Why “Animal Glue” is the Sustainable Choice

Introduction

If you’ve ever made a book with us, you may have heard the keyword ‘animal glue.’ This is a direct translation of a glue that is easy to use and environmentally friendly. So why do we choose it for book binding and why is it sustainable?

What is our glue?

Well, animal glue is not actually made from animals. It’s an EVA/PVA water-based emulsion, which actually makes it a mixture of water and plastic. To be specific, it’s a mixture of 5% PVA, 50% EVA, and 45% water. But this isn’t the kind of plastic that will end up as litter- it’s a completely non-toxic, super efficient polymer that ensures both great adhesive function and environmental safety.

Why are the components sustainable?

EVA, or ethylene vinyl acetate, is your typical hot melt glue. It’s a thermoplastic that remains strong and flexible after drying. This is the workhorse of our glue, creating most of the mechanical adhesion in the microscopic pores of paper. PVA, or polyvinyl acetate, is your typical school glue. Both of these ingredients are non-toxic, and combining them together helps gives them great flowing properties and performance for book binding. Importantly, these two ingredients are very efficient in production and do no not rely on resource intensive plants for manufacture.

Key finding

The most important difference with our glue is that it is water based instead of solvent based. This means it has a low VOC content. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. These are compounds that tend to “off-gas” under regular storage conditions or during use. Typical household VOCs include acetone, ethanol, and alcohol. By choosing a glue with no VOCs, risks to human health are eliminated. This is the most sustainable aspect of the glue we use.

Conclusion

In the world of glues, it can be difficult to find an option that minimizes our impact on the environment while still providing great quality for your products. Luckily, we have done the hard part for you and found a great glue for book binding. With us, you can trust that your products do not harm nature or the people who use them.