With PPWR increasing recyclability requirements, raw material economics and geopolitical instability changing material costs, and growing customer demand for long-term sustainable solutions, it is no surprise that an efficient packaging material transition was one of the key questions at the Sappi booth at Interpack 2026.
That combination of challenges is giving paper-based packaging a concrete role. Converters and brand owners are looking for materials that reduce plastic content, support lighter formats and help simplify structures, while still protecting the product, running efficiently on production lines and making commercial sense.
Customers came to Interpack far more prepared this year when it comes to paper packaging and technical requirements. Sustainability and PPWR compliance are increasingly becoming baseline expectations. Discussions are now focused on implementation and how to deliver fibre-based packaging solutions that perform reliably within existing production environments.
Flavio Froehli, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Sappi
Less plastic and less complexity
Replacing plastic sounds straightforward until the new material needs to work on a production line. In many flexible packaging applications, particularly in food and beverages, plastic layers provide barrier protection, strength, sealability and machinability. Removing those layers requires the right fibre base, coating technology and converting performance.
A successful paper-based solution reduces unnecessary material and avoids over-engineered structures, while keeping the protection and efficiency the application requires. Upgrading packaging material only delivers value if it performs through production, protects the product and supports the desired end-of-life route.
This is where interest in Sappi’s packaging paper portfolio is especially strong. Guard Pro OHS/OMH, Guard Duo, Guard Twist, and the Seal and DiBase ranges all address applications where recyclability, barrier performance and production efficiency need to work together. These include food wraps, flexible packaging, twist-wrap formats and other structures where plastic reduction brings both technical and commercial questions.
Evidence is part of the offer
Interpack also showed how much more data-led the market has become. Customers wanted to discuss test results, barrier performance, sealing behaviour, machinability and the meaning behind terms such as “plastic-free” and “microplastic-free”.
Demand for evidence is a positive sign. Material transition needs to be specific, tested and relevant to the application. For Sappi, it puts technical expertise, application support and customer collaboration at the centre of the relationship.
Paperisation enters business planning
Paper-based packaging is moving deeper into decisions around regulation, production efficiency, and material sourcing, but also cost control and brand positioning.
A fibre-based structure has to be designed around the product, the equipment, the supply chain and the end-of-life route. When those elements meet, paper-based packaging can help reduce plastic content, improve recyclability and keep production realities firmly in view.
That makes early collaboration more important. Converters, brand owners, machinery suppliers and material experts all need to be involved before a material reaches the line.
For Sappi, Interpack showed strong momentum behind packaging papers that help customers address these demands with tested, commercially relevant materials. The opportunity is to help customers build packaging that is lighter, better prepared for regulation and ready for real market conditions.
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