Adhesive label, plastic container and use of an adhesive label to label a plastic container

Abstract

The invention relates to an adhesive label (100) for labeling plastic containers (200) designed for receiving and dispensing oily substances in portions, comprising a base film (10) and an adhesive (11). The invention also relates to a plastic container (200) for receiving and dispensing oily substances in portions and the use (300) of an adhesive label (100) for labeling a plastic container. According to the invention, the base film (10) is made entirely or at least partially of polylactic acid (PLA).

Description

The invention relates to an adhesive label for labelling plastic containers designed for receiving and portion-wise dispensing oily substances, comprising a base film and an adhesive. The invention also relates to a plastic container for receiving and dispensing oily substances in portions. The invention further relates to the use of an adhesive label for labeling a plastic container. Adhesive labels and plastic containers of this type are known in the art, particularly in the field of personal care products. The plastic containers are typically labeled with an adhesive label bearing product-related information such as ingredients, origin, and usage instructions. Adhesive labels with polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) base films are primarily used. PE-based labels are predominantly used on squeezable plastic containers, especially squeeze tubes and squeeze bottles, requiring a high degree of conformability. PP-based labels are generally used when high transparency is desired. When plastic containers designed for the collection and dispensing of oily substances, such as body oils (especially care oils, baby oils, and sunscreens), are used as intended, the adhesive labels regularly come into contact with these substances. This is because consumers remove the oily substance with their hands and then touch the plastic bottles with oily hands to dispense more oil or to store the container. As a result, residues of the oily substance regularly transfer to the container surface and the adhesive label. Even during the filling process, it cannot be ruled out that the plastic containers and / or the applied labels may become at least partially wetted with the oily substance. It has been observed that adhesive labels applied to surfaces that come into contact with the oily substance become severely wavy at the edges over time, swell, and / or partially detach from the container surface by curling. This effect is particularly pronounced with PE labels and / or labels on squeeze tubes and squeeze bottles, which are subjected to considerable stress due to the deformation of the plastic containers when the oily substance is dispensed. However, partial detachment also regularly occurs with PP labels. This negatively impacts the visual appearance of the products and their perceived quality among consumers. The object of the invention is to prevent the partial detachment of adhesive labels that have come into contact with oily substances. The adhesive label should provide a permanently good visual appearance and adhere stably across its entire surface, regardless of contact with oily substances, even with frequent deformation or squeezing of the labeled plastic container. This problem is solved by the adhesive label according to claim 1, the plastic container with such an adhesive label and by the use of such an adhesive label. According to the invention, the base film of the adhesive label consists entirely or at least partially of polylactide (PLA). PLA is derived from renewable raw materials, particularly sugar cane or corn. Especially when used as the base film for adhesive labels, PLA exhibits no swelling, warping, or partial detachment from the container surface, even after prolonged direct contact with oily substances and / or regular deformation of the plastic containers. This ensures the adhesive label maintains a consistently good appearance and adheres firmly across its entire surface, regardless of contact with oily substances and even with frequent deformation of the labeled plastic container. The base film can consist entirely of (pure) PLA, i.e., raw plastic without any further additives. Alternatively, the base film can consist of a so-called PLA blend, which, in addition to pure PLA, contains further additives that are selected depending on the application and processed with the raw material to form the base film. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified below and in the dependent claims. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the base film has a thickness of 30 µm to 100 µm, in particular 45 µm to 55 µm. These film thicknesses are particularly advantageous for labeling labels with an edge length of a few centimeters, in particular 2 cm to 10 cm, such as those typically applied to baby oil bottles. The base film is printed with product-related information, such as ingredients, origin, and usage instructions, before being applied to the plastic container. Preferably, the (printed) base film has a topcoat coating on the visible side, the topcoat preferably having a surface tension of 38 Dyne or greater. Such a topcoat protects the print from abrasion and thus provides a lasting, high-quality appearance. Preferably, the pressure-sensitive adhesive is an acrylate adhesive, in particular a water-based acrylate adhesive or a UV acrylate hot melt adhesive. The adhesive preferably has an initial tack according to Finat FTM9 of greater than or equal to 10 N. Water-based acrylate adhesives possess sufficient resistance to oily substances, ensuring that adhesive labels applied with such an adhesive remain dimensionally stable. Compared to water-based acrylate adhesives, UV acrylate hot melt adhesives offer even better resistance to oily substances, especially baby oil. Preferably, in the unapplied state, the adhesive label has a release liner (peel strip) which is formed as a siliconized glassine carrier, in particular with a thickness of 50 g / m2 to 100 g / m2, preferably 60 g / m2 to 64 g / m2, or as a siliconized PET carrier, in particular with a thickness of 20 µm to 33 µm, preferably 23 µm to 30 µm. The plastic container is preferably designed as a squeeze tube or squeeze bottle, which has proven to be particularly advantageous in the transport, storage and portioning of body oils. Specific embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures. Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an unapplied adhesive label, and Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an applied adhesive label. Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an unapplied adhesive label 100 for labeling a plastic container 200 designed for holding and dispensing oily substances in portions. The adhesive label 100 has a base film 10 and an adhesive 11 and is releasably applied to a release liner 12 (peel strip). In the illustrated embodiment, the base film 10 consists entirely of polylactic acid (PLA). In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the base film 10 can also consist of a PLA blend and thus partially of PLA. The base film 10 has a thickness of 50 µm. On the visible side, the base film 10 has a print 13, which is also coated on the visible side with a printing varnish 14. The printing varnish 14 has a surface tension of 38 Dyne. In the illustrated embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive 11 is an acrylate adhesive 111, namely a UV acrylate hot melt adhesive 1111.In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the adhesive 11 can also be a water-based acrylate adhesive. Regardless of this, the adhesive 11 exhibits an initial tack according to Finat FTM9 of greater than or equal to 10 N. In the illustrated embodiment, the release liner 12 is a siliconized glassine carrier 121 with a thickness of 62 g / m². According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), the release liner 12 can also be a PET carrier, particularly with a thickness of 28 µm. Before the application of the adhesive label 100, the release liner 12 is peeled off the adhesive 11 without leaving any residue, allowing the label 100 to be applied to the plastic container 200. Fig. 2 shows the adhesive label 100 from Fig. 1 in the applied state, wherein the adhesive label 100 is applied to a plastic container 200 designed for receiving and dispensing oily substances in portions. Specifically, the plastic container 200 is designed as a squeeze tube 201. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the plastic container 200 can also be designed as a squeeze bottle. Thus, Fig. 2 also shows the use 300 of such an adhesive label 100 for labeling such a plastic container 200. Reference sign 100 Adhesive label 200 Plastic container 201 Squeeze tube 300 Use 10 Base film 11 Adhesive 111 Acrylic adhesive 1111 UV acrylic hot melt adhesive 12 Release liner 121 Glassine carrier 13 Printing 14 Varnish

