It's not plastic. It's fantastic.
Discover Sappi's recyclable high barrier flexible packaging paper. It guarantees product protection and sustainable packaging.
Why Choose Sappi's High Barrier Paper?
Fully Recyclable
Mono-material construction ensures easy recyclability in standard paper waste stream, eliminating separation issues and reducing environmental impact.
Superior Protection
High barrier coating technology provides excellent protection against moisture, oxygen, grease and MOSH/MOAH, preserving freshness and shelf life.
Future-proof
Stay ahead of regulations and meet sustainability goals while maintaining premium packaging paper quality.
How High Barrier Paper Works
Traditional vs. Sappi’s Solution
While traditional packaging relies on multiple materials laminated together—making recycling more difficult or impossible—Sappi's solution uses a mono material with specialized coating technology that maintains full recyclability while delivering comparable barrier properties.
Barrier Technology
1. High Barrier Performance
Advanced coating technology provides superior protection against moisture, oxygen, grease and MOSH/MOAH.
2. Mono-Material Structure
Single-material construction ensures easy recycling and processing.
3. Heat-Sealing Properties
Several papers offer integrated high barrier functionality and heat-sealing properties.
Applications & Solutions
Food Packaging
Engineered specifically for direct food contact and primary packaging, our barrier papers protect and preserve flavor and freshness in dry food, confectionery, tea, ice cream cones, frozen goods, cereals, pasta, rice, cheese, seasonings, and many more —all while being completely recyclable in standard paper streams after use.
Non-Food Packaging
From personal and home care products to cleaning material, detergent products, office material, OTC Healthcare products, games, DIY products and many more, our barrier papers provide the moisture and damage protection these products need while allowing brands to meet sustainability goals and consumer expectations for eco-friendly packaging.
White paper - Switching to paper-based packaging. Your questions answered.
We believe that the future of flexible packaging is paper based. But we know that making the switch is no simple matter. That’s why we’ve put together these barrier papers FAQs as a useful guide to taking the next step…
Daniela Marques
"We wanted to develop products free from single-use plastic, but they still needed to perform, I was worried about putting the powders in a paper bag, because they’re sensitive to humidity and can go lumpy easily. So, I knew I needed to find the right paper. I reached out to suppliers and Sappi had the best solution."
Arnie Ellison
"We were surprised to experience outstanding runnability using normal inks. With its glossy, premium look and feel, the paper made quite an impression on us."
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Frequently Asked Questions
When we are talking paper barrier packaging solutions, we refer to papers which are coated with waterborne polymer dispersions of very thin layer. And those developments have the ultimate goal to replace or be able to replace non-recyclable multilayer structures like paper film laminates, extrusion coated papers or multi film laminates for flexible packaging solutions. These innovations undergo rigorous in-house and external testing, aligned with the 4Evergreen evaluation protocol, ensuring recyclability in paper waste streams. Sappi actively participates in 4Evergreen, a cross-industry initiative aimed at boosting paper and cardboard recycling rates. Contributions include harmonized European test methods, sorting and collection workstreams, and design guidelines. The campaign emphasizes sustainability and functionality in flexible packaging solutions.
Sappi’s barrier papers address EU legislation demands for sustainable packaging by reducing plastic pollution, waste, and material complexity while ensuring recyclability. These fiber-based papers substitute non-recyclable plastic packaging, leveraging renewable materials and achieving Europe’s high recycling rate of 82.5%. Tested under CEPI and 4Evergreen protocols, they guarantee compatibility with paper waste streams. As mono-material solutions, they replace complex multilayer substrates, simplifying collection and recycling. Sappi remains committed to innovation and sustainability, aligning with legislative objectives and promoting a circular economy for renewable resources while offering practical, recyclable alternatives for flexible packaging applications.
Yes, it is possible and that is fantastic news, as the packaging lines were optimized for film in the last decades. It is depending on the type of machine and the packaging material, which is replaced by paper, which kind of adjustments the machine may need.
By close and fruitful collaborations with well-known OEMs, we have learned a lot about the behavior of paper on the lines and this is know-how we gladly share with our customers and project partners. In many cases it is sufficient to make small adjustments like machine settings. For example, sealing temperatures on the machine to make the paper run, and sometimes adjustments on the forming box or the forming shoulder are key to success.
However, this is not high investment costs. The good news is that paper can run on both vertical as well as horizontal lines, which makes paper a great choice for different packaging formats and styles.
Sappi addresses the 10 most pressing questions brand owners, converters and printers are currently asking. Our experts are answering these questions in short videos.
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