Ahlstrom’s innovative technologies help replace plastic in food packaging
Every year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of plastic, with a significant portion used for packaging. Approximately 36% of all plastics produced are used in packaging, including single-use food and beverage containers. (Source: UN Environment Programme).
Due to its versatile and durable properties, plastic has been widely used in packaging. However, the environmental impact of plastic waste has led to increased efforts to find sustainable alternatives.
“Sustainable packaging is one of the megatrends of today’s world. As a sustainable specialty materials company, we are a key player in delivering sustainable alternatives for plastic,” says Riccardo Corradini, Head of Marketing and Business Development for Food Packaging at Ahlstrom.
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| Riccardo Corradini sees a huge potential in the sustainable food packaging market. |
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“This is also a great growth opportunity for us as the customers are seeking for more responsible solutions to meet their sustainability goals,” Corradini continues.
Ahlstrom’s food packaging solutions target product categories with a high demand for plastic alternatives. These categories encompass food packaging, pet food packaging, confectionary products, various snacks, and plastic drinking straws. Pet food packaging poses a unique challenge due to the greasy nature and long shelf life of pet food. Furthermore, since pet food is frequently sold in large packages, the packaging material must be robust. Despite these challenges, Ahlstrom has successfully developed sustainable packaging alternatives. The company has created two technologies that enable safe and sustainable pet food packaging. These technologies are PawPrint® and FluoroFree®.
PawPrint® materials are made from wood-based natural cellulose fibers, a renewable material, and are recyclable according to EN 13430 standard and by the Western Michigan University.
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| Ahlstrom is one of the world’s leading producers of microwave pop corn bag materials. |
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If compostability is required, industrial compostable BPI® certified products are also available in the PawPrint® range. Ahlstrom’s FluoroFree® papers, on the other hand, deliver outstanding grease resistance without the use of fluorochemicals. This technology can be applied to several different materials, from quick-service restaurant applications to microwave popcorn bags.
Another sustainable innovation created by Ahlstrom is Cristal® technology, a cellulose-based alternative to transparent plastic packaging. In addition to food packaging, it can be used in many industries, including E-commerce, health and hygiene, or office supplies.
"These technologies are the result of several years of development,” tells Riccardo Corradini. “And the investments in product development have already paid off because we have succeeded brilliantly in the food packaging market. This increases the appeal and productivity of sustainable materials throughout the value chain."