The fresh produce industry has shown great interest in the Sinclair T55 certified compostable label, with Zespri, the global kiwi giant, becoming the first company to adopt this new labeling system, perfectly aligned with its values.
“We have introduced Sinclair T55 as an environmentally conscious alternative to plastic packaging and conventional plastic labels. The demand for compostable fruit labels is growing, and since we offer over 100 options in a variety of shapes and sizes, Sinclair T55 meets the practical requirements of both consumers and retailers while supporting sustainability and branding programs,” explains Duncan Jones, Senior Marketing Manager at Sinclair.
As the first fruit label with dual certification for both home and industrial composting, Sinclair T55 is designed to meet the high-speed automatic application demands of packing centers, with labeling speeds of up to 720 fruits per minute. Given the presence of moisture, water, and extreme temperature variations, maintaining label conformity and adhesion on fresh produce is essential. The T55 surpasses these challenges, performing on par with conventional PE/PP labels—or even exceeding them in some cases.
Certified compliance
The Sinclair T55 fruit label is food-safe, fully compostable, and meets several major composting standards, including: European EN 13432 standard for industrial composting, French NFT 51-800 and Australian AS 5810 standards for home composting, Sinclair T55 has been awarded DIN Certco and TUV AUSTRIA certifications for both industrial and home composting, along with ABA certification for home composting.
Regardless of the material used—paper or film—Sinclair’s compostable product development focuses on certified end-of-life performance. This ensures that the label breaks down and biodegrades into usable compost—whether industrial or home compost—within a specific timeframe (365 days or less).
Sinclair compostable labels reduce plastic packaging use, ensuring that plastic waste is converted into natural compost without negative impact or harmful substances. They can be disposed of in home or industrial composting waste streams without requiring mechanical separation.
Raising Awareness
Knowing that a certified compostable fruit label exists for both industrial and home composting is just the first step toward sustainability in the fresh produce sector. According to the UK-based company, “it is essential to implement an ongoing education and awareness campaign, supported by all industry stakeholders.”
To mark the launch of this new compostable labeling at Fruit Logistica, Sinclair organized a trivia challenge for attending journalists. Our colleague, Sonia Cortés, emerged as the winner and was awarded a home composting unit.
