Mono-material packaging film in PE and PP
Mono-material packaging film is built from a single polymer family, either all polyethylene or all polypropylene. Because the structure stays in a single polymer family, the film is designed to enter the corresponding recycling stream as it is, unlike mixed laminates whose bonded layers cannot be separated in mechanical recycling.
VLM Poliplast, a flexible packaging manufacturer in Romania, laminates mono-material structures solventless, slits them to the working width of your HFFS, VFFS or FFS line and delivers across the European Union and, on request, to other European markets, with full technical documentation in English. If your retailers are already asking for recyclable packaging, or the PPWR timeline is on your agenda, this is the page for the switch. Every roll ships with a structure datasheet and a food-contact declaration under Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.
Which mixed laminate are you replacing
Almost every buyer arrives with the same question: what replaces the structure we run today. This table gives the mono-material equivalent for the most common mixed laminates on the market.
| Your current structure | Why it does not recycle | Mono-material equivalent |
| BOPP/LDPE | Combines polypropylene with polyethylene, which do not melt together at recycling | BOPP/CPP, all polypropylene |
| BOPP/PET | Polypropylene and PET cannot be processed in the same stream | BOPP/CPP, all polypropylene |
| PET/PE | PET and polyethylene are incompatible at sorting | BOPE/LDPE or LDPE/LDPE, all polyethylene |
| BOPP/PE metallised | On top of the polymer mix, the metallic layer affects the recycling stream | Metallised BOPP/CPP, all polypropylene, or MDO-PE/PE, all polyethylene |
The switch normally requires no machine change, only sealing adjustments. We set them together, from your line parameters and a sample run on your own equipment. The old and the new structure are quoted side by side, so procurement sees the cost difference before committing. And when a mixed laminate is still justified, we say so and quote the laminate.
Which family fits your product, PE or PP
Polyethylene brings flexibility and toughness at freezer temperatures; polypropylene brings stiffness, clarity and speed. The product and the line pick the family, and the family picks the structure.
| Structure | Family | When we use it |
| LDPE | Polyethylene | The base flexible film. Frozen products, heavy products, general packing |
| MDO-PE | Polyethylene | Machine-direction oriented PE, stiffer and clearer. When you want the look of BOPP in an all-PE pack |
| BOPE | Polyethylene | Biaxially oriented PE, the stiffest in the family. The direct BOPP replacement in an all-PE structure |
| LDPE/LDPE laminate | Polyethylene | Two PE layers, solventless laminated. Heavy products and collation packing |
| CPP | Polypropylene | The sealant layer. Bakery, snacks, dry goods on vertical lines |
| BOPP | Polypropylene | The stiff, printable outer layer. Horizontal packing at high speeds |
| BOPP/CPP laminate | Polypropylene | The complete all-PP structure. A common replacement for BOPP/PE and BOPP/PET |
These structures form the EcoMonoFilm® family, the brand under which VLM Poliplast delivers its mono-material films. The technical depth per family is on mono-material PE and mono-material PP, and the same structures convert into finished recyclable pouches.
Order specifications
| Parameter | What we configure |
| Material family | All polyethylene or all polypropylene, simple or laminated |
| Thickness | From 25 microns (µm), set by the structure and the mechanical demand |
| Width | Slit to the working width of your line, on separate rolls for separate lines |
| Delivery form | Flat, tubular or semi-tubular, matched to the machine and the application |
| Lamination | Solventless, with food-contact suitable adhesives; compliance documented on the finished structure |
| Printing | 1-8 colours, or unprinted |
| Line behaviour | Sealing temperature and coefficient of friction matched to the machine you specify |
| Documents | Technical datasheet per structure, migration reports with the global migration analyses carried out at IBA Bucharest, and food-contact declaration under Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, in English |
| Minimum quantity and lead time | Confirmed at quotation, for the structure, width and thickness requested |
Mono-material laminates often have a narrower sealing window than the classic mixed structures, so line parameters need finer tuning. That is why the sample run on your own machine is the step that decides the series order, not a formality before it.
What the PPWR actually requires, and what it does not
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 has been in application since 12 August 2026. Recyclability performance grades A, B and C apply from 1 January 2030 at the earliest, with the exact start depending on when the related delegated acts enter into force, and from that date packaging below grade C cannot be placed on the EU market. A structure that stays in one polymer family is the foundation for meeting those grades: this is why the industry direction is mono-material.
Where the question is not which film but whether the product should stay in a rigid pack at all, the two formats sit on different recycling routes, and the comparison starts there rather than with the structure.
What the switch does not do is make the pack compliant by itself. The assessment covers the complete pack, labels, adhesives, inks and closures included, not the film alone. The classification is declared per ordered structure, and VLM Poliplast does not issue a certified RecyClass class.
The full timeline is on the PPWR guide, and if you sell into the EU and need the paperwork side, the PPWR declaration of conformity guide covers what the declaration must contain. Which mixed laminates are worth keeping is on PET/PE laminates.
Frequently asked questions
Can we run our current laminate and the mono-material version in parallel?
Yes, a mixed laminate and its mono-material equivalent can run in parallel on the same line. Most buyers switch product by product rather than all at once. We supply the current mixed structure and its mono-material equivalent side by side, so the transition follows your pace and your stock levels, not a cut-off date.
Is the barrier of a mono-material film enough for our product?
A simple mono-material film gives enough barrier for bakery, snacks, dry goods, granulates and frozen products. For oxidation-sensitive products such as coffee, nuts or processed meat, a simple mono-material structure is not enough: those need a barrier structure, and there are mono-material options with a thin EVOH barrier layer that reconcile the two requirements.
Related resources
Mono-material PE
The all-polyethylene family in technical depth: LDPE, MDO-PE, BOPE and PE/PE laminates.
Mono-material PP
The all-polypropylene family: CPP, BOPP and the BOPP/CPP laminate.
PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40
The deadlines, the recyclability grades and what they mean for flexible packaging.
PPWR declaration of conformity
The document every pack placed on the EU market will need, explained point by point.
Getting recyclability requirements from your retailers?
Send the datasheet of your current structure and your line parameters. We propose the mono-material equivalent and document what changes on the line, before you commit to anything.
Request a quote for mono-material film
A sentence about the product and the line is enough to start. The technical detail follows once we know what you pack.