Borealis launches Borcycle™ M linear low density flexible packaging grade with 85% PCR content

• Borealis introduces Borcycle™ M CWT120CL, a recycled linear low density polyethylene (rLLDPE) grade containing 85% post-consumer recyclate, designed for non-food flexible packaging applications
• Created together with Ecoplast, a member of the Borealis Group, this newly introduced grade targets key applications that require superior stretchability, low gel content, and an excellent toughness-stiffness balance
• The rLLDPE grade is a significant technical achievement, reflecting Borealis’ EverMinds™ commitment to advancing circularity through innovation

Borealis introduces Borcycle™ M CWT120CL, a high-performance, recycled linear low density polyethylene grade (rLLDPE) designed to advance circularity in non-food flexible packaging. Produced with 85% post-consumer recyclate (PCR) and 15% LLDPE booster, it’s ideal for high-end applications where sustainability and circularity matter.

The rLLDPE is the newest flexible packaging grade based on Borcycle M, Borealis’ mechanical recycling technology that delivers high-quality materials in an energy-efficient way. Creating an LLDPE grade with 85% post-consumer recyclate content is a significant technical achievement, marking another milestone in Borealis’ EverMinds™ ambition to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The new grade is tailored for blown film applications across primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. Key applications include stretch film and stretch hood, and films for agricultural, industrial, and protective uses. By reducing the carbon footprint of final products, the rLLDPE helps Borealis’ customers fulfil their sustainability targets and supports the shift toward more sustainable packaging.

Borcycle M CWT120CL was developed together with Ecoplast—a member of the Borealis Group—in a project that began in late 2022. Its launch in January 2025 marks the culmination of more than two years of work to overcome the complexities of incorporating a high proportion of recycled content while meeting the demanding performance standards required for flexible packaging.

The result is a material with exceptional stretchability, achieved through low gel content, as well as an excellent toughness-stiffness balance. These properties make it an ideal solution for packaging manufacturers seeking to meet or exceed the requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) without compromising performance.

"With its impressive 85% post-consumer recyclate content, this new rLLDPE grade represents a major step on the path to a circular economy for plastics," says Peter Voortmans, Borealis Commercial Director Consumer Products Flexibles. “Borcycle™ M CWT120CL will help our customers meet their sustainability targets while maintaining the high performance standards required for demanding flexible packaging applications—just one of the ways we’re re-inventing essentials for sustainable living.”

Samples based on Borcycle™ M CWT120CL will be presented at PRSE Amsterdam, 1–2 April 2025. Visit Borealis at Stand K80, Hall 5, to learn more.

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This media release is also available in German language.