustainability consultancy, ensuring ISO 14067 compliance.

Productivity Gains

Stepping beyond renewable materials, the processing of nyloflex eco plates shows increased efficiency by up to 20 percent compared to the standard versions of nyloflex ACT and nyloflex FAC. According to customer testing and market feedback, this workflow efficiency is achieved through faster washing and shorter drying times, with washing reduced by as much as 20 percent and drying potentially reduced by up to 25 percent.

Exact figures depend on the existing plate setup and washout solvent used by each customer, but tests have shown that processing time for nyloflex eco ACT can be reduced by up to 35 minutes per plate and up to 50 minutes for nyloflex eco FAC plates.

These incremental improvements will have a significant cumulative effect on the entire workflow and the value chain at large, enabling plate makers to increase throughput and deliver plates with shorter lead times.

Given the high and fluctuating energy prices impacting the industry, a critical advantage that adds more value for converters lies in the reduced energy consumption during processing. The accelerated processing efficiency of the nyloflex eco series provides measurable reductions in energy usage, allowing converters to benefit from lower energy costs and adding another important sustainability dimension to the equation.

Ease of Adoption

Transitioning to new printing plates typically involves extensive press fingerprinting and profiling. This process can be very time-consuming, resulting in substantial waste and press downtime, and it also requires the engagement of valuable staff resources.

Standard nyloflex plates can be directly replaced by nyloflex eco versions without these additional procedures or training. This seamless integration removes obstacles to implementation, allowing converters to scale up eco production quickly and efficiently.

With minimal disruption to the production workflow, productivity and profitability remain high throughout this process. Additionally, there is no unnecessary waste of time, ink, or materials, ensuring a positive environmental impact from the outset of the changeover to eco plates.

Next-Gen Sustainability

FTA’s Sustainability Excellence Award honors, “technology, formulations, or techniques developed to reduce the environmental impact of printing.” The judging panel selected XSYS as the winner based on its “benefits, commitment, leadership, and relevance to the flexographic industry and beyond.”

On the occasion, James Van Buskirk, technical director North America, commented: “We’re delighted to have won the coveted FTA Sustainability Excellence Award 2025. This is another feather in our cap as nyloflex eco plates continue to set new standards by reducing the environmental footprint of flexo.”

“We understand that in today’s highly competitive market, sustainability is absolutely crucial to growth and success. XSYS is committed to pioneering greener solutions for brilliant flexo printing that benefit not only our customers and their clients, but also people and the planet.”

Launch of the award-winning nyloflex eco series as a flagship product line is part of XSYS’ broader program of next-generation sustainability innovation, which includes solutions for imaging, plate processing and printing.

The nyloflex eco series supports converters in adopting more sustainable production practices with quantifiable environmental gains and also enables their brand owner clients to reduce the carbon footprint of their packaging.

Consequently, it directs the packaging industry toward a greener way to achieve the high quality demanded by brand owners, but at less cost to the environment. As a result, many customers are gradually switching over to these eco-friendly alternatives.

Dedication to sustainable product development is reflected in XSYS’ commitment to using 100 percent renewable electricity at core production sites, adhering to the principles of the UN Global Compact, and obtaining ISO 9001, 14001, and 50001 certifications for core operational sites.

XSYS ensures full transparency by continuously disclosing its climate performance through platforms such as CDP, the independent non-profit environmental disclosure system.