Claims

Adhesive label (100) for labelling plastic containers (200) designed for receiving and portioning oily substances, comprising a base film (10) and an adhesive (11), characterized in that the base film (10) consists entirely or at least partially of polylactide (PLA). Adhesive label (100) according to claim 1, wherein the base film (10) has a thickness of 30 µm to 100 µm, in particular of 45 µm to 55 µm. Adhesive label (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base film (10) has a coating with a printing varnish (14) on the visible side. Adhesive label (100) according to claim 3, wherein the printing varnish (14) has a surface tension greater than or equal to 38 Dyne. Adhesive label (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive (11) is an acrylate adhesive (111), in particular a water-based acrylate adhesive or a UV acrylate hot melt adhesive (1111). Adhesive label (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive (11) has an initial adhesion according to Finat FTM9 of greater than or equal to 10 N. Adhesive label (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive label (100) in the unapplied state has a release liner (12) which is formed as a siliconized glassine carrier (121), in particular with a thickness of 50 g / m2 to 100 g / m2, preferably 60 g / m2 to 64 g / m2, or as a siliconized PET carrier, in particular with a thickness of 20 µm to 33 µm, preferably 23 µm to 30 µm. Plastic container (200) for receiving and dispensing oily substances in portions, characterized in that the plastic container (200) is labelled with an adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6. Plastic container (200) according to claim 8, wherein the plastic container (200) is designed as a squeeze tube (201) or squeeze bottle. Use (300) of an adhesive label (100) for labelling a plastic container (200), characterized in that the adhesive label (100) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 7 and the plastic container (200) is designed according to one of claims 8 or 9.

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