Capoverde looks to UK to grow eco substrate sales

French textile manufacturer Capoverde is hoping to secure a distributor to bring its portfolio of wide-format polyester substrates, made from selectively filtered 100%-recycled plastic bottles, to the UK market.

The company said it had developed its products to reduce the consumption of print media made from oil-based materials, which it has estimated as being 1.9bn sqm/yr in Europe alone.

The products use acrylic coatings, without PVC and VOC release, and the coatings are free from phthalates, formaldehyde, phosphate and glycol ethers. All products are also ISO 9001 and Oeko-Tex standard 100 certified.

Capoverde director Chrystine Risler, who founded the business in 2011 after three years of research, said: “Zero impact for the environment does not exist. What’s important is to adapt one’s behaviour and choices to minimise that impact.

“At Capoverde, we are dedicated to develop better solutions for digital large-format printing whilst respecting the environment as positively as possible, given the technical resources at our disposal.”

The firm’s substrates are used for applications including POS displays and backdrops, roll-up walls, counter signs, event signage, store advertisements and banners.

Its portfolio includes a variety of products available in widths from 1,450mm to 2,730mm – with this set to be expanded to 3,100mm in the next few months – and in thicknesses from 165gsm to 320gsm. The products are supplied in rolls up to 50m-wide but are available in bespoke quantities from distributors.

Capoverde product lines suitable for direct printing with aqueous inks on latex, UV and eco-solvent printers include Capotoile 320gr M1, for indoor applications, Capotoile 280gr, for outdoor applications, and Capotoile GL M1 260gr, for both indoor and outdoor applications.

Available for sublimation printing, and both suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, are Caposatin 165gr M1 and Caposatin 260gr M1. A Capotoile Blackout product is also currently being developed.

The business distributes its products in a number of European countries through Filmolux and Neschen and said it is currently in negotiations with one UK distributor.