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sustainability

1% of bread bag packaging 100% recyclable

At We Seal, sustainability is about making meaningful improvements without compromising food quality, safety, or performance. Our approach focuses on circular design, reducing carbon impact, using fewer resources, enabling genuine recyclability, and helping to reduce food waste worldwide.

Working Towards a Circular Economy

The era of single-use plastic is rightly coming to an end. Our goal is to ensure every material we use is as efficient, responsible, and circular as possible.

Circularity is built into our design process. Through ongoing research and development, we reduce material use, incorporate 30% recycled content into our tape seals, and ensure our products can be recycled easily alongside the bread bag.

Working Towards a Circular Economy

The era of single-use plastic is rightly coming to an end. Our goal is to ensure every material we use is as efficient, responsible, and circular as possible.

Circularity is built into our design process. Through ongoing research and development, we reduce material use, incorporate 30% recycled content into our tape seals, and ensure our products can be recycled easily alongside the bread bag.

reduce

One of the most effective ways to reduce environmental impact is to use less material from the outset.

Our tape seals use, on average, 80% less plastic by weight than a rigid plastic clip. That is five times less plastic before recycling or reuse is even considered.

For a sealing machine running around 15 million bags per year, this equates to approximately 2.3 metric tonnes (4.65 US tons) less plastic used annually compared to rigid clips.

Using less material also reduces transport emissions, storage space, and handling costs, delivering environmental and operational benefits.

reuse

Designing products for reuse is essential to creating a circular economy. Packaging that can be opened, closed, and used repeatedly helps extend product life and reduce unnecessary waste.

Our tape uses a food-safe adhesive that allows the seal to be opened and resealed 50+ times, so the same bag can be reused throughout the life of the product without tearing or losing performance. This repeated use helps maintain a reliable seal from the first opening to the last slice.

recycle

Using less material is only part of the solution. We also focus on making recycling simple and realistic for consumers.

Our tape seals are made from pure polypropylene (PP), a widely recognised and easily recyclable plastic. The seal is applied directly to a polythene bread bag and typically represents around 1% or less of the total packaging.

Although this means PP is attached to a PE or LDPE bag, the seal is so small that it does not compromise recyclability. Consumers can leave the seal attached and recycle the bag as normal, without separating components.

We also believe that sustainability is a shared responsibility. We actively campaign for improved recycling systems and consumer education through initiatives such as BreadBags.org.

Going the Extra Mile

We believe that the sustainability journey doesn’t just stop at reducing, reusing and recycling.

We collaborate with packaging
manufacturers, food producers,
retailers, and environmental
organisations including WRAP and their UK Plastics Pact to improve
industry standards.

We have invested in ISO
14001:2015 environmental
management accreditation to
ensure our environmental practices meet recognised standards.

We also offer an end-of-life
recycling service for machines, removing and responsibly recycling equipment to ensure materials are recovered wherever possible.

These initiatives help minimise waste from film, adhesive, and machinery across our operations.

Despite strong evidence that plastic continues to play an important and functional role in food packaging,
it is often viewed more negatively than paper.

get more information

Going the Extra Mile

We believe that the sustainability journey doesn’t just stop at reducing, reusing and recycling.

We collaborate with packaging manufacturers, food producers, retailers, and environmental organisations including WRAP and their UK Plastics Pact to improve industry standards.

We have invested in ISO
14001:2015 environmental
management accreditation to
ensure our environmental practices meet recognised standards.

We also offer an end-of-life
recycling service for machines, removing and responsibly recycling equipment to ensure materials are recovered wherever possible.

These initiatives help minimise waste from film, adhesive, and machinery across our operations.

Despite strong evidence that plastic continues to play an important and functional role in food packaging,
it is often viewed more negatively than paper.

get more information

So Why Not Remove Plastic Altogether and Switch to Paper?

While our tape seals and sealing machines work seamlessly with paper bags, paper has well-documented limitations.

Paper bags typically require more raw material and energy to produce and lack the barrier properties needed to keep bread fresh for extended periods. As a result, bread stored in paper often dries out more quickly, increasing food waste.

For this reason, we believe a lightweight polythene bag paired with our recyclable tape seal offers the best balance between freshness, food waste reduction, and environmental impact.

That said, our seals and machines are fully compatible with paper bags whenever they are the preferred option.
talk to our team

So Why Not Remove Plastic Altogether and Switch to Paper?

