New Color Simulation Tool Alleviates Recycling Challenges - 2020 Sustainability Report

The Challenge

Brand owners are pledging to significantly increase PCR usage in packaging to meet sustainability targets, but they still need to supply attractive colored products with minimal color deviation. Manufacturers use diverse PCR sources with differing colors, darkness and opacity, while specific PCR grade availability can be unreliable. All color-related factors can vary within a brand, making a consistent coloration difficult, time-consuming and costly. Since masterbatch coloring needs to be corrected each time, the color properties of PCR change. Consequently, many PCR grades are excluded. The Solution

Avient developed a Color Simulation Tool to calculate the final color of a PCR-based end article and that can be used to:

1. Predict final colors, based on a PCR grade and concentration
2. Calculate color corrections to meet a target color
3. Define PCR color specification limits and find PCR grades to achieve a target color
4. Support the design process for new products by simulating achievable color spaces

Based on PCR spectral data, the tool delivers the calculated spectra, a final color visualization and offers three-dimensional color space simulations, that covers the workable color space.

The Impact

The method enables converters and brand owners to achieve a desired target color with stronger pre colored PCRs. The tool will increase the upcycling of PCR and will help to achieve pledged PCR usage rates.