Sustainable Hot Melt Adhesives

Consumers’ increasingly environmental awareness and the subsequent regulations is driving the hygiene industry to boost the sustainability of its products and processes.

The estimated growth of this green and sustainable segment of the market is projected at 10% CAGR globally, and we have seen a range of new sustainable solutions arising in the marketplace in the past few years.

Role of Adhesives

While adhesives play a critical – but almost invisible – role in bonding multiple diaper components together, they typically account for less than 5% of the total weight of a disposable hygiene article. Innovations in the adhesive industry have enabled environmental improvements from achieving significant reduction of the overall diaper thickness/weight to reduced add-on and energy spend on the adhesives themselves.

To ensure we continue to enable sustainability goals to be effectively achieved by manufacturers , the H.B. Fuller team of scientists and regulatory experts are on the forefront of keeping track of the dynamic regulations around the world. We work closely with manufacturers and industry co-suppliers globally to find the most optimal adhesive solutions when transitioning to more eco-friendly substrates.

H.B. Fuller’s portfolio of bio-based hot melt adhesives

The sustainability trend in the hygiene market has manifested itself most notably in the renewed interest in natural materials using bio-renewable or waste feedstock that could help to reduce carbon footprint.

Hot melt adhesive formulations traditionally rely on fossil fuel-based components, but to address the demand for more sustainable solutions, H.B. Fuller developed hot melt adhesives for key adhesive applications, replacing some of those raw materials with bio-based, renewable materials. These innovations are optimized for key adhesive applications and help support carbon emission reductions* by replacing some fossil-based raw materials with bio-based, renewable materials. H.B. Fuller’s portfolio of bio-based hot melt adhesives could be briefly presented in some key attributes/points:

• Going greener: developed for manufacturers who want to reduce the carbon footprint, while making environmental claims on their finished products. It addresses the demand for more sustainable adhesives solution for key adhesive applications.
• Excellent performance: achieves higher bonding performance (compared to traditional positioning adhesives) on standard and natural-based substrates, to support hygiene manufacturer's resource consumption minimization programs.
• Temperature resistance: resistant to extreme temperature, making them suitable for the broad range of possible applications conditions.
• Easy conversion: able to be applied using the same equipment used with traditional hot melt adhesives. This makes shifting between hot melt products less costly.
• Low temperature application: this option, with lower energy consumption, can reduce material usage when using thinner substrates.

By opting for bio-based alternatives in product development, hygiene manufacturers can demonstrate and reinforce their commitment to a reduction of global warming.

At H.B. Fuller, we enable sustainability, helping our customers to do more with less. We are dedicated to finding solutions to improve the environmental impact and make our planet a healthier and safer place. Contact us to learn more.