Are Stickers Eco-Friendly?
Did you ever collect stickers when you were little? Perhaps, you still collect them now. But are stickers eco-friendly?
Some of us enjoy putting them in our notebooks, sharing them with friends, or decorating our coolers with them. Unfortunately, stickers are not as innocent as they appear.
Nobody wants a flimsy sticker that quickly peels off and degrades. People are on the hunt for the most resistant stickers of all, which may be suitable for your water bottle but not for your planet.
The one-time-use sticker you place on your water bottle will likely never fully decompose. So, before you add another sticker to your collection, think about its sticky environmental implications.
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Are stickers eco-friendly?
The assembling of stickers is not very bad for the environment, but the materials used in the creation are undoubtedly wreckful. Stickers are made from different types of plastic, such as vinyl, acetate, polyester, and polypropylene.
All of these plastics come from crude oil, which is unrefined petroleum. This nonrenewable resource is then combined with various toxic chemicals, depending on which type of plastic is being made, to morph into the final product.
What makes it even worse is the water-proof coatings, and the adhesive used on the backing makes most stickers non-recyclable. Separating these components is possible, but it makes recycling a much longer and more expensive process.
How are stickers made?
The process of making stickers is very simple. The chosen plastic gets flattened out into wide sheets. Next, pressurized machines attach an adhesive backing.
After that, designs are added to the sheets, and the stickers are cut to desired shapes and sizes. The most common materials used to make stickers are acetate, vinyl, polyester, and polypropylene.
- Acetate is used to make satin stickers, like wine bottle labels. It is a large contributor to global microplastic pollution.
- Vinyl is the most common material used to make stickers due to its flexibility and longevity. It is also known as the most dangerous plastic to humans.
- Polyester is used to make long-lasting stickers that will thrive outdoors. They are commonly found as labels on household control panels. When polyester begins to disintegrate, it breaks down into toxic microfibers.
- Polypropylene is used to make many water-resistant stickers, such as car decals. Compared to other materials, polypropylene produces less carbon dioxide emissions and overall waste. However, it is still a plastic that can be harmful to your well-being.
Do eco-friendly stickers exist?
Yes! There are at least eco-FRIENDLIER stickers, for sure. Stickers can be made from paper which is much more sustainable than plastic. Unfortunately, the adhesives used on paper can still be bad for the environment.
Luckily, our world has grown more eco-conscious in the past decade. Brands like Kokolu have come out with their own sustainable stickers that are safe for the environment. Most commonly, eco-friendly stickers are made from cellophane, recycled paper, or wood.
Cellophane stickers
This type of sticker comes from the cellulose in wood pulp, similar to cellophane film. Though it can’t be recycled, cellophane is biodegradable, meaning it can be composted or safely deteriorate in a landfill.
The stickers produced with this material are more resistant to moisture than other eco-friendly sticker materials. Cellophane takes less than a year to biodegrade, even when given an extra coat for durability.
Recycled Paper Stickers
With a zero-carbon footprint, it is no surprise that recycled paper is an excellent material for eco-friendly stickers. Recycling causes almost 75% less air pollution than creating new paper. These are common for labels and decorative stickers since paper is not necessarily the most durable material.
Wood Stickers
Stickers made from wood are sustainable and biodegradable. Not to mention, they look really awesome. Some wooden stickers have prints added to them or dyes to make the designs stand out.
Others have designs burned into them. These stickers vary in thickness and offer a unique take on your everyday sticker.
Before you buy another sticker
Most stickers are not good for the environment. When you choose the most durable sticker, you also might be choosing the sticker that never biodegrades. Choosing alternatives like cellophane, recycled paper, and wood stickers is a great way to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
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