CYCOLEN®-Masterbatches
“Circular economy” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessary step toward conserving resources and reducing CO2 emissions. However, the challenge lies in recycled material, as variations in both quality and color occur from batch to batch. With CYCOLEN®, GRAFE offers a high-quality masterbatch that, through customized color adjustment and additive formulation, can effectively replace virgin material. CYCOLEN® masterbatches are available in a wide range of mixed shades.
With the color specialists at the GRAFE-DESIGN-CENTER and the development team in the MATERIAL-SCIENCE division, you have experts at your side who can implement highly precise color and material formulations or suggest user-friendly alternatives. In keeping with the principles of circularity, the masterbatch is optimized so that it is also suitable for subsequent recycling cycles.
CYCOLEN® masterbatches are available in all batch sizes and in the granule form and size of your choice. In addition, we will, of course, tailor our production process to your preferred carrier material to achieve the best possible color result for you. Please feel free to contact us for further information.
FAST, PRECISE, AND RELIABLE!
Post-Industrial vs. Post-Consumer Recyclates
The manufacture of plastic products generates waste. The market primarily distinguishes between post-industrial recyclates (PIR)—high-quality production waste that can be reprocessed with almost no loss of quality—and post-consumer recyclates (PCR), which come from end-consumer waste (e.g., the yellow bag).
Single-material plastic waste is processed to produce recycled material. Different types of polymers, such as those found in multilayer packaging, make it difficult to process them into high-quality recycled material. PET bottles, on the other hand, are particularly well-suited because they can be easily shredded, cleaned, and processed into new products. The sources of PCR recycled material are diverse and often heavily contaminated, requiring more effort to sort and clean. However, once this is done, an acceptable granulate quality can very often be achieved.
Plastics suitable for the recycling process
PET, HDPE, PP, LDPE for household and food packaging
These plastics are used for packaging, plastic bags, and beverage bottles, and are highly recyclable. Thanks to Germany’s deposit-return system, PET can be very easily returned to a closed-loop recycling system. PP is used as a material for packaging and household items, and LDPE is also highly recyclable.
PMMA: A High-Quality Alternative to Glass for Displays and High-End Consumer Goods
PMMA is 100% recyclable. To achieve this, it is collected and sorted by type and can be reprocessed both chemically and mechanically.
Challenges in Color Matching & Quality Standards
When processing recycled materials, the final color of the finished part presents a particular challenge, as the base color of the recycled material can vary from batch to batch. This has a significant impact on the final result—a factor we must carefully take into account when developing your specific target color. To ensure consistent color quality and compensate for natural variations in the recycled material, we individually adjust the dosage of colorants in each batch and, if necessary, increase it to account for these variations.
Even when processing recycled plastics, we always strive to ensure the highest color accuracy and material quality. In doing so, we tailor the batch to your specific customer material. Especially when using single-type and optimally cleaned recyclates, we can develop optimal color results that are precisely tailored to your requirements.
The goal of CYCOLEN® products is to provide customers with a masterbatch that enables ideal coloration and can subsequently be easily returned to the material cycle.
Possible color settings for custom recycled material:
The illustration schematically shows the influence of the base material on the target color of the final product. Depending on the polymer, virgin material can be used to produce almost any shade within the CIE L*a*b* color space. However, if the recycled material has a strong inherent color—usually in the “gray” range—vibrant shades often cannot be achieved in a cost-effective manner. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure the proper coordination of material and color scheme as early as the product design phase.
CYCOLEN®
Color Design
Additives
Analytics
Effects
Additive Formulation for CYCOLEN® Products
The addition of additives to recycled materials can specifically improve their properties. Additives such as stabilizers, lubricants, and anti-blocking agents help optimize the processability and performance of recycled materials. In addition, new pigments open up a wide range of visual possibilities, enabling the creation of innovative and attractive color designs.
Laser marking, in particular, offers a sustainable alternative to labels, as the plastic remains free of additional contaminants. Even with post-consumer material, we can find the right laser marking solution to meet your needs, and within a single-loop concept, the ability to mark the material is preserved throughout the subsequent recycling process.
Additives that have a positive effect on the processing of recycled material:
- Antistatic Agents
- Processing Aids
- Impact modifiers
- UV / thermal stabilizers
- Demolding Aids
- Lubricants
Optical Effects with CYCOLEN®
Additives make it possible to give recycled material a novel optical quality. For example, combining flakes, cellulose fibers, and particles with a suitable surface texture creates an interesting and high-quality tactile surface that clearly distinguishes itself from standard dyed components, thereby enhancing or emphasizing the perceived quality of the recyclable material.
Contact us—we look forward to taking on your challenge!
Regulatory Framework & Recycled Content Requirements (As of June 2026)
Future requirements for the use of plastic recycled materials are becoming significantly stricter. The key drivers in the European single market currently stem primarily from EU packaging legislation and the upcoming automotive and electronics regulations. CYCOLEN® products help you meet these statutory quotas.
PPWR – Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
At the European level, the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) is currently the most pressing driver. Starting in August 2026, this regulation will mandate minimum percentages of post-consumer recycled content (PCR) for plastic packaging. A defined phased plan for the years 2030 and 2040 calls for gradually increasing targets, with a strict distinction made based on the material’s contact sensitivity—for example, between sensitive applications such as food packaging and purely technical packaging. The precise calculation of these quotas and the associated documentation requirements are governed by strict EU implementing decisions.
VerpackG – Packaging Act
Section 30a of the Packaging Act (VerpackG) already sets the national recycling targets for beverage bottles. Starting in 2025, PET bottles must contain at least 25% recycled content; beginning in 2030, this requirement will increase to at least 30% for all single-use plastic beverage bottles.
VerpackDG – Proposed Packaging Law Implementation Act
The Implementation Act (VerpackDG) governs the national implementation of the European PPWR, assigns regulatory responsibilities, and establishes penalties for violations.
ELVR – End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation
The new End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR) places obligations on the automotive sector and requires the establishment of strict, closed-loop material cycles directly within automotive manufacturing. By 2032, at least 15% of the plastic components used are expected to be manufactured with or from recycled material, and by 2036, at least 25%.
CPR – Construction Products Regulation
In the construction industry, the CPR (Construction Products Regulation), which has been in effect since early 2026, requires proof of sustainability and compliance with ecodesign criteria. Even though no recycled content quotas are currently required, this is expected to lead to the use of recycled materials playing a dominant role in public procurement and offering advantages over competing products.
ESPR – Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation
The Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR) is gradually expanding its scope to include consumer goods, electronics, tires, textiles, and furniture. This is being achieved, among other things, through the introduction of digital product passports and the establishment of specific recycling targets.
KrWG – Circular Economy Act
The ESPR is supplemented by the Circular Economy Act (KrWG). It stipulates that resource-efficient products must be given preference in public procurement, which can serve as a significant, indirect market driver for the use of recycled materials.
