Date: Sep 25 2025 from: StarColor Ink Views:
“Food bags that delaminate and blister just a day after lamination,” “Ink layers peeling off completely after cold-chain transport”—these are issues many food packaging companies have faced. In gravure reverse printing, lamination strength directly determines the shelf life and safety of packaging. However, water-based inks have long struggled to overcome this strength barrier, forcing many companies to compromise by using high-VOC solvent-based inks.
The R&D team at Huizhou StarColor Color Technology deeply understands this pain. Engineer Li said:
“We surveyed 32 food packaging plants, and 80% reported insufficient lamination strength with water-based inks, leading to rework rates as high as 15%.”
That industry survey initiated a 27-month-long technical breakthrough project.
1. Nano-Resin Foundation: Molecular-Level Bonding
StarColor’s 300nm resin dispersion technology allows resin molecules to achieve “seamless bonding” with PET, PE and other films. Compared with traditional inks (500–800nm resin particle size), the contact area is increased by more than 3 times, fundamentally solving adhesion issues. In lab tests, the ink achieved 5B cross-cut adhesion grade on PET films.
2. Dual-Curing Mechanism: 0.3 Seconds to Form a “Diamond-Like Ink Film”
To address the common issues of slow curing and weak strength, the R&D team developed an intelligent dual-curing mechanism:
Initial film formation happens instantly during printing.
During lamination, resin crosslinking creates a dense protective layer.
This mechanism keeps the ink film stable even at 120–150 °C. After 30 minutes of autoclave sterilization at 121 °C, lamination strength retention remains above 95%, eliminating whitening and re-tack issues.
3. Strength + Safety: Food-Grade Assurance
While boosting strength, StarColor adheres to its eco-friendly mission. The ink is formulated with water-based resins and organic pigments, reducing VOC content to just 12%, fully compliant with China’s GB38507-2020 VOC emission standard.
A baby food packaging company reported:
“After 10 freeze-thaw cycles (-18 °C to 25 °C), no cracks were observed, and solvent migration was only 1/20 of the EU limit.”
A Southeast Asian flexible packaging company once lost more than USD 30,000 per month due to poor lamination strength. After switching to StarColor’s gravure water-based ink:
Peel strength increased from 2.5 N/15 mm to 4.2 N/15 mm.
Abrasion resistance exceeded 500 cycles.
Rework rate dropped to 0.3%.
“Not only did we save on material costs, but we also secured high-end food packaging orders,” said the company’s manager with satisfaction.
Whether for pharmaceutical packaging requiring high-temperature sterilization, or daily chemical pouches facing long transport cycles, StarColor inks adapt seamlessly. With dual compatibility for both reverse and surface printing, companies can upgrade processes without changing equipment. Moreover, coating weight is reduced by about 10% compared to solvent-based inks, further lowering production costs.
From solving PE film adhesion challenges to achieving resistance up to 220 °C, every StarColor innovation directly addresses industry pain points. As Engineer Li put it:
“Improving lamination strength is not just about numbers—it’s about giving companies peace of mind in both performance and profitability.”
Today, this high-strength and eco-friendly gravure water-based ink is becoming the preferred choice in the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care sectors. Amid the industry’s shift toward “green and durable” packaging, StarColor demonstrates that environmental protection and performance are never mutually exclusive.