Vögeli AG in Langnau, Emmental, is a printing company specializing in sustainable production and products. Their printed packaging solution, PurePrint Peak, is designed to be recyclable and compostable. Based on its components, Vögeli offers a range of sustainable offset printing products. The design has been awarded the Cradle-to-Cradle GOLD® certification by EPEA Switzerland. Mr. Vögeli shares more with ALFAPURA® about sustainable printing, the Cradle-to-Cradle concept, and his company.
Mr. Vögeli, Vögeli AG is the first printing company globally to meet the stringent Cradle-to-Cradle GOLD® certification requirements. What motivated you to pursue this path of sustainability?
Vögeli AG is a fourth-generation family business. But the word ‘family’ extends beyond just the owners. We see the company as responsible for all our employees, customers, and their families. Every strategic decision is carefully evaluated to ensure that we create the best possible solutions for everyone involved. With this holistic approach, we realized the need for sustainability to ensure that future generations can live on this beautiful planet.
After many innovations and improvements in product sustainability, we reached a point where further optimization seemed difficult, particularly in areas like energy efficiency and recyclability. That’s when we decided to take a step back and examine the entire value chain—from raw material sourcing to our final products. We realized that the only way to achieve a sustainable society is through a circular economy. For more than five years, we’ve been developing recyclable packaging that meets the Cradle-to-Cradle® standard. Now, we’ve perfected our formula and can fulfill almost any packaging request.
What exactly does Cradle-to-Cradle® certification mean? And what criteria did your company have to meet to earn this certification?
Cradle-to-Cradle refers to a concept of an endless cycle where every material returns to its origins. Products certified as Cradle-to-Cradle® must be recyclable and compostable. In our case, all paper fibers used in the packaging can be reused for new packaging materials. Additionally, any remaining waste from these products can be disposed of safely. For instance, waste water from cleaning the paper fibers contains no harmful substances and can be safely released into the environment, meaning our products are safe for biological cycles.
To achieve the GOLD standard, no harmful substances can be used – this includes carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins, as well as any other concerning chemicals. Developing products that meet these stringent requirements was challenging, especially since every raw material had to be scrutinized.
However, we have now perfected our formula and can meet almost any packaging request. This even includes unique communications materials like printed gift boxes, though our main products remain cards, business cards, brochures, reports, books, hangtags, and packaging.
ALFAPURA® adhesives were developed to make end products such as your packaging recyclable. How did you come to work with ALFAPURA®?
Vögeli AG advances materials development for Cradle-to-Cradle®-certified printed products through the Print The Change Cooperative. As one of three cooperative members from three countries, we were seeking adhesives for a specific application. ALFA Klebstoffe AG agreed to optimize their adhesive to achieve Cradle-to-Cradle® certification. Initially exclusive to the cooperative, this adhesive had two downsides: it was difficult to work with and only achieved SILVER certification.
When ALFA Klebstoffe AG launched the ALFAPURA® adhesive line, we immediately tested their new Cradle-to-Cradle® GOLD-certified products. We were pleased to find they met all our requirements. Since then, we’ve used ALFAPURA® in our production – the adhesive strength, application, and quality are highly impressive.
Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role, especially in the packaging industry. What challenges do you see in producing recyclable packaging?
The main challenge is that there are very few truly recyclable materials. Today’s recycling processes often result in downcycling, where the quality of the material decreases after recycling, limiting its reuse. This runs contrary to the circular economy concept. Another challenge is posed by packaging design. Many existing packages are made from composite materials. These combine different raw materials. These materials are difficult to separate and therefore cannot be recycled fully, bringing us back to the original problem.
Do you offer packaging for food products? How safe are your recyclable food packages?
Yes, we offer a wide range of packaging. We produce packaging for items like pasta, chocolate, sports nutrition, and cheese labels for various clients. More options are currently in development. Almost weekly, new clients approach us with specific requirements, and we’re happy to develop new, innovative solutions. Since our products contain no harmful substances that could transfer from the packaging to the food, they are all safe for food use. Recently, Swiss Quality Testing Services (SQTS) tested our packaging and confirmed its safety.
How do recyclable packages impact profitability?
The answer depends on how we define economic efficiency. Are we focusing solely on profitability, or are we also considering social and ecological aspects? For us, all three are equally important. From a purely economic perspective, we’ve invested significant resources over the past five years.
Now, we’re making a profit from these products, and in future we may not be able to survive without them. Are you looking to produce Cradle-to-Cradle®-certified products? Do you need a sustainable adhesive? Schedule a meeting with us to learn more about sustainable adhesive solutions!