Royal DSM, a global science-based company in nutrition, health and sustainable living, has announced the release of Skins Sandy, the newest addition to its Skins range of haptic coating resins. Like the other Skins resins, Sandy will enable brand owners and convertors to differentiate their products by adding an extra layer of sensory experience. Specifically, the new resin will enable print and packaging manufacturers to add sand-like textures to a wide range of materials, including food packaging.

Tactile elements in print and packaging are increasingly used to differentiate brands, by providing a sensory experience that reflects their products. DSM’s Skins coating resins range aims to meet this need by enabling different textures in a range of print and packaging materials. Skins Sandy will offer sandy-feel textures ranging from fine to coarse and is particularly suitable for overprint varnishes, paper & board, and flexible packaging. In particular, its broad food contact compliance will open new possibilities for textured food packaging. It will be compatible with a wide range of printing processes, including flexographic and gravure.

Skins Sandy will make it easier for coating formulators and converters to deliver sandy textures. Unlike many sandy-feel coating resins on the market, Skins Sandy delivers the desired sandpaper texture in a single coating without fillers or additives, making application easier and reducing formulators’ contact with harmful chemicals. The new resin also offers high shelf stability and production yield, delivering competitive cost-in-use. In this way, the new resin offers a level of functional performance beyond other commercially available sandy-feel resins.

DSM’s new resin will also offer high levels of sustainability. Its compatibility with one-component waterborne systems avoids the need for potentially harmful solvents, and its ability to add texture in a single coating will also facilitate mono-material packaging that can be easily recycled. The resin is lightweight compared to other laminates, allowing manufacturers to reduce energy and material usage.

Adri van der Waals, product launch director, DSM Coating Resins, said, “With Skins Sandy, we’re continuing to meet the print and packaging industry’s need for more brand differentiation options. In particular, Skins Sandy addresses the growing demand for sandy-feel coatings that are sustainable and easier to apply at industrial scale. We’ll continue to expand the Skins family to offer more options for haptic differentiation. And above all, we’ll show that these options can be delivered sustainably, creating a brighter, more textured world for all.”