Reusable Spools – FAQ
We are committed to reducing our environmental impact by integrating sustainable solutions at every stage of our operations. Reusable spools are a concrete example: designed to be dismantled, recovered, and reused, they are fully aligned with a circular economy approach.
Do you have questions about how they work, their durability, or their logistics?
👇 Find all the answers to the most frequently asked questions here.👇
Flexico’s reusable spools are light blue. This color makes them easier to identify and is also the recommended color for workshops in the food industry.
| Reel dimensions | Weight of reel | Material | Color | Reusable | ||||||
| Width mm | Diameter mm | Cores mm | Half Cores | Flanges | Total | Cores | Flanges | |||
| EMB14 | 385 | 385 | 40 | 0.25 | 0.4 | 1.3 kg | PS | PS | CLACK | NO |
| EMB15 | 385 | 500 | 40 | 0.3 | 0.75 | 2.1 kg | PS | PS | BLUE | YES |
| EMB16 | 485 | 500 | 40 | 0.4 | 0.75 | 2.3 kg | PS | PS | BLUE | YES |
| EMB17 | 385 | 595 | 40 | 0.25 | 1.25 | 2.8 kg | PS | ABS | BLACK | NO |
To dismantle the reels, simply dismantle the first flange by gently pulling the tabs upwards and turning the flange clockwise. Do the same to remove the other flange. It is not necessary to remove the central chuck.
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The spools are made from virgin high impact polystyrene (HI PS),
a strong material with good rigidity. Rigid PS is recyclable.
The blue spools are designed to be dismantled and reused, which is not the case for the black spools.
In addition, the blue spools are more rigid to withstand repeated use.
All of our spools are manufactured without PFAS, and therefore comply with new regulations such as the PPWR.
Our spools are suitable for food contact and handled in a BRC-compliant environment.
We guarantee food-grade compliance not only for the material but also for the cleaning process.
Our spools meet the strict requirements for packaging that requires food contact approval.
Our process guarantees food contact compliance throughout the entire lifecycle of the spools, whether it’s one cycle or ten.
The spools are thoroughly cleaned after each use cycle.
The cleaning protocol guarantees no traces or contamination of allergens.
When we recover the spools, we follow a specific cleaning method:
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Treatment of the spools with a food-contact-approved biocide
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Rinsing of the spools with continuous monitoring
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Drying of the spools
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Verification of food contact compliance
The cleaning process is tested and monitored by the quality department and approved in a BRCGS environment.
You can contact Flexico’s sales administration department directly to request the return of the spools.
Our shipping department will schedule an appointment with you and a carrier to collect the spools and flanges.
We currently collect our spools within Europe. Please check with your sales representative for more information.
To return your spools free of charge, we require a minimum of 8 pallets of fully dismantled cores and flanges.
However, it is possible to return smaller quantities with a financial contribution towards transport costs (to be discussed directly with your sales representative).
To optimize the packing of empty spools, we suggest the following arrangement:
EMB15 :
5 cores & 10 flanges
EMB16 :
6 cores & 12 flanges
We do not collect broken or damaged spools, as this leads to unnecessary storage and transport costs.
There are several ways to identify a damaged or broken spool:
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The flange of the spool is completely cracked or broken
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The flanges no longer hold onto the core
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The spool core is cracked or broken
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The tabs used to dismantle the spool are missing from the flanges
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Cracks are visible along the core axis
After several uses, the tabs may turn white. This is a sign of wear caused by pulling too hard on them.
No worries — the spools can still be used as long as the tabs return to their original position.
We implement several types of quality checks: inspections are carried out before and after the cleaning of the spools, as well as during their use in our workshops.
We check the condition of each spool to determine whether it is suitable for another reuse cycle.
Spools are removed from the process if they no longer meet our quality standards.
In the event of a quality issue with the zip (customer complaint), it is possible to return the spools with the non-compliant zip, but only after the claim has been reviewed and approved by the quality department.
We recommend keeping the boxes so they can be reused to return the used spools and flanges.
This helps avoid using new boxes and reduces cardboard waste.
If you encounter any quality issues with the reusable spools, please contact the quality department at the following email address: [email protected]
We recover the reels even if there is zip left on them.
It is not necessary to remove the labels from the reels before returning them. Our teams can remove them when checking the reels (before cleaning).
We ask you to treat them as industrial waste.
For every 1,000 reels reused, we reduce unused plastic by 2 tonnes. This represents a CO2 reduction of 6.4 tonnes (the equivalent of driving around the world).
This enables you to reduce your carbon footprint in figures and thus contribute to your extra-financial indicators, particularly those relating to the environment. Reusable reels allow you to take concrete action on environmental impact.
Reusable reels meet the re-use pillar of the PPWR (Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation) voted by the European Parliament in April 2024 and published in January 2025. This regulation will come into force in 2030.
For more information, please contact your sales representative.
