Polytex Environmental Inks has provided “Customized Water Based Ink Solutions” to many printing markets since the company’s establishment in 1943. Among these solutions is our line of aqueous solutions that are compatible with applications across a wide range of industries. We use water-based, environmentally friendly aqueous coatings and inks that are designed to last.
The following overview will cover these solutions, including how they work and their various industry applications.
What Are Aqueous Solutions/Coatings?
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Aqueous coatings are products where water is the primary carrier along with resin and additives which are dispersed in a water phase. Even though the chemistry is water based, it provides the same features as a conventional solvent based except for the hazardous/toxic nature of solvents. These eco-friendly aqueous ink/coatings offer a range of aesthetic feel (satin, soft touch, or high-gloss finish) and comparable performance properties (scratch, anti-block, abrasion, color reproduction, scrubs, chemical resistance, smudge etc.) to their solvent counterparts. The water-based chemistry is tailored for enabling fast drying during the printing process without compromising prin
ting/coating speeds- a key performance attribute desired by printer and coaters.
Aqueous solutions are popular for many products such as food packaging, fast-moving consumer products, decorative home furnishings, specialty cosmetic facial wipes, gift wrap paper etc. due to their environmentally friendly composition. However, not all products can use aqueous coatings. For instance, perfumes and cosmetics contain certain chemicals that prevent aqueous coatings from properly adhering to the inside and outside of the packaging. Whether aqueous solutions are right for you will depend on the types of products you produce.
Applications for Aqueous Solutions
Aqueous coatings came along as industries sought to overcome certain problems experienced with traditional solvent inks owing to odor, skin irritation, cost constraining solvent incinerator systems and EPA/OSHA regulations. Aqueous solutions reduced or eliminated most if not all of these constraints which led to cleaner and efficient pressrooms environment & ease of materials handling and overall productivity.
As an added benefit, it was quickly recognized that finishing could be performed directly following the in-line printing and aqueous coating process. This resulted in more efficient pressroom workflows throughout the printing, finishing, and die-cutting process for improved productivity.
Aqueous Solutions from Polytex
Since 1943, Polytex Environmental Inks, Inc. has developed a reputation as a leading international supplier of environmentally safe water-based coatings and inks solutions. We work from several manufacturing facilities located in the U.S. and the Netherlands, enabling us to provide technical and sales assistance across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including China and Japan.
We provide customized formulated solutions for nearly any coating and printing method. Our solutions work with methods such as flexography, flat-screen, gravure, wash coating, slot, surface print, rotary-screen, nip roll, and air knife. These methods require customized coatings and inks to reap the benefits they offer.
We offer solutions for applications such as:
Flooring
Polytex Environmental Inks produces coatings and inks for flooring, including extruded PVC films and compact and foamed PVC. Flooring inks need to protect floors from high foot and vehicle traffic with sufficient adherence to various substrates. They also require the highest resistance to both yellowing and fading, high aesthetic appeal, and product resistance capabilities.
Personal Care Products
We offer a wide selection of proprietary inks for use in the personal care industry, including inks that provide optimal safety for baby care. At the same time, our inks remain durable enough to eliminate concerns over color strength, smearing, or other types of failure frequently experienced with other skin-contact inks.
Paper Products
We produce waterborne Gift Wrap Printing inks that are Flexo and Gravure printable, facilitating proper adhesion to paper goods. We also offer a comprehensive ink pallet. These inks offer a sufficient solution for producing visually appealing and creative designs on cartons and gift wrap.
Packaging
Our line of environmentally friendly inks includes inks specially designed for various packaging products. Our waterborne Packaging Printing Inks are Flexo and Gravure printable and work with other application techniques. They also exhibit good adhesion to PET, BOPP film, paper, and other types of substrates.
Get the Aqueous Coating Solutions You Need from Polytex
If you require high-quality aqueous inks and coatings for your application, Polytex Environmental Inks can provide you with reliable custom solutions. For more information, or to get started on your unique solution, contact us today.
