Cortec Raises the Bar: All VpCI-126 Bags Now Made with Minimum 20% Recycled Conten

Feb 28, 2026 Warehousing Ireland News, shipping, Storage, Warehousing Comments Off on Cortec Raises the Bar: All VpCI-126 Bags Now Made with Minimum 20% Recycled Conten

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As global packaging mandates tighten most notably India’s upcoming 20% recycled content requirement for 2027, multinational manufacturers are facing a complex supply chain crossroads.

 

Cortec® Corporation has just announced a significant shift that directly addresses this challenge. As of January 1st, 2026, Cortec has standardized its flagship VpCI-126 bags to a minimum of 20% recycled content.

 

This transition simplifies global logistics and sustainability goals through several key improvements:

 

• Compliance Without Complexity: Exporting to regions like India no longer requires custom orders or split inventory. This move allows companies to use the same standard packaging globally while meeting future mandates today.

 

• The Circular Economy in Action: Beyond just using recycled content, Cortec and EcoCortec® are now inviting partners into a closed-loop system, reprocessing used VpCI film and offcuts back into new high-performance packaging.

 

• Performance Reliability: A major concern in industrial packaging is whether recycled materials compromise corrosion protection. Cortec has solved this through rigorous melt consistency and physical property testing to ensure VpCI integrity remains “best-in-class.”

 

Cortec is pleased to announce that, as of January 1^st, 2026, all VpCI-126 bags are now made with 20% minimum recycled content. This move helps suppliers and end-users keep pace more easily with increasing recycled content mandates around the globe. Additionally, both Cortec Advanced Films (US) and EcoCortec (Europe) continue to meet customer requirements of up to 30% PCR (post-consumer recycled) content upon request.

 

The Advantage of 20% Minimum Recycled Content

By standardizing VpCI-126 film and bags to contain a minimum of 20% recycled content, Cortec and EcoCortec have simplified compliance for multinationals that might otherwise have to reconfigure their entire supply chain to keep up with changing demands. For example, corporations shipping packaged parts to India (a country shifting to 20% recycled content minimums for imported flexible plastic packaging by 2027) do not have to find a new supplier or order custom bags in order to meet the forthcoming mandate. Nor will they have to deal with the confusion of ordering different bags for exports to India vs. other countries. Instead, they can continue ordering the same standard packaging, ready to meet 2027 requirements. At the same time, Cortec is raising all VpCI-126 users to a higher standard of recycled content. This automatically improves their environmental image and reduces the use of virgin plastic even in areas without mandates.

 

Circular Economy Opportunities

Qualified VpCI-126 users also have the opportunity to participate directly in the circular economy by becoming a Cortec/EcoCortec recycling partner. Both US and European plants are currently accepting inquiries from US and European customers, respectively, who have large amounts of clean used VpCI film or offcuts to recycle. This program is especially ideal for companies with large supply chains that receive parts packed in VpCI-126 film and need a convenient disposal channel. Approved Cortec recycling partners can reclaim this waste material by sending it back to Cortec/EcoCortec for reprocessing into new VpCI-126 film to close the recycling loop. Cortec tests the recycled resin to ensure moisture and melt consistency with standard raw materials and conducts physical property tests to verify that the new film maintains the necessary integrity for effective corrosion protection. Furthermore, each batch of VpCI-126 film is marked for traceability, an increasingly important feature for users in countries that require documentation.

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