Stemilt Moves Select Apple Programs to Certified Compostable PLU Labels

WENATCHEE, WA - Stemilt Growers has commenced a phased transition to a compostable fruit labeling program with Sinclair’s T55 labeling solution.

Stemilt Growers, a fifth-generation family-owned tree fruit grower, packer and shipper based in Wenatchee, Washington, has begun transitioning select apple varieties to Sinclair T55. Developed by global fruit-labeling provider Sinclair, T55 is a fruit label independently certified for both home and industrial composting, a press release stated.

Why compostable fruit labels matter

Unlike conventional fruit labels, certified compostable fruit labels are designed to break down under appropriate home or industrial composting conditions (T55 does both). Where conventional labels can remain as unwanted material when labeled fruit or peel enters food waste, certified compostable labels are designed to compost with the organic waste, helping reduce contamination and support cleaner composting streams.

About the Stemilt transition to compostable PLU labels

The transition will be phased across Stemilt's labeling program, beginning with 9 apple varieties packed at Stemilt's facilities in Wenatchee and at Douglas Fruit in Pasco. The initial phase is expected to transition approximately 57 % of PLU labels to Sinclair T55, with additional varieties and programs planned as the rollout progresses in 2027.

Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt Growers, commented “It’s a practical improvement that aligns with our long-term commitment to environmental stewardship. With Sinclair T55 already proven with growers in other markets, we felt confident this was the right time to begin the transition here in North America."

See the compostable label transition at IFPA GPFS

Stemilt will feature the transition in its Fresh Ideas Showcase, with an artistic representation of composting labels while Sinclair will showcase composting and T55 at booth #3333. The displays will give IFPA attendees an opportunity to see how the label is designed to perform at end of life and talk to the teams.

Sinclair T55 is independently certified for home and industrial composting by TÜV Austria, DIN CERTCO and the Australasian Bioplastics Association.

The certifications show that the T55 label meets recognized international composting standards including EN 13432, NF T51-800 and AS 5810. It can be disposed of with suitable organic waste streams for home or industrial composting.

For Sinclair, Stemilt's transition demonstrates how certified compostable labeling can be introduced while maintaining the high-speed application performance packinghouses require. It also provides a practical example of how growers can address packaging waste while supporting organics recovery.

"Our founder, Tom Mathison, built this company on the belief that we're caretakers of the land and environment for a short time and have to leave it better than we found it," said Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt Growers. "Labeling has been part of our story since we put our name on fruit in the early 1980s. We see this transition as an opportunity to maintain the benefits of fruit labeling while improving what happens to that label at the end of its life.”

“Sinclair T55 is engineered to deliver the high-speed application, adhesion and reliability packinghouses depend on, with the added benefit of certified end-of-life performance,” said Duncan Jones, Senior Marketing Manager at Sinclair. “We’ve seen strong adoption in New Zealand, Europe, South Africa and South America, and Stemilt’s transition is an important step for North America. It demonstrates that growers can move toward certified compostable labeling without compromising packinghouse performance.”

Stemilt: Booth #2847 | Sinclair: Booth #3333