While our tape seals and sealing machines work seamlessly with paper bags, paper has well-documented limitations.

Paper bags typically require more raw material and energy to produce and lack the barrier properties needed to keep bread fresh for extended periods. As a result, bread stored in paper often dries out more quickly, increasing food waste.

For this reason, we believe a lightweight polythene bag paired with our recyclable tape seal offers the best balance between freshness, food waste reduction, and environmental impact.

That said, our seals and machines are fully compatible with paper bags whenever they are the preferred option.
talk to our team

Our Journey to Net Zero by 2030

Net zero is more than a target. It’s a commitment.

To reach this goal, we actively measure, reduce and offset our carbon emissions across the business.

KEY ACTIONS INCLUDE:
Bringing our entire tape manufacturing process in-house to reduce transport emissions and cross-border logistics.
Using PHEV and EV vehicles for field engineers wherever possible, supported by on-site charging points.
Participation in the Cycle to Work scheme, with around one third of our workforce taking part.
Offsetting unavoidable emissions through tree planting with a North Yorkshire-based partner, Make it Wild.

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Prior to switching to We Seal, we had been using rigid plastic tags on our loaves for 40 years. We decided to make the change because our customers were looking for a more sustainable option for their closures. Since our new tape sealing machine was installed in Summer 2022, we have found that our loaves have a tighter seal, and our consumers have responded positively to the new method. It’s also great to have 3x more closures per spool, reducing downtime as changeover is less frequent. We have been very impressed with the level of support we have received from We Seal and are very happy with this addition to our packing process.

Bill Sam | Father Sam's Bakery

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We’ve used the tape seal method on our products for over 25 years and find it to be a very effective bag closing solution. The sealing machines from We Seal are reliable, low maintenance and perform very well compared to other manufacturers we’ve tried in the past. The tightness of the seal and the resealable nature make it a consumer favourite, and We Seal’s sustainability values align strongly with the work we’re doing at Allied. The service team do an excellent job of looking after our fleet when required, but intervention is minimal.

Andy Carroll | Allied Bakeries, UK

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As an early adopter of tape sealing equipment and tape seals in the Philippines, We Seal has made the shift from twin wire clips to tape sealing easy. They have a very responsive and supportive Sales & Technical team. The sealing machine is user friendly and runs smoothly. In addition, We Seal has been very helpful in customizing the machine to fit our production printing, and operational requirements. Despite the Philippines being a world away from the UK, support is great and We Seal has always proven to be a reliable partner.

Ted Valderrama | Angelina Bakeshop, the Philippines

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We have been using We Seal machines in our bakery for well over a decade. We’ve found the bag sealers to be reliable & well-engineered and they cope well with the big demands of our weekly output of around 2.9 million units. As with all our machinery, preventative maintenance is key to ensuring that the sealers keep operating smoothly, and We Seal have provided us with clear instructions as to how we can best facilitate this. The machines are easy to operate and we’re very happy with the support we receive from We Seal when needed.

Francis Furlong | Fine Lady Bakeries, UK

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We switched to tape sealing in 2019, having previously used rigid plastic tags on our products. We Seal made the transition smooth and simple, and we’ve seen a lot of great benefits from the change. Having the option to print directly on the bag closure is very useful, and we like that the closures are resealable. It also looks good too and really makes our loaves stand out on the shelf. The sealing machine runs well, and we haven’t required any service visits since it was installed. That being said, we of course know the support is there if we need it.

Ian Martin | GF Precinct, Australia

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“

It is by constantly looking ahead that we can become an obvious partner for semi-industrial bakeries, for example. The latest product we launched, We Seal, an eco-friendly and smart bag sealer, is a good example of this. It is a product of the future that takes into account both production and the environment. I see that within two years, we will be an obvious supplier to turn to for bakeries with a sustainability mindset.

Johan Larsson | Sales Manager at Lundpac AB

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“

Thanks for a fantastic install. I am over the moon with the new machine. I appreciate [your team’s] time and expertise, my staff felt supported and [your team’s] positivity shone through. You clearly know what you are doing, but I am glad I chose We Seal to seal our bread in a speedy and professional way.

Chris Hallett | Halletts The Bakers, UK

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We absolutely love your machines! They’ve always been so reliable for us, and the best part is how simple and user-friendly they are.

Jignesh Patel | GF Precinct, Australia

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