Sihl launches PE film portfolio with aqueous inkjet coatings for print-on-demand labels

# What Sihl announced Sihl, the Swiss speciality coatings manufacturer, expanded its facestock range with a polyethylene (PE) base film portfolio that carries an aqueous (AQ) inkjet coating. The new line is pitched as a print-on-demand (POD) solution for digital label production.

# What's new in the portfolio Sihl is offering four specialized aqueous inkjet coatings on PE films:

• IHG1 Gloss Coating: for high print quality and maximum product appeal.
• IG1 Satin Coating: for an elegant satin finish.
• ZM1 Matt BS5609: water- and chemical-resistant matte finish designed for demanding outdoor applications and compliant with BS5609 testing requirements.
• IM1 Matt Universal: a matte, general-purpose coating for indoor applications.

# Performance and application traits The films are described as low-rigidity PE that conform to curved surfaces and contours, producing a crease-free finish. They stay smooth and intact when containers are deformed or squeezed, which makes them suitable for small labels on small-diameter containers. Sihl positions these PE films as outperforming conventional BOPP or PET facestocks for those use cases because of better adaptability to tight curves and lower stiffness.

# Sustainability and regulatory angle Sihl markets a mono-material PE product line: using a PE label on a PE container reduces material complexity for recycling. Combined with on-demand inkjet printing, the portfolio is framed as a solution to help label users and brands align with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) by simplifying material streams.

# Where this fits in production workflows The coatings are formulated specifically for aqueous inkjet presses used in digital label printing. That targets converters and brands using POD workflows who need short runs, versioning, or rapid turnaround while keeping label performance on curved or squeezable containers.

# Practical implications for buyers If you print labels for small cosmetics containers, squeeze tubes, narrow-neck bottles or other curved substrates, these PE films offer:

• Better conformability than stiffer facestocks,
• Options for a high-gloss, satin, general matte, or outdoor-grade matte finish,
• A mono-material pathway that supports compliance strategies under EU PPWR when paired with PE containers.

# Publication details The announcement was reported by ME Printer on August 3, 2026.

# Quick summary Sihl's new PE facestock portfolio brings aqueous inkjet-compatible coatings to polyethylene films with a focus on conformability, outdoor performance (BS5609), and mono-material compatibility for PE packaging systems, positioned for on-demand digital label production.