Sustainable Packaging in Logistics: How Compostable Stretch and Shrink Films Cut Plastic Waste in Industrial Supply Chains

August 13, 2026

Industrial packaging has a persistent waste problem. Every year, manufacturing facilities and logistics hubs generate thousands of tons of single-use polyethylene waste simply from securing cargo and staging inventory. Once unwrapped at its destination, miles of used plastic film instantly becomes waste, ending up in landfills while driving up disposal fees and plastic taxes for shippers. For plant managers and packaging engineers, switching to bio-based alternatives was long considered impractical. Early eco-friendly films lacked the tensile strength and puncture resistance required for industrial machinery,
frequently tearing on automated wrapping lines or failing under real-world transit conditions.

EcoCortec®, the European subsidiary of Cortec® Corporation, is providing straightforward alternatives that cut landfill fees and packaging waste without requiring new machinery, extra labor, or changes to existing packaging workflows. The Croatian plant is addressing this issue with two certified compostable packaging films designed for industrial demands: EcoShrink™ and EcoWrap®. Developed as direct replacements for conventional polyethylene, these materials allow operations teams to maintain load stability without leaving behind a trail of hard-to-recycle plastic waste.

EcoShrink™ solves the challenge of heat-shrinking both oversized equipment and smaller components without compromising on sustainability. Designed with the complete product lifecycle in mind, it is formulated with 45% biopolymers sourced from certified commercially compostable resins. When standard heat is applied, the film shrinks evenly to form a tough, protective barrier that seals out dust, dirt, and moisture ensuring complete protection during transit and extended outdoor yard storage. Crucially, EcoShrink™ is engineered for long-term shelf stability: it maintains its structural integrity indefinitely under normal storage conditions and begins breaking down only when exposed to an industrial composting environment.

Sustainable alternatives to conventional polyethylene films for shipping and storage applications For palletizing and cargo bundling, EcoWrap® stands out as the world’s first compostable, industrial-strength stretch film. Certified "OK compost INDUSTRIAL" by TÜV Austria under EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 standards, EcoWrap® overcomes the traditional limits of bioplastics through a specialized tackifier formulation. This gives the film the necessary cling and stretch elasticity to run on standard automated stretch-wrap equipment without requiring machine adjustments or new hardware. Because of its high tensile strength, operators can secure heavy pallets using fewer wraps than standard stretch film. This delivers two immediate advantages: lower material consumption per unit shipped, and direct relief from the rising plastic tariffs and landfill surcharges impacting global supply chains. After use, EcoWrap® is designed for disposal in a commercial composting facility where it can be composted with a variety of organic wastes to create new soil for agricultural use. This reduces the risk of plastics pollution and excess plastic waste buildup in landfills. EcoWrap® can be directly substituted for normal stretch wrap in almost any industrial application such as manufacturing, online retail, agriculture, baggage and furniture handling and food industry.

Stretch and shrink wrapping are everyday necessities in modern logistics, but they no longer need to contribute to expanding landfills or ocean plastic pollution. By choosing EcoWrap® and EcoShrink™, companies can empower end users to return packaging to nature through local industrial composting facilities, demonstrating a clear commitment to environmental stewardship. Switching to certified compostable films allows EcoCortec’s customers to meet ambitious corporate waste-reduction targets without compromising on cargo protection.

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