rPCR vs Virgin Plastics: ASTM Data, Real‑World Results, and Print‑Ready Packaging with Berry Global

Berry Global is a full‑spectrum plastics packaging partner across rigid containers, flexible films, nonwovens, and closures. Our vertically integrated model—resin to finished goods—powers both healthcare and industrial markets while advancing the circular economy. Below, we share ASTM performance data on recycled content bottles, explain our Super Clean process and FDA compliance, unpack a five‑year Unilever Dove transformation to 100% rPCR, and outline how we align packaging with high‑impact graphics and real‑world supply‑chain agility.

ASTM data: rPCR performance vs virgin PET, quantified

Does recycled content compromise performance? Independent testing (ASTM‑certified lab) compared a Berry 500 ml bottle with 50% rPET to a 100% virgin PET control under standardized conditions.

• Burst strength (ASTM D2463): 50% rPET averaged 14.2 bar (SD 0.8), virgin averaged 15.1 bar (SD 0.6). Difference ~6%, both well above the 10 bar commercial threshold.
• Drop test (1.5 m, filled, capped): 50% rPET had 96% intact rate (48/50), virgin 98% (49/50). Both meet typical commercial acceptance (>95%).
• Oxygen transmission (ASTM F1927, 23°C/50% RH): 50% rPET at 0.13 cc/bottle/day vs virgin at 0.11; both meet carbonated beverage targets (<0.15).
• FDA food‑contact migration (3% acetic acid, 10 days, 40°C): 50% rPET at 3.2 ppm vs virgin at 2.8 ppm—both far below the <10 ppm limit.

Safety and sourcing: Berry’s rPET uses post‑consumer bottles (≈70%) and post‑industrial streams (≈30%) processed via an FDA‑acknowledged Super Clean method. Our Letters of No Objection (LNOs) confirm suitability for food contact when used as intended.

Climate impact at scale: For 1 billion 500 ml bottles (25 g each), moving from virgin PET to 50% rPET can cut CO2 by ~28,750 metric tons—about a 33% reduction based on typical lifecycle factors.

Inside the Super Clean process: why purity matters

Not all recycled plastics are equal. The difference is process:

• Multi‑stage washing and decontamination remove labels, organics, and residues; thermal and vacuum steps target volatiles and absorbed species.
• Decontamination performance is validated to achieve >99.9% purity, supporting FDA food‑contact compliance when used per LNO conditions.
• Color and mechanical properties are stabilized through blending strategies (e.g., 50:50 rPET:virgin) or multilayer designs tailored to brand aesthetics and barrier needs.

The outcome: in independent testing, high‑quality rPCR shows <10% variance from virgin performance on key metrics while satisfying regulatory criteria. That measured, controlled gap is generally non‑material in commercial use when packages are properly engineered.

Real‑world validation: Unilever Dove’s journey to 100% rPCR

Starting in 2019, Berry Global partnered with Unilever’s Dove brand to convert HDPE personal care bottles from 25% rPCR to 100% rPCR—scaling across 80+ countries by 2024.

• Phase 1 (2019–2020): 25% rPCR pilot on 10 million bottles; drop‑test pass rate at 98% (within 2% of virgin). Consumers largely could not distinguish the pack; a slight gray hue was accepted.
• Phase 2 (2021–2022): Advanced co‑extrusion and layer engineering enabled 50% and then 75% rPCR, balancing color, stiffness, and impact.
• Phase 3 (2023–2024): Commercialization of 100% rPCR HDPE, including Ocean Bound Plastic streams processed via Super Clean protocols for high purity and consistent performance; 2024 deployment covered ~80% of Dove volume (≈800 million bottles).

Impact after five years:

• Recycled content consumed: ~120,000 metric tons—equivalent to reclaiming ~6 billion plastic bottles.
• Estimated CO2 abatement: ~276,000 metric tons vs all‑virgin baselines.
• Supply assurance: 4 billion bottles delivered with 99.5% quality yield and zero stockouts.
• Consumer response: meaningful sustainability attribution and positive brand lift.

Addressing the performance controversy: what the data and practice say

Debate persists: “rPCR is inherently inferior” vs “rPCR equals virgin.” The truth is nuanced and technical:

• Low‑grade mechanical recycling (minimal cleaning, mixed feedstocks) can yield variability, off‑color, and odor—best reserved for non‑food or secondary applications.
• High‑grade, food‑contact‑validated rPCR—like Berry’s Super Clean output—demonstrates small, engineered trade‑offs (e.g., a 6% burst‑strength delta) while passing FDA migration and brand‑use requirements.
• Application fit matters: food and personal care packaging can leverage high‑quality rPCR; ultra‑sensitive uses (e.g., direct‑contact drug packaging, infant nutrition) demand heightened scrutiny and may remain virgin until standards evolve.

Commercial reality aligns with the lab: across billions of bottles and rigorous QA, defect and complaint rates remain exceptionally low when processes, materials, and designs are controlled end‑to‑end.

