Siegwerk, a global provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, has launched Cirkit Oxybar White, an ink that combines oxygen barrier performance and white ink functionality in a single layer. According to the company, this integration marks a shift in packaging design, transforming barrier performance from a dedicated material layer into a functional property of the ink itself.

A new standard: barrier and design in one step

Conventional packaging structures require separate layers for oxygen protection and white opacity, adding complexity, materials, and processing steps. Cirkit Oxybar White is designed to eliminate this trade-off. By merging both functions into a single inline-applied ink, the product offers high oxygen barrier performance (OTR < 5 cc/m2/day at 50% RH), a bright white, opaque finish for print quality, and one-pass application using standard printing processes. According to Siegwerk, this allows converters to replace two layers with one, simplifying structures without compromising performance.

Oxybar White as part of the new Barrier Inks category

With Cirkit Oxybar White, Siegwerk has introduced what it calls a new technological concept, Barrier Inks, in which barrier functionality is built into the ink itself rather than added as a separate layer. The company previously launched Cirkit Greasebar White, the first product in this category, which combined grease barrier and white ink functionality in one layer. Cirkit Oxybar White builds on that platform by adding oxygen barrier performance to a white opaque finish. The company said this shifts the approach from adding barrier materials to printing barrier performance, enabling converters to turn standard backing white into a functional layer and apply barrier inline during printing without extra process steps.

Designed for the next generation of packaging

The launch comes as the packaging industry faces increasing pressure to simplify packaging and improve recyclability. According to Siegwerk, Barrier Inks, and Cirkit Oxybar White in particular, can replace conventional oxygen barrier materials such as EVOH, PVdC, aluminum foil and metallized films in segments that do not require additional water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) barriers, support simplified mono-material structures for design-for-recycling, and reduce material usage to improve resource efficiency. The company also said the ink allows converters to maintain print quality and operational continuity using existing gravure and flexo equipment.

Beyond its functional integration, Cirkit Oxybar White is said to offer further operational advantages. Its white pigmentation enables visual verification of coating coverage, its formulation is designed to support higher press speeds compared with standard water-based coatings, and fewer layers, passes, and materials are expected to lower the total applied cost. According to the company, this combination reduces both technical risk and total system cost, making barrier performance more accessible and scalable.

“With Cirkit Oxybar White, we are redefining what an ink can do,” said Gilles Le Moigne, head of circular economy coatings at Siegwerk. “By combining oxygen barrier and white ink performance in a single layer, we eliminate complexity and open new possibilities for circular packaging design.”