A post-film packaging future
We’ve teamed up with packaging machine manufacturer Kallfass to develop a sustainable, paper-based alternative to film packaging. Sappi Seal Silk, with integrated heat-sealing properties, alongside Sappi Crystalcon, have already been identified as sustainable solutions.
The packaging industry is changing rapidly, with more and more consumers demanding sustainable, recyclable options. In Trivium’s Global Buying Green Report 2022, which surveys more than 15,000 consumers, 66% of respondents said they consider it important to purchase products packaged in environmentally friendly materials. Meanwhile, 57% said they were less likely to buy products in packaging they consider harmful to the environment.
However, the move to more sustainable packaging is being driven by much more than end consumer demand. Sustainability has become a major initiative for many businesses – like Sappi – that have established goals for reducing emissions and waste.
It's up to responsible manufacturers to find sustainable, recyclable packaging alternatives that still deliver on functionality and design.
A partnership for sustainable innovation
For over 50 years, Kallfass has been manufacturing machines for packaging with film. The company has played a key role in shaping the technological evolution of packaging machines for non-food applications and shrink tunnels.
Now, they’ve teamed up with us to develop a paper-based alternative to film packaging which can be used in the same machines. Kallfass machines are already able to process films made from a number of different materials – not just fossil-based or recycled materials, but also a wide variety of paper-based materials.
However, the processing capabilities aren’t enough to be able to replace plastic-based film. The right material is needed to deliver the same functionality. And that’s where Sappi comes in. We were the first manufacturer ever to launch an innovative packaging paper with integrated sealing functionality. So, when Kallfass were looking for the right partner to develop a sustainable packaging solution for their customers, we were the obvious choice.
The future of sustainable packaging
The partnership between Sappi and Kallfass has already delivered alternative packaging for mattresses, using Sappi Seal paper. And now we’ve turned the focus to e-commerce, where demand for sustainable packaging has grown alongside the significant increase in online shopping since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Indeed, the E-Commerce Delivery Compass 2021/2022 indicated that close to 78 per cent of European consumers surveyed believe that packaging material should be fully recyclable.
The Kallfass and Sappi teams carried out extensive testing to find an alternative to film for primary packaging that would be suitable for e-commerce. Crystalcon, an uncoated, translucent, compostable paper grade recently developed by Sappi, in combination with the heat-sealable Sappi Seal Silk, offered a sustainable and easy-to-implement solution that can be recycled in domestic paper recycling.
Crystalcon’s translucence means this packaging has sufficient transparency to allow identifying of the product inside. It also offers easy printability, making beautifully branded packaging simple.
Crystalcon represents a real alternative for packaging goods from virtually all product segments – from small electronic devices to clothes. And because it can be used without changing any machinery, it’s an easy switch to make – bringing a sustainable packaging future a step nearer.