Printing, decoration, and brand color fidelity—at scale

Packaging must perform technically and present visually. Berry Global integrates molding, film extrusion, and decoration to deliver shelf‑ready graphics across rigid and flexible formats:

• Technologies: HD flexo and rotogravure for films and shrink sleeves; offset and digital for specialty labels; precision color management across substrates; in‑mold labeling and high‑opacity masterbatch for rigid containers; closures with engraved or printed brand marks.
• Color accuracy: We translate Pantones, spot hues, and complex gradients to printable, production‑stable builds, accounting for substrate tone (e.g., slight rPCR gray) and curing behavior. Expect predictable ΔE performance pack‑to‑pack.
• Consistency: Vertical integration shortens the color loop—from resin, film, and bottle to label and closure—reducing total variability and time to sign‑off.

Whether your design team is working from vibrant inspiration boards—think the saturated graphics you might see on a “yoshimoto nara poster” or a “sabrina carpenter album poster”—or from clinical, minimalist healthcare palettes, we align ink systems, surface treatments, and curing to match intent without compromising recyclability guidelines.

Supply‑chain agility proven under pressure

In 2020, during COVID‑19, Berry Global expanded nonwoven medical gown capacity by ~100x within ~100 days—investing $135 million, commissioning 20 lines, and delivering ~1.5 billion garments with zero stockouts at peak. This same cross‑functional muscle—rapid capex, fast qualification, and robust QA—underpins how we scale packaging programs, shift tooling, dual‑source materials, and keep launches on track under volatile conditions.

Cost, ROI, and policy: balancing the rPCR equation

rPCR premiums are real today: industry data show rPET often carries a 20–30% premium over virgin; rPE can be ~50% higher depending on region. Yet the total equation is broader than resin price:

• Compliance and risk: EU PPWR and U.S. state frameworks set rising recycled‑content floors (e.g., toward 30% by 2030). Non‑compliance risks penalties and lost market access.
• Brand value: Consumers reward credible sustainability moves; many brands absorb modest cost increases to protect preference and share.
• Process and scale: Berry’s vertical integration and multi‑year, volume‑based sourcing compress the premium; on like‑for‑like packs, total landed cost deltas often narrow to the low‑teens on a per‑unit basis.
• Technology glidepath: Advanced/chemical recycling investments are scaling, with the medium‑term aim of cost and quality convergence with virgin streams.

Practical takeaway: Model ROI over a multi‑year horizon, incorporating avoided compliance costs, portfolio‑level mix effects, and measured brand lift—rather than judging rPCR on spot resin spreads alone.

End‑to‑end capability map

• Rigid plastics: food jars, pharma bottles, and personal care—engineered for drop, torque, barrier, and decoration.
• Flexible films and bags: shrink/stretch films, pouches, agriculture films—optimized for optics, dart impact, and seal integrity.
• Nonwovens: medical and hygiene substrates—sterility, breathability, and tensile performance controlled.
• Closures and dispensers: caps, pumps, sprayers—fit/finish, e‑commerce testing, and recyclability pairing.

Vertical integration across resin, conversion, and finishing typically unlocks 15–20% system‑level cost advantages and tighter project control.

Customer portals and digital operations

For authorized users, Berry supports secure digital portals that streamline ordering and collaboration:

• laddawn berry global login: Our Laddawn platform (for films, bags, and converted products) offers real‑time pricing, lead times, and artwork handling for qualified trade customers.
• berry global oracle login: Enterprise resource planning access for designated employees and partners to manage procurement, scheduling, and financial workflows.

Note: Access is restricted to approved users in accordance with Berry Global’s security policies.

Quick inspiration: consumer aesthetics and planning

Marketing teams often ask how to translate lifestyle stationery trends into packaging. A fun example: “how to use washi tape in planner” tutorials highlight tactile finishes, matte/gloss contrasts, and layered patterns. On packs, we achieve analogous effects with spot varnishes, soft‑touch, high‑build accents, and shrink‑sleeve windowing—while keeping recyclability guidelines front‑of‑mind.

What to do next

• Request a data‑backed design review: We will map ASTM performance targets, FDA/food‑contact needs, and printing specs to an rPCR‑ready structure.
• Ask for color proofs on your actual substrate: Validate graphics on the resin and texture you plan to ship.
• Plan for scale: We can model resin sourcing (rPET, rPE, rPP), multilayer options, and regional production to de‑risk launch and run‑rate supply.

Key numbers at a glance

• ASTM D2463 burst strength: 50% rPET 14.2 bar vs virgin 15.1 bar (≈6% delta).
• Drop integrity: 96% vs 98% (both pass).
• O2 ingress: 0.13 vs 0.11 cc/bottle/day (both within spec).
• FDA migration: 3.2 ppm vs 2.8 ppm (<10 ppm limit).
• Dove program: 120,000 t rPCR used, ~6 billion bottles reclaimed, ~276,000 t CO2 avoided.

Berry Global unites breadth (rigid + flexible + nonwovens + closures), vertical integration, and recycled‑content leadership to deliver packaging that performs in the lab, on the shelf, and across global supply chains—advancing the circular economy without compromising brand experience.