Consumers are becoming big fans of 'what you see is what you get.' This is one reason packaging is more clear as of late. The latest example of this: Décor Corp., an Australian manufacturer of homeware products, is using Milliken's Millad NXTM 8000 clarifier for its Match-ups with Realseal and Tellfresh food storage containers. Décor, a longstanding Milliken customer, adopted polypropylene (PP) clarified with Milliken's Millad NX 8000 agent, which also helps improve the stiffness and impact strength of its products.

"We are always looking for better PP clarity as an important value-add for retailers and end customers, who consider it a mark of high-quality, cleanliness and usability," said Peter Grave, Décor's global sales manager. "We have worked with Milliken for more than 30 years because the company continually improves its technologies, helping us fulfill our mission of global food storage leadership through ongoing innovation. Millad NX 8000, the most effective clarifier yet, is helping Décor create exceptional homewares that generate customer trust and brand loyalty."

These containers feature colored accents on the clear lid and base to facilitate matching, and each lid pairs with bases of multiple sizes. The containers also feature a leak-proof silicone seal on the lid and a vent button for steam control during microwaving.

For both product lines, Millad NX 8000 clarifier enables Décor to obtain ultra-clear PP with a "top-quality" finish from its injection mold tools, resulting in a smooth, glossy surface. The clarified PP is formulated to present a "sparkling appearance" with very low haze. The company said that both factors contribute to shelf appeal and complement the distinctive container designs. The improved clarity provided by the Millad NX 8000 agent enhances the aesthetics of Décor containers.

"Our Millad NX 8000 clarifier was developed specifically to give customers like Décor the opportunity to make PP look as clear as other materials and be competitive against the highest-quality products," said Cristina Acevedo, global product line manager for Millad, Plastics Additives at Milliken & Co. "It is very rewarding when we see PP parts with a new standard of clarity. Millad NX 8000 is the plastics industry's clarifier of choice for a wide and growing range of transparent PP applications. In fact, demand for this technology has been so strong that earlier this year Milliken announced a capacity expansion for Millad NX 8000 clarifier at our Blacksburg, S.C., facility to meet future customer needs."

Millad NX 8000 is Milliken's fourth-generation clarifying agent. The clarifier increases the "beauty" of PP materials, allowing parts to approach the clarity of glass or amorphous polymers, a level of clarity never obtained before, according to the company. Millad NX 8000 can be effectively used in processing methods such as injection molding, blowmolding and thermoforming.