TOPPAN Inc. announced on October 14, 2026 that, having established an operational framework for chemically recycled materials based on a mass balance approach (a method that tracks the proportion of recycled or sustainable inputs across a mixed production process rather than physically segregating them), the company has launched a new recycled-material film brand called “ReLayer.” This expands its recycled-material film lineup—previously limited to polyethylene and polyester derived from material recycling—to also include polypropylene and polyamide.
In March 2025, the company obtained “ISCC PLUS,” an international certification for managing supply chains of sustainable and recycled raw materials, at its three plants: the Fukaya Plant, the Gunma Center Plant, and the Fukusaki Plant. In April 2026, it completed verification of mass balance operations using sustainability declarations at the Gunma Center Plant, thereby establishing a mass balance–based operational framework across all three plants.
With this framework in place, the company can now supply films made from chemically recycled materials—such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide—in addition to its existing material-recycled resins. The lineup includes films suitable for primary food packaging. The company states that adopting the mass balance approach for chemical recycling, together with ISCC PLUS certification, ensures traceability. It also plans to expand supply to global markets by coordinating with its overseas film manufacturing sites in Indonesia, India, and Italy.
This move comes amid growing importance of recycled-material use, driven by overseas environmental regulations such as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and by Japan’s revised Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilisation of Resources. While TOPPAN has long worked with recycled-material films, the limited range of resin types meant that recycled materials could not always be applied depending on the required functionality or packaging composition. With the addition of chemically recycled materials, the company says it can now address a wide range of applications, from daily necessities to food products.
TOPPAN aims to achieve combined sales of approximately ¥40 billion (roughly $270 million) from food and non-food applications by fiscal year 2031. Going forward, the company plans to expand its lineup of PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) films made from materials collected after use in the market. It also offers mono-material packaging—designed using a single material to improve recyclability—and aligning this with product design will likely be a key focus going forward.
【Press release】TOPPAN launches new recycled-material film brand “ReLayer”
【Reference】Guidelines on the Use of Recycled Plastic Materials in Food Utensils and Containers/Packaging (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
【Reference】TOPPAN Group to exhibit at interpack 2026, the world’s largest packaging trade fair